Looking for a new casual spot in Montauk? Soursop, a Jamaican/ American Café is located upstairs at the Plaza in the center of town. Chef Clive has created a tasty menu with traditional Jamaican specialties as well as delicious local treats.
At the Café, you’ll find appetizers consisting of clam chowder, baked clams, calamari, shellfish and wings, to an array of fresh Salads, a Lunch menu including anything from a traditional to Jamaican Jerk burgers, to Soursop fish tacos, and a number of sandwiches, to a complete dinner menu with fish, pasta, steak and Jerk Pork Chops with Sweet Potato Pancakes. They don’t have a liquor license yet so for now its BYOB.
On a lovely Monday evening after enjoying the Lone Sharks play on the Green, we were treated to an array of great traditional Jamaican/American cooking. Clive chose some of his favorites for us and our waiter Enrico explained each one as he presented them. Cornmeal Crusted Calamari served with a trio of sauces is tender and crisp. While the sauces offer a variety of flavor to enjoy: an authentic Jamaican Jerk sauce made with pimento and thyme, traditional marinara, and a Chinese sauce. His baked clams – which I have had many times and they are always a crowd pleaser- are bursting with flavor and clams… a must try.
For the salad course, we enjoyed the Fresh Tomato & Mozzarella with fresh basil sauce, the Goat Cheese Salad with beets, bacon bits, apples, a warm pecan crusted goat cheese ball, and a pecan house dressing, as well as the Colorful Rasta Salad- sporting the colors of the Jamaican flag, and served with a Soursop vinaigrette dressing.
A Soursop Tree is a tropical climate tree and produces fruit from which the pulp is eaten in chunks or with a spoon, or it may be used to make a soursop drink. For this purpose, the seeded pulp may be pressed in a colander or sieve or squeezed in cheesecloth to extract the rich, creamy juice, which is then beaten with milk or water and sweetened. Besides its pleasant flavor, soursop fruit benefits include 71 kcal of energy, 247 grams of protein, and calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus, and it’s a source of vitamins C and A; many believe it has medicinal benefits as well.
Jerked Pork Chops served with a spicy jerk sauce is a grilled chop that sits atop a Sweet Potato Pancake that is drizzled with a hint maple to add a bit of sweet…simply delicious. The Grilled Salmon is served on a bed of broccoli puree, along with baby carrot shrimp and sweet potato grits; I’m not much of a salmon fan, but even I enjoyed this perfect blend of flavors. Curry is one of my favorites, however we were dining with a friend who doesn’t like it. To his surprise, the subtleness of the curry in the Curried Seafood with shrimps, mussels, and lobster meat over white rice created a flavor that was accented and not taken over by the curry; he even said that not only did he like it, but he would order it again! The last meal was a special- juicy and flavorful Jerk Chicken complimented with a blend of rice and beans. It’s hard to say which dish was our favorite, each one was spiced so as not to ruin your taste buds; instead each spice combination resulted in delicious blends of flavors.
Sipping on coffee and a taste of the Soursop juice, Enrico served us another tasty treat. Sweet Potato Pudding with vanilla ice cream- this dessert blends cinnamon, nutmeg and coconut milk resulting in a dense tasty after dinner treat.
Clive grew up cooking for his siblings and family and has a long history of being a Chef here in Montauk for many years, as well as other places. Having sampled some of the dishes for a family party, catered by Clive and his staff, I can also highly recommend the Farfalle Pasta loaded with delicately cooked shrimps, scallops and calamari, cherry tomatoes and broccolini, and tossed with a roasted garlic cream sauce. In addition, we enjoyed all four types of fish that he prepares when you bring in your ‘catch’. My family as well as many friends who have also taken their fish to the Café will agree that each one is unique and absolutely delicious!
Eat in- Take out- Catering- or You Hook ‘Em and He’ll Cook ‘Em… We’ve tried it all and have loved everything. We wish Clive the best of luck and encourage you to give his culinary treats a try!!
716 Main Street, Montauk •631-668-5836
