Queens Tribune

103-06 Liberty Ave., Richmond Hill
(718) 925-2224/2225
CUISINE: West Indian
HOURS: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, closed Tues. Fri. and Sat. 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

S&A West Indian Restaurant. opened in the Richmond Hill area last November as a sister location to the branch on Hillside Avenue in Jamaica.

The newly opened restaurant features mirrored walls, red chairs and cherry wood furniture that give it an elegant ambience.

My gracious host Savi, who is also the co-owner with her husband Shane, made me a special roti “just like how it’s made in Trinidad.” The roti, which can be served either open faced with your choice of stuffing on top or wrapped sandwich style came with pumpkin, mango, chickpeas and curried chicken in an original curry sauce made by Savi.

“I make my own blend of curry. I don’t just use what I get in a pack and use it,” Savi said.

Savi said she also makes her own sauces and does all the baking and cooking herself. Her staff helps with the prepping but she does the actual cooking.

She also makes authentic Trinidadian barbecued chicken and other meats with her original barbecue styled sauce.

“I don’t use any bottled sauce. All my seasonings are fresh. No powdered onion or any powdered seasoning. I also like to use Jamaican thyme in my cooking,” Savi noted. S&A uses “top brand flour” for cooking and uses no trans-fat oil.

According to Savi, the most popular item on the menu is roti and doubles. Doubles are mini rotis that are about three inches in diameter and served with chickpeas.

Breakfast is served daily and is vegetarian. Dishes include such items as Bhaggi (Spinach), fried okra and curried mango, and are served with dhall puri, fried bake (fritters) and sell for only $3.50.

The non-vegetarian menu boasts saltfish and tomatoes ($3.50), smoked herring and tomatoes ($3.50), salmon and tomatoes ($3.50), coconut bake (fritters, $1) and fish and bread.

The meat dishes are strictly halal and include curried chicken ($5), curried beef ($6), curried goat ($6), curried fish ($7), and curried oxtail ($7). All meat dishes are served with rice, roti or lo mein and green salad.

Polourie was one of the favorites that I sampled at S&A. Polouries are chickpeas mixed into a batter with flour that’s fried and served with sweet or sour sauce. Have five of these for $1 as an appetizer to your meal.

Beverages are home made and include sorrel, peanut punch and Irish moss. S&A will cater to your event and offers free delivery on your order.