Thecradlenyc Llc - Queens

Ooooo get ready for the West African food of your dreams!! The Cradle sits in the perfect location for grabbing some grub and then heading down to the beach that is less than five minutes away! The owners are so warm, welcoming, and accommodating of food allergies and restrictions. The food was incredibly delicious; from the egusi, to the jollof rice, to the refreshing smoothies, I was in heaven! Can't wait to return. Thank you so much!!

I will put up with bad service for extremely good food, but luckily I don't have to make that choice here. The staff is so friendly and the food is so amazing, that I have it my goal to eat my way through their menu.

I literally just finished eating this and Omgggg . . . This was phenomenally amazing. My first time trying African food I was nervous, but this food was delicious. I can 't find 1 flaw. I really enjoyed everything. I added on some fried plantains this dessert called puff puff which in addition was extremely tasty . 10/10 !

The hibiscus tea is amazing cold brewed and iced -perfect for summer. I love the vibe here and to support the locals.

I am so happy i stumbled into The Cradle while walking back to the A train. If youre in Rockaway and are looking for a meal that pairs flavor and soul, this is the spot for you. It's completely out doors, so keep that in mind. There are a few chairs and tables outside of the stand. The staff is nice, and will be more than happy to make some suggestions. The menu is small. Typically i love this, but there are only a few options here for me to try. Hopefully in the future, they can add more veggie friendly items to the menu. That being said..let's get to the good stuff. The bowls. I just so happen to be eating chicken at this moment, so i grabbed the chicken bowl. The chicken was my least favorite part of the bowl. I felt like the chicken couldnt make up its mind if it were fried or baked. something was off with the texture. The chicken was the least flavorful, and seasoned item in the bowl. Everything else in the bowl, was absolutely outstanding. Ever take a spoonful of something and say WOW out loud? The rice jollof will do exactly that. the rice in this bowl is sweet, savory, and cooked to the perfection. the beans? well i think theyre a close 2nd to my favorite item in the bowl. They are very savory, and have a hint of sweetness to them. Ive never tasted beans like this before. The plaintains are not your typical plaintains. Theyre neither fried or baked, but it worked out perfectly. Theyre crunchy, but soft. theyre not what i was expecting, because i am used to Latino plaintains, but Nigerian plantains are cooked and seasoned differently. theyre not sweet. Even though theyre not sweet, i absolutely loved them. Priced at $15, this bowl was well worth every penny, and was so filling. I took half of it home! To end the meal, i highly suggest the puff puff. Theres about 4 in a serving, theyre cheap, and theyre the middle zone of sweet and savory. theyre soft and doughy, with a touch of fried. HEAVEN. i could eat bags of these! Looking forward to coming back and trying the salmon.