At the new Williamsburg restaurant you get a chance to try global street foods without worrying about Montezuma’s revenge, Delhi belly or Pizarro’s curse! I was invited there recently to take the around-the-world culinary adventure.

When you go, don’t miss the “Doubles” ($7), a Trinidad staple with some Indian influence. Doubles refers to two fried bara dough curried chickpeas patties with toppings — sweet mango chutney, tamarind sauce, shadon bennie (Caribbean cilantro, a leafy herb native to the West Indies and Central America) with a kick and a super hot Scotch bonnet (aka habañero) sauce. Unusual and quite filling.

Being quite familiar with fried rice balls — both homemade and those in Italy — I wasn’t wild about the texture of Streets’ version of their panko-crusted Italian arancini (three for $12) served with a plain marinara sauce. Theirs contains Parmesan cheese, seafood and a mozzarella core, making these balls more moist and gooey than traditional.

My server explained that the Danang and Honk Kong head-on prawns ($17) had different preparations and sauces. The Vietnam was supposed to be spicy, the Chinese one sweet and spicy. I found them quite similar, and would suggest they add more spiciness to the Danang one to differentiate the flavors.

Streets offers a hearty portion of their Seoul octopus ($15) and mixed peppers in gochujang sauce. This could be a winner if the octopus wasn’t overcooked and if they added more of the spicy fermented Korean condiment.

I really loved the Peruvian humitas consisting of yucca chips with two dips — a sweet corn basil mash served in a banana leaf boat and black bean chili one ($15). Addicting and not to be missed.

But Lobster lovers will so enjoy the wok-fried whole Maine lobster, the chef’s take on Singapore chili crab. It’s a shelled crustacean on a bed of sauteed pea shoots (MP). We had an order of the tapioca-flour Brazilian cheese bread (Pao de Queijo) along with that. I found the bread way too dense and underbaked ($6), but the lobster more tender, juicy and flavorful than a grilled one. I recommend.

For dessert (each $8), I’d recommend the Greek spanakopita ($8) — not the classic spinach pie. Instead it’s a gooey herbed cheese filled one, more of a triopita or cheese and herb filled phyllo. Whatever the name, it’s delicious.

Also tasty is the Latin American tres leches cake — a three-milk soaked vanilla cake covered in meringue, or the car bomb — an Irish Guinness chocolate cake layered with Jamison custard and topped with Bailey’s buttercream icing.

I recommend a visit to Streets — but be prepared for a noisy environment, just like being on a crowd-filled rowdy street.

 

– bonnie

BonnieBOTB

 

Streets
Williamsburg
53 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY 11249
(718) 384-2899
Click to add a blog post for Streets - Bk on Zomato