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FARMINGDALE, NY — The Barnyard plans to open in Farmingdale sometime in September. Owners Dom and Xiomara Romain plan to bring Caribbean-soul cuisine to 261 Main Street — formerly Grecian Grill.
Xiomara said the fusion is a reflection of her and Dom’s cultural background. Both are from the Caribbean, while Xiomara also has Southern roots.
“We cook a lot of soul food at home. We cook a lot of Caribbean food,” Xiomara told Patch. “It made sense to merge those two things together. And of course, there’s nothing like it on Main Street.”
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The Barnyard plans to serve brunch, lunch and dinner. The menu will feature traditional jerk chicken, jerk tacos, baked macaroni and cheese, Southern fried chicken, collard greens, mixed greens, and sandwiches with a Caribbean twist, including a creole shrimp po’boy sandwich. Dishes are elevated, Xiomara said, by adding certain island spices.
“It’s really all about the flavor when it comes to Caribbean,” she said.
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The Romains said they thought a lot about bringing a new type of cuisine to Farmingdale.
“We recognize that Caribbean food and culture are very limited in the area and that many people may be reluctant to try it, but one of Dom’s superpowers is being able to bridge divides through food,” Xiomara said. “I’m confident that he will be able to deliver well-prepared meals that will generate conversation but also expose the community to Caribbean culture.”
The space will be filled with bright colors, reggae music belting from the speakers and a live DJ on the weekends, according to Xiomara.
“When people hear the word Caribbean, they often associate it with Jamaica, but the truth it that there are 26 islands that make up the Caribbean and they each share similarities in terms of flavor profiles and styles of cooking,” she said.
Dominicans make chicharron, a dish usually prepared with fried pork belly or fried pork rinds, while Haiti, where Dom is from, is known for griot, or braised and fried pork shoulder marinated in citrus, Xiomara said. She said Caribbean food is influenced by French and other European cuisines.
“That seems to be the through-line with Caribbean food; it’s sort of inspired by and influenced by other parts of the world,” Xiomara said. “A lot of Caribbean food is steeped in African culture, as well as Spanish and French cuisines. What you’re seeing is a melting of all of those ingredients into something that’s going to be really unique and special.”
The Barnyard will be the Romains first time owning a restaurant.
“We’re scared out of our minds, but we know what it takes is really just good, simple food,” Xiomara said. “And also great customer service. I think those are two things we’ve got in the bag. Dom has been in hospitality for most of his career. I’ve worked in retail, but I’ve also worked in relationship management and fundraising for 20 years. I think as long as you put the people before any other agenda and give them food that’s memorable, I think we’ll be fine. It doesn’t hurt that he has the experience, right?”
Farmingdale’s “vibrant food scene” appealed to the couple when they were choosing a spot for their business, Xiomara said.
“We also like the sense of community and the fact that there’s so much support offered to businesses in the area,” she said. “We have the chamber, and I think the village has been really warm and welcoming as we’ve tried to navigate the startup process.”
Xiomara said she and Dom are “really excited” to open.
“Everyone’s welcome, right? Even if you’ve never tried Caribbean food before. We think our menu is going to satisfy a lot of different tastebuds.”
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