Mama
Doris Kitchen
189-05
Jamaica Ave., Hollis
718- 264-7651
Cuisine:
Caribbean
Hours:
8 a.m. to 10 p.m.,
Monday to Saturday;
9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday
There’s
a new Caribbean restaurant in Hollis that offers regional classics in
a small but pretty atmosphere.
Mama
Doris Kitchen, named after owner Michelle Skeen’s mother and the
source of many of the restaurant’s recipes, has a pretty standard
Caribbean menu with a few unique standouts.
The
most unique item on the Mama Doris menu wasn’t available during a
recent visit, but Skeen’s description was enticing.
The
“Front End Lifter,” Skeen said, is a root-based drink designed to
increase “vitality.”
Upon
further questioning, Skeen only blushed and said, “Do you have a
girlfriend at home?”
We
couldn’t taste the Front End Lifter, but Skeen said it tastes
similar to Irish Moss, another $3 drink served at the restaurant.
Irish
Moss is made with sea moss, sugar, spices, milk, isene glass and
linseed; the Front End Lifter adds carrots, peanuts and oats to the
mix. The
Irish Moss is thick and sweet like a milkshake and tastes best diluted
with some water.
There’s
an entree menu with old standbys made with chicken, beef, pork and
fish. The
most popular item by far is the oxtail, Skeen said, along with jerk
chicken and jerk pork.
Mama Doris’ favorite dish, Skeen said, is the brown stew
fish.
The
oxtail is a great choice for anyone looking for a decadent beef-eating
experience.
The meat is the softest that can be pulled off the animal,
though that comes at a price — the meat is also some of the fattiest
available.
The
rice and peas served with the entrees — a staple in Caribbean
restaurants — stands out above many of Mama Doris’ competitors.
The “peas” (beans, actually) have a very cozy relationship
with the rice — instead of sitting alone and separate from the
grains, the beans are broken up and mixed in.
It makes for a nice, meaty pile of carbs that complements the
meats well.
The
entrees generally range in price from $6.50 for an individual order
with rice to $9 for a bigger order.
The more complicated items, like the brown stew fish, butter
shrimp and curried shrimp, range from $10 to $15.
There’s
a roti menu, whose items feature roti bread wrapped around chicken,
goat, vegetables or oxtail.
The dishes cost between $7 and $8.50.
There’s
a soup section on the menu, with fish the most popular kind among
other meats and peas.
They cost $3 for a small order and $6 for a large order.
The
sparkling eight-seat Mama Doris Kitchen also has a small bakery
section, featuring pre-made and freshly baked breads and cakes.
Skeen’s homemade chocolate cake was a popular choice one
recent night.
The
restaurant also has daily specials like baked chicken and fish, shrimp
and chop suey cooked to order.
Catering and delivery services — JFK Airport and local
hospitals bring the most business — round out the conveniences.
—
Shams Tarek
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