Revisiting Brooklyn Part I: Flatbush, NY

Ah, Brooklyn.  NYCity Mama’s birthplace and source of many memories: from her first school fight (because when you grew up in the part of Brooklyn she’s from you had to at some point) to her first kiss on a bench in Sunset Park overlooking the sunset and the Manhattan skyline when she was 15.

Yup.  NYCity Mama loves Brooklyn, and though it’s changed quite a bit since her last time there, it still remains dear to her heart.

Mama and her husband woke up with a mission.  The cold, unwelcoming attitude of the patrons at a Ft. Greene restaurant the day before had left them sour, so they decided to return, to the old and new, and revisit Brooklyn.

They loaded up the car and decided to start their day by revisiting the “old”.  So they headed to the Haitian community of Prospect Park South in search of what her Twitter friend said  was the best Haitian beef patties in New York City.

The sun was starting to peak from behind the clouds, as they got closer to their destination. It shined brighter and brighter with each mile.  A sign, Mama thought, that this was going to be a good day.

They arrive at Maxine’s Bakery and the minute Mama stepped past its rough-looking entryway and into the small room that the bakery occupied, she was taken over by the smell of fresh baked goods.  But not just “baked goods”, but rather those unique to the island where she spent so many years of her life, Hispaniola.

“Hi,” Mama greeted the lady behind the counter,  ”I was told that I should come here to taste the best Haitian beef patties in all New York.”

“Yes, that’s right,” replied the lady without hesitation.

“But, I was also told to have them fresh out of the oven,” Mama stated with a smile.

“Ok, but they are in the oven now. They will be ready in 30 minutes. Is that alright?”

“Yes, I will wait,” responded Mama.  The line before and after her was indication enough that it was worth it.

And so she waited outside, as patron after patron came and went, placing their orders in Creole, often lingering in the shop afterwards to enjoy their treat.  This is old Brooklyn as she knows it. Friendly faces, unostentatious community members greeting each other and smiling at her as they walked by.

As she waited beside other patrons, all Haitian, she began to talk to them and crack jokes.  One of the patrons was worried he would get a ticket as he was parked at a meter that had run out and he had no change to refill. She asked him why he had decided to come to Maxine’s and wait so long for his patties when not even four storefronts over there was another Haitian bakery which surely offered the same thing.

“I live in Boston,” he said, “but long ago a friend of mine who is from here told me that when I came to New York I should see Maxine for the best patties.  He also told me to make sure I waited for the ones straight out of the oven.”

Mama laughed. But the man, very seriously, continued, “No, no.  This is the best. I would not go anywhere else.”

With that her patties were ready.  The man wished her a good day as she bid farewell to her new found friends and ran to her car, where the kids and husband waited as they enjoyed a DVD movie.

Her husband was the first to try the beef patty.  He bit into it with hunger. “Mmmmm,” he said. “This is really good!”

Mama took a bite of the codfish patty, while her boys also enjoyed theirs.  Silence.  A sign that it was goooooood! It was fresh, with a flaky dough, flavorful, and oh so inexpensive.

Absolutely worth both the trip and the wait.  The people she encountered along the way brought her back to the fond memories of the Brooklyn she knows, and now she has a new reason to come back again and again.

Mama soon regretted only getting six patties.  The boys (including husband) devoured them in minutes, and her oldest asked for more.  But by then they had already started making their way through traffic, towards the next leg of their adventure.

NEXT: Revisiting Brooklyn Part II: DUMBO

Maxine’s Bakery

1232 Flatbush Ave.

Brooklyn, NY

TEL: 718-856-3702

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