Phone: 529-3576

Hours: 10 a.m. - 12 midnight weekdays, 10 a.m. - 2 a.m. weekends

Oxtails, macaroni salad, collard greens, whiting and other tastes of the sea, baked macaroni and cheese, sausage rice, baked (among other styles) of chicken, Caribbean-style rice and peas, plantain, sweet potato pie… Either someone’s experienced one of life’s four major milestones, a hot weekend has drawn friends and family out to "throw down" or you’ve taken a trip to Rockaway Boulevard for a taste of R.C.L. Enterprises’ take-out.

This Ozone Park gem is the area’s worst kept secret, as you may have to contend for parking and space on the line with droves of devoted fans.

The wait is well worth the smorgasbord of all things Southern and Caribbean, however.

Lunch specials are in the $5 area and dinners (which include two side orders) range anywhere from $6-10.

In the familial tradition of soul food cooking, be aware that dinner offers no skimpy portions.

When dining at R.C.L., prepare to be fed — well — so bring your appetite or a friend.

Having personally indulged in an afternoon dinner of jerk chicken, mac-n-cheese and plantain before returning to work, I adopted a theory as to why the restaurant offers no eat-in options — you’d never want to leave.

Do try to leave room for dessert, though.

The banana pudding ($3 small, $6 large) comes highly recommended.

Rich food on Rockaway, ready to be picked up and enjoyed.

That’s R.C.L.