Category Archives: Melba’s Restaurant Harlem

Celebrity-filled weekend at Melba’s Restaurant in Harlem, Ashton Kutcher spotted

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It was hopping at Melba’s Restaurant in Harlem this past weekend (well, it always is from what I witness)! But according to Melba’s Facebook page, she had some celebrities over for brunch at 114th Street and Frederick Douglass Blvd., which is where Melba’s is located. The celebs that stopped by were Ashton Kutcher, and Tamar and Vince.

This past Saturday, the TV and film actor Ashton Kutcher was in Harlem dining at Melba’s. It must have been for brunch because another website reports he was in the West Village at night for dinner. There is no word from Melba’s Facebook page on whether his new girlfriend, Mila Kunis, was with him? Hmmm…

Then on Sunday, Tamar Braxton and Vincent Herbert from the new TV show Tamar & Vince paid a visit to Melba’s Restaurant. This married couple is currently out and about all over New York City promoting their new television show, according to online reports. However, Tamar and Vince must know good food cause no matter how busy their schedule was this past weekend, they made time to dine at Melba’s Restaurant in Harlem.

If I was a celeb (or not), I would be hanging at Melba’s too! Us Harlemites know, the food there is delicious!

Attend Savor The Season-Uptown in Harlem September 18

Chef Marcus Samuelsson of Harlem’s Red Rooster and Maritza Wellington Owens, Chief Executive Officer, of Harvest Home Farmer’s Market have come together to create Savor The Season-Uptown. Savor The Season will showcase the ‘best of the best’ chefs who work north of 110th Street. Guests will enjoy tastings from eight different restaurateurs, bakeries, wines curated by The Winery and beers and spirits curated by the up and coming Harlem Public. The event will take place the evening of September 18 at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que banquet hall, located on 125th Street and 12th Avenue.

Participating restaurants will be Red Rooster Harlem, Creole, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Jin Ramen, Le Monde, Moby Catering, Melba’s, 5 and Diamond, Levain Bakery, and Tonnie’s Minis.

To learn more about the event and order tickets, click here.

Melba’s Restaurant returns to The View July 24

The ladies from ABC’s The View will be in the kitchen soon with Harlem’s Melba Wilson, the owner of Melba’s Restaurant on 114th Street and Frederick Douglass Blvd! On July 24, Melba returns to the morning talk show where she “will cook it up” with the ladies on The View. Way to go Melba! Details are below!

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Melba’s Restaurant in Harlem hangs rainbow flag showing pride

Melba’s Restaurant, located on the southwest corner of Frederick Douglass Blvd and 114th, wasted no time today in showing her pride outside her establishment. Her staff was up bright and early this morning (June 24)hanging the rainbow flag out front, which represents gay pride! Way to go Melba’s and Happy Gay Pride Day to all.
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Is Jado Sushi in Harlem starting off in the community on the wrong foot?

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It has been really fun and exciting lately to blog about some of the recent openings happening in Harlem, such as The Corner Social, Harlem Food Bar and Frederick Cafe Bistro. All these places have opened with such positive fanfare and the management behind these establishments are a delight to work with. However, there is one dining establishment on Frederick Douglass Blvd that is getting ready to open and I am finding it difficult to rave about. I am contemplating not evening dining there. Why? You may or may not know that there’s been an ongoing conflict between the owner of Jado Sushi, which is located in The Douglass Condo retail space (2118 FDB), and the owner of Land Yoga, which has been established in The Douglass for almost a year now and is Jado’s neighbor to the right.

According to online reports, Land Yoga in Harlem has been respectfully asking Jado Sushi, which is owned by the same person who owns The Winery on 116th Street, to kindly sound proof the restaurant so that it does not affect the environment of the yoga studio. Those multiple requests to Jado Sushi have been ignored to date, according to Land Yoga. HarlemGal Inc contacted The Winery asking for comment about Land Yoga’s request to sound proof and they did not respond.

Another reason I am blogging about this now is ’cause multiple readers have asked, why have you not mentioned anything about Jado Sushi in Harlem on your blog? Well, this is why. I am aware of the conflict going on between Jado and Land Yoga in Harlem.

For conversation sake, I have even asked Harlem business owner(s) about this and most have informally commented it is the responsibility of Jado Sushi  to sound proof the place since they are coming into a retail area that has already been established, apartments above the Jado space will more than likely complain about the noise below so it’s best to sound proof now rather than later and its the politically correct thing to do. Most of the businesses on FDB support each other. Yesterday, I read that the owner of Melba’s stopped by Harlem Food Bar recently to show her support. That’s classy!

Personally, I am not clear on why Jado Sushi would not want to sound proof the place now versus wait until later like when more complaints potentially come in or this get’s escalated into a potential legal matter. Then again, maybe it’s not Jado’s responsibility to sound proof their place or is it? Does anyone have any thoughts on this subject? Should Jado Sushi in Harlem sound proof its place to accommodate Land Yoga?

And as for dining at Jado Sushi, at the moment I don’t want to even think about going there when it opens knowing this conflict is nowhere near a resolution and that I might be interrupting someone’s yoga practice-if Jado is not sound proofed. It doesn’t feel right as a long time practicing yogi. That’s another reason why I can’t get excited about this place and starting to believe that Jado Sushi just might be starting off in Harlem on the wrong foot leading to an uneventful opening.

You’re invited to Food & Drink Boulevard in Harlem May 10

The Frederick Douglass Blvd Alliance based in Harlem came together this past January and already they are hard at work creating events for us Harlemites to enjoy and to help others. First on their to do is the Food & Drink Boulevard event taking place on May 10. On that evening patrons can enjoy $5 drinks and appetizers at several Harlem dining establishments by purchasing tickets for $10 in advance on Eventbrite.com. And proceeds made that evening, a portion of it will be donated to The Boys and Girls Club of Harlem. See you on May 10 along Frederick Douglass Blvd!

See Harlem restaurant grades on NY Health Department Ratings Map

If you were wondering how Harlem’s eating establishments make the grade with the New York Health Department, it’s all right here in a simplified ratings map. The New York Times just updated the page April 5. See how your favorite Harlem restaurants stacks up. I certainly did!

New York Giants and Superbowl Champ Victor Cruz spotted at Harlem’s Chocolat

Clearly, people in the NFL love dining in Harlem, especially on Harlem’s restaurant row, i.e., Frederick Douglass Blvd. First, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys was seen dining at Melba’s Restaurant a couple of months ago. Now Chocolat Restaurant and Lounge in Harlem states on their Facebook page that NY Giants wide receiver, Superbowl Champ and excellent salsa dancer (from what I hear) Victor Cruz was seen dining at the Harlem restaurant located at 2223 FDB. Don’t take my word for it. Look at the photo below.

And ladies, we need to time our visits to Chocolat much better. Seeing Victor Cruz while dining at Chocolat in Harlem would have been a major bonus! Don’t ya think!

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Watch Savoring Harlem on the Food Network Friday, February 24


This coming Friday (Feb. 24) at 8 pm our very own celebrity chef, Red Rooster owner, and Harlem local, Marcus Samuelsson, will give Food Network viewers a closer look at Harlem’s food revolution through a special TV program called Savoring Harlem.  In the TV special, Savoring Harlem will showcase the food culture of  several Harlem restaurants, such as Red Rooster Harlem, Melba’s, restaurant pioneer Sylvia’s and more.

Yum! This will be fun to watch and then go out to eat in Harlem afterwards. Turn your tube on at 8 pm to the Food Network!

Harlem’s restaurant row, Frederick Douglass Blvd., has its own map and alliance group

It’s official…again! Frederick Douglass Blvd in Harlem from 110th to 125th Street, also known as restaurant row, has its very own map, according to The New York Daily News. And the folks behind the map is an alliance group called Frederick Douglass Boulevard Alliance (FDBA). Check out the map below. It mentions all existing businesses from 110th to 124th Street. The map does not include up and coming places on FDB, such as the Harlem Food Bar or Marcos Leatherlab, the cobbler store.

Lia San Filippo, co-owner of 5 and Diamond Harlem restaurant and co-president of the recently formed FDBA, tells the Daily News “the map was created to help people know that Harlem is here and helps customers find us more easily.” Amen Lia!

Back in 2008, I wrote a blog posting asking if FDB is turning into Harlem’s restaurant row? Looks like we have our answer not only in a map but in the form of an alliance group!