Marooned in Chelsea

Maroons, a southern and Jamaican restaurant on 16th St between 7th and 8th Aves., certainly delivers on its promise of food, family, and home. Saturday night in the dining room reminded me of family dinners at home – noisy, chaotic, and competitive, unsparing of anyone’s feelings. When our (large) party was finally seated, we were told in no uncertain terms to get down to ordering, eating, and clearing out, because there was another party of 16 fast on our heels. Great start to an evening, eh? No worries, we didn’t intend to linger over the food here, anyway. The menu was packed with decadent soul food classics and accented with savory Caribbean dishes. I went with the fried chicken, served with mac and cheese and collard greens, with catfish fingers and cod fritters to start. The cod fritters were the weakest dish of the night. The outer crust was leathery, the inside tasted mealy and fishy, and the whole concoction was covered with a hot-sweet sauce that my table-mate aptly described as “General Tso’s sauce.” The catfish fingers were a different story altogether – flaky white meat, battered and fried, spicy, and not at all greasy. The fried chicken was outstanding. The portion size was gargantuan, at least a half a chicken (a healthy, schoolyard bully-type of chicken). The crisp browned coating had a nice kick and meshed beautifully with the moist, flavorful meat and the fragrant collard greens (the mac and cheese I could take or leave). There were several birthdays being celebrated last night, including one in my party. Each time, the servers would turn out the lights, start clapping, and sing Happy Birthday, a la Stevie Wonder, to the rafters. Sitting there in the candlelight, suffused in the warmth of good company and soul-recharging food, I considered myself very lucky indeed.