Immerse yourself in Haitian cuisine, culture

TAP TAP
Immerse Yourself In
Haitian Cuisine And Culture
By Neli Lalanne

It’s Saturday night and your taste buds ache for flavor. You’ve tried Chinese, Thai, and Lebanese. Since you ran out of TV dinners, you decided that tonight you will try something different; so based on a friend’s recommendation you opt to drive to Tap Tap and give Haitian cuisine a go. Clever choice. You valet park and walk up the steps, located at 819 and 5th Street in Miami Beach, the restaurant is fairly easy to find and as soon as you enter you mentally congratulate yourself for yet another judicious choice.

Upon entering TAP TAP one is virtually stepping into a mythical world where images of Haitian voodoo gods and goddesses come alive on the walls. The restaurant is comprised of 3 main rooms, all of which showcase in vibrant colors, deities of the voodoo religion, bringing to life beliefs that have underlined Haitian culture for years and surprising the hungry customer by providing more then great food but engulfing he or she with a sense of being in Haiti without ever making a trip there.

The tables and chairs also painted in bright colors add to the décor, and the tantalizing menu displays dinner plates that reflect why islanders are so serious about their food. Everything from ‘diri cole ak pwa’ (mixed rice and beans a la Creole) to ‘diri ak djondjon’ (black rice which is an all time favorite of Haitians), to ‘soup Joumou’ (pumpkin soup typically drank on New Year day in Haiti), to sweet ‘benyen’ (sugary dough-like delicacy confectioned during carnival time in Haiti) can be found. Meats, homemade juices and desserts complement the main courses and pose an inherent challenge to the customer “what should I order?” Occasionally a live band, mixing up Haitian beats would play in the background, elevating the dinner experience by rendering soothing melodies while taste buds are being gently tickled by exotic spices. The service is great, with smiling waiters and waitress, whom although not always fluent in Creole, strive and succeed at making the dining experience unforgettable.

TAP TAP which in Haitian Creole is one form of public transport is where one would go for, not only remarkable food packed with flavor evoking the islands but also for a sense of getting away, a genuine taste of the Caribbean, TAP TAP is Haitian cuisine at it’s best, bringing grandma’s cooking to those who yearn for Caribbean catering but just can’t seem to get the recipes right in their own kitchen. TAP TAP is a must see and must try to all with a refined palate and a penchant for exotic flavors, if that sounds like you, just pick a night and check it out.