Last year was a big one for Kwame Onwuachi—he released an acclaimed kitchen memoir (now being turned into a movie) and received a slew of best-chef honors from magazines around the country. There’s always the risk that this level of hype can lead to a period of autopilot, but his most impressive accomplishment is the recent strides he’s made at his Afro-Caribbean restaurant. Some dishes, such as bite-size sea-urchin escovitchwith avocado mousse, are created with an eye toward the culinary zeitgeist. The most satisfying plates lean heartier and more straightforward: buttery, spicy shrimp and toast; fiery jollof rice; jerk chicken with coconut rice; and sticky, standard-setting oxtails. Expensive.
