Elite Caribbean Cruise to MangoSeed

Seriously, an awesome event.
I came in at 7:30 pm and the place was pumping. The music was really amazing, and Reana was chilling at the bar with her adorable plus 1. I brought Raj along so he could experience how cool it is to be Elite. We hit the drinks, which were sweet yet refreshing, and then the food started to flow. I loved the chicken sliders, and the chicken wings were insane. I didn’t get any jello shots but that’s totally on me for getting there late. My absolute favorite dish was the salmon and since this place is in Reana K’s hood and right down the street from where I work, I know I will be coming here for the awesome Salmon and a drink after work.
The music really-​I have to say it again, so amazing!
Love it! Thank you Peter D-​as usual you knocked it out of the park!

Didn’t know we can write review on events! So Happy anywho on to my review:
I was really ecstatic that the first Unilocal event of the year that I attended was close to my home. I was greeted by Peter and another nice young lady who were both nice to my sister. Upon sizing up the room, my ecstasy soon turned to frustration. The bar was crowded and people were ready to fight for a spot to get something to drink. I figured that once you get a drink you would mingle walk around or do whatever to allow other popele to get some but nope. I did meet some friendly people who were so nice and the guy who worked there saw that I was trying to get some goodies and came out to give my sister and I some.
I do want to note that the staff who worked there was very cordial despite the fact that some of the peeps were ready to throw some bows (elbows) for a drink. I am definitely coming back to MangoSeed because I had previously gone here and was pleasantly surprised that the food was so good for a spot in a neighborhood in which I grew up in.
I forgot what I ate and what i drank but the experience was awesome. So I guess this review is on the experience cause its one thing to go someplace and eat swell but if the experience is off, it will kill your vibe!

Star African Rum Cocktails, Jello Shots, Caribbean Jerk Chicken Wings, Jerk Chicken Sliders, Jerk Salmon, Fish Soup, Fried Chicken w/​Mashed Potatoes on top, and Bread Pudding w/​Ice Cream to finish me off for the night! Whoa!
It’s a good thing I did not eat a lot today before I hit up this Elite event!
The back room seating area was the way to go, as the up-​front bar area was packed to the gills with Unilocalers. MangoSeed is a small bar/​resto and the bar space is narrow with barely enough room to get by when that crowded. Too many «newbie» Elites were hogging the bar area and did not have the courtesy to actually move around, mingle, and give others a chance to have a spot at the bar. Seems most of them there grabbed a bar stool and sat there for two hours. I also noticed that many did not tip — get with the program people!
Still, the two bartenders were working the crowd hard and serving up Starr African Rum cocktails such as the SugarCane Lemonade, Hibiscus Rum-​A-​Rita, and Starr Apple Julep. The drinks were on the sweet side and I am sure I’m on my way to a beetus attack!
Hanging out in the back room was choice as servers kept coming back there with tray after tray of food and drinks. Had a great time and enjoyed pretty much everything while hanging out with a few old Unilocal friends I had not seen in a while. The best things I enjoyed were those jerk chicken wings and that bread pudding dessert with ice cream! Damn, I could have eaten a tray of those wings by myself. Oh wait, that fried chicken with mashed potato thing was da bomb! So was that jerk salmon! For a small place they put out some big tastes.
Thanks to Pete D and the Unilocal team for setting this one up, and also to the owners and staff at MangoSeed for providing us with a good time and great service.

Drinks waiting, on display, to be had? Don’t mind if I do! Thanks to MangoSeed and the Unilocal crew for putting on a great event. The bartenders were absolutely wonderful. And the drinks were delicious. My favorite was the apple. They even had jello shots! The food was delightful and included Oxtail, fish and plantains, jerk chicken sliders, wings, and that’s not even all there was!
The DJ was excellent. It was so good that we stayed after the event an and enjoyed the great service, food, and drink that MangoSeed has to offer.
P. S. While we were there, the health inspector popped up. By the end of the night, there was a shiny new «A» on the window.

Though I speak with a standard American accent, my hands think they’re Sicilian. So after I’d been experimenting with possible combinations of the supplied Apple Julep, Sugarcane Lemonade, and Hibiscus Rum-​a-​rita, I realized I’d had more than ten drinks. This had the unwelcome effect of speeding up my gestures to Bruce Lee status but slowing my reflexes to a fat-guy-that’s-been-in-a-sauna-too-long crawl. This happened while I was in a circle of friends, explaining how I’d broken my tooth earlier that day –
BK Unilocalers, «So let’s be clear, you lost 3 in rugby scrums, 2 MMAing and 1 in a freak water-​sliding accident but this last one on a… baguette?!»
Me, «There’s a reason why Indians should stick to tech support and not baking French bread.»
Everyone burst into laughter, maybe at my expense. Just as I’m about to Segway into a demonstration of my DIY fix for a chipped incisor, one of the ladies reached in to greet a newcomer. But I don’t like kisses on the cheek, so I slapped her.
Me, «ERMAHGERD I AM SO SORRY! I didn’t mean to accidentally brush my knuckle against your open eye. I just didn’t see you there.»
Girl Whose Name I Don’t Even Have The Common Decency To Remember, «Oh so now it’s my fault that I’m short… not that you were waving your hands around like a methed-​out magician?»
Me, «Is there anything I can get you some Advil, club soda perhaps?»
GWNIDEHTCDTR, «I don’t have a stain on my swag; I have swelling and irritation of the face!!! Perhaps some of those Sweet ‘n Spicy Wings or Jell-​O shots would aid my recovery. Oooh and if you see the Salmon-​Plantain canapé-​thingys…»
I came back with the aforementioned prescription and included a Jerk-​chicken Slider and a Curried-​mushroom Cup which she devoured. Then she did something that would make her an ideal candidate for marriage (or sapphism). She flipped up a Jell-​O shot dipped in her tongue, lifted, scooped and simultaneously inhaled its contents in one swift motion. I got her 10 more…
I thought I had done enough reparations but her friends still looked at me sideways, walked in a protective Secret Service formation around her and somehow she’d acquired an eye-​patch with a diamond in the center.
Hors d’oeuvres aren’t usually on my mind at YEEs but MangoSeed’s were so abundant and appetizing, I had to tax every server that walked by my toll gate. The bar was moving at a snail’s pace for some but… practice a dollar-​a-​drink tip policy and you’ll always get speedy service at free events. Waving around money like you’re at a strip club may seem uncouth, but remember these events are limited time only.
Unilocal BK, Starr African Rum and MangoSeed worked together to create a an energetic Caribbean house party vibe that had me thanking Peter Deez and Tré (Melbourne CM) in a faux-​patois accent I absorbed from watching –
«No sunshine coulda bright like you, tank you!»

I left looking like I killed someone (care of jello shot all down my left side)
My +1 was hit in the face (by accident I’m sure)
My kind of party !!
Seriously had a great time, loved the food I sampled (jerk salmon and mushroom tart particularly). I also loved the décor and design and plan on returning soon. Yes it was crowded and some of us need to read email closely (this is not dinner) but discovering a fantastic place so close to my home and hanging with some great Unilocalers makes it worth it. Having such beautiful wait staff didn’t hurt either :-)

This was my first YEE and I’m happy to say I was not disappointed.
The drinks were the stand out at this event. The drink «appetizer» were these ahmahhzing jello shots. I couldn’t tell you what flavor, but it was love at first slurp. A little more liquid than solid, but still enjoyable. All three main drinks were delicious. My favorite was the Apple Mint Julep (the cider went perfectly with the cold chill of outside). The Sugar Cane Lemonade and Hibicus Rum Rita did not disappoint, and had me yearning for a beach.
Every food item that came out was amazing. My favorite items were the two plantain dishes.
My only item of concern was the small space. Given the amount of eager Unilocalers, any time a food or drink item came out, it was like being in the Hunger Games. My plus one and I were able to sit eventually, which was nice, but the small space was a little. tough to maneuver at times.
Thank you Peter for being so friendly and thanks to MangoSeed for the great event!

Thank the Good Lord Baby Jesus for the extra room in the back. This was a seriously rockin’ jammed pack Elite event. After waiting a bit for a drink I lost hope, grabbed some jello shots
(yum), and headed to the back. A few minutes later my +1 swooped in with some drinks. Apparently there is a virtue out there called patience.
I wasn’t able to taste all of the treats circulating around but I did have the chicken (good), curry mushrooms (great) and chicken wings (greatest).
Good tunes blasting throughout the restaurant added additional fun to a really vibrant Unilocal event.
As always, a big thanks to Peter D. et al for a great time.

Good to see a new Brooklyn neighborhood getting on the YEE map. It’s always nice to have the +1 option when it comes to an event, even though the tight space felt a bit too cozy at times. Lots of new faces too!
The food was great: I missed the braised oxtail and the seabass soup, but the jerk chicken sliders, Flatbush Ave. wings, and coconut-​crusted chicken topped with mashed potatoes were phenomenal! Perhaps my favorite dish of the night, though, was the jerk salmon: spicy, juicy, and bursting with flavor. And I don’t even like salmon that much!
Big shout out to the bartenders: despite the bar area being literally mobbed, they worked their asses off for the two full hours, relentlessly providing tasty drinks (I particularly enjoyed the Hibiscus Rum-​a-​Rita).
The DJ was the finishing touch for a very pleasant evening.
Thanks, Peter!

Wow. Are one word reviews frowned upon? Okay okay, like my waistline after last night’s event I will expand.
I actually used to live a few blocks from this place, and was always curious although I never stepped in — my roommates at the time were from the Carribean so if I wanted food I would just mooch some oxtail stew off them.
Fortunately, the Carribean gods were smiling upon me this night. I brought Miss Sarit (who actually showed up to this one!) as my +1 and her first Elite event. Of course the first thing we did was grab a small table near the bar (yes we had a table… It was like we were stars.) As you could tell from my last comment, this place was SUPER packed… To the brim. Although that didn’t cause the staff to lose their cool or their customer service attitude. The ladies behind the bar as well as the servers were all very kind, of especial note was the gentleman server and the bartenders. They were running, hustling and smiling simultaneously; I do not know how they did it!
Speaking of the bartenders, the drinks here were crazy good! I actually Googled the rum already and have plans to pick up a bottle ASAP! All three drinks were scrumptious, my favorite was the Starr Rum-​A-​Rita with hibiscus, spice-​and-​everything-​nice. I almost fell to the floor it was so good. Can I reform my diet to include no other form of liquid intake other than these? Heaven.
I did break my vegetarian habits for the food here, and delved into a couple sliders which were moist and delicious, cooked to perfection. I also had a couple of the wings, which were a little spicy mixed with tangy sweetness. Incredible.
Peter D. always does it up with these events, and this one was no exception. Thanks to Peter D., Unilocal and MangoSeed!

Introducing the next big thing… Starr Africa Rum, all the way from the pretty bottle to its non-​Rummy taste. I will definitely be buying it, the moment I see it in stores.
I enjoyed this event, and am happy it was successful, mainly because it is two blocks away from my house, and I’d love to have not only more events in my neighborhood, but more Unilocal worthy locales to hold the events.
As usual, the people were grand, and the DJ was probably the best of any event Iv been to (Idk if they even have DJs at these events. If they do, I never noticed. If they don’t, they need to get more). I just wish they had more food, but what they did come out with was mighty good. I can see why it was gone by the time it got to me.

Thanks Peter to a fun event. I love to find new restaurants and definitely will come back to try the food on a calmer night.
The drinks and food all delicious. The place was a bit tight but everyone was super friendly, cool music, great vibe. All the staff was warm and friendly. I wish lately more eateries had crews like last night would make eating in NYC/​Brooklyn enjoyable.

What up, Brooklyn.
Can I start by saying that I was totally excited that Peter D found a spot on the east side of the Park for us to try out. Not that I didn’t love the last event in Williamsburg (cause I did!)… but it’s nice when home is a very short ride away.
On to the event…
In the words of my Caribbean-​born father-​in-​law– this place & the event was «real nice.»
I liked the cozy modern space and think it would make for a great date night spot. And the back porch area (where I spent most of the night) is great additional space (I don’t think you find that feature in restaurants in that neighborhood too often.)
Food & Drinks were delicious:
+ Plantain chips + guac are a personal fav and Mangoseed served it up well.
+ The Brooklyn Wings were spicy and sweet and even though I’m not a wing person I’d absolutely go back and order a basket of those.
+ The Jerk Chicken Sandwich was the winner of the night for me. Definitely had a kick in the seasoning and the soft bun and toppings complimented the meat nicely.
+ African Rum cocktails? So good! Loved each and every drink served up for totally different reasons. The rum blended nicely with each flavor combination and the sugar cane garnish was a nice touch in the lemonade.
+ Bonus points for the jello shots. I had forgotten how fantastic a bunch of those can be.
Bartenders were quick to make the drinks and servers brought out hefty trays of food but the crowd made it hard to grab anything. I didn’t get to try everything, so I was still a little hungry when I left– but the food I did get to sample was good enough that I’d go back to try the full sized versions of them.

Yet another great Elite Event. Thanks to Peter and his crew for making that happen again!
Always drive by MangoSeed as it’s in Flatbush (where I grew up and my parent’s still reside) so I’m glad I finally got to stop by and enjoy it. Man, it got packed quick and I didn’t even get to see some other Unilocal friends that I now see reviewed it, but that just shows the enthusiasm of the best Unilocal community in NYC!
Glad they had two veggie dishes for me to taste: the Plantain Chip with guac and the Soya & Shitake Mushroom cups, but even better where the drinks. The Hibiscus (we West Indians call it Sorrel, actually) drink was pretty good but the Sugarcane one even better. And glad I got to bring my good friend who’s been flirting with Elitedom and finally got to see what it’s all about!
I didn’t get any pics this time though, but I kinda get it as the place was packed!!! The staff was on point too, and survived the liquor and food hounds! Looking forward to next time… and to going back to MangoSeed to eat!

Yall know I love my Mangoseed! I was so happy to be there with all that food! Being a veggie, I was happy they had soya chunks. I think that was the only thing that made it past large crews. The place was jam packed though and it looked like a carnivore zoo, with people going like zombies trying to get a chicken wing.
All in all I still love my Mangoseed! Also it was great to meet Peter D!

I have not done jello shots since college. I remembered why last night. (Many parts of college seem fuzzy and easy to forget).
The Elite Caribbean MangoSeed event was a great time. I wish I got to try the sliders and some of the other things I missed but it happens. The wings were great, if you were not aware Caribbean wings are the best. If you loved these you should also check out Super Wings. I loved the oxtail with gnocchi, once again this is the third elite event in a row with gnocchi. Who is telling these managers my weakness. I fully expect gnocchi at the brunch event and at Burger Bistro. The salmon soup was so good I got two cups. Shhhhh. The Salmon over fried banana was tasty. For dessert I liked the mini banana bread. The only drink I liked was the Apple Julep, solid beverage but it was hard to get a drink. Space was the most valuable commodity last night. So you had to squeeze in and make new friends, not the worst thing.
Like always it was a great event. Thanks to Peter D, the Unilocal staff and the workers at MangoSeed restaurant.

I really love this venue. Though it is extremely small I wasn’t aware of the extra area in the back. I was too focused on finding a seat. I sat near the door which was a rather stupid decision. Chopped it up with Peter and the photographer (forgot her name, sorry hun) for a bit. Music was pumping, the atmosphere was live… lol I don’t know let’s just get to the drinks and food.
I tried the hibiscus drink which was extra fruity and I’m a girly girl so I like my drinks just like me. Ran to the back to grab a few jello shots. Not sure the flavor of them but most of them were good. I’ve had pretty strong jello shots before so those were on par with the way that I like my alcohol. Except that one that I took a photo of with two layers. I think the rum was poured on top lol. I got to try the plantain with guacamole and that was just damn good. Whose idea was this??? I want to buy plantain chips and guac now! The chicken wings were sooo good. I love spicy food. The right amount of kick. I also had the sugarcane lemonade and that was the best damn drink!
Tried to get the jerk chicken slider but I’m still kinda new to these elite events. I keep forgetting that I have to be a bit aggressive. I still have time to learn how to maneuver through these events and make the most out of it. Anyway thank you Mangoseed for having us and thanks to Peter for putting this together! The staff was excellent and professional. PS thanks to the two amazing ladies who helped me nab my only sugarcane lemonade. If it wasn’t for you two I wouldn’t have been able to try it (:

Last night was so much fun and my very first Brooklyn Unilocal Event to boot! At the start of this Unilocal event an announcement was made that we were going to «be transported on a culinary adventure» and they sure weren’t wrong!
This is definitely a place I would have NEVER come to on my own (I live in Queens, work in Manhattan and have friends in Kensington/​Prospect Park/​Williamsburg and love the Caroll Gardens neighborhood — but none in this neighborhood) but this little restaurant is great and just really has a lot of heart and soul.
The servers/​bartenders are super professional and friendly, smiling, attentive and the organization with how drinks, jello shots and food were brought out was pretty great considering how people were stalking the kitchen. I was pretty much seated the whole time with my friend and servers still made sure that the patient folks in the crowd were fed. Props to them :).
Amongst the cocktails served were refreshing Sugarcane & Rum infused Lemonades, Rum infused Apple Juleps and (my favorite of the 3!) Rum Hibiscus-​ritas!
Sugarcane Lemonades were very sweet and refreshing with the rum sneaking in from behind rather than it being too heavy handed and garnished with a sugarcane stick. This is a nice drink for beginner alcohol consumers or someone looking for something light and refreshing.
The Apple Juleps pretty much tasted like regular plain ol’ apple juice and my guest agreed so this wasn’t me just having a discerning palette, lol. It was tasty and garnished which what I think were mint leaves, but in all this drink didn’t do it for me at all. I actually wouldn’t even think there was rum in this sucker had I not see the bartender pour some in with my own eyes…
The Hibiscus-​ritas were sugary but definitely not as bad as one would think something ending in «ita» would me. I’m not a margarita fan by any means because of my disdain for sour mix and silly syrups — however this was an infusion of hibiscus juice (albeit sugary) with rum and garnished with lime wedges. Definitely more of a «girlier» drink than I prefer (I’m more of a vodka/​soda or whiskey/​ginger ale kinda gal!) but it was delicious and provided a nicely rounded addition to a cocktail menu that provided us with different, delicious flavors.
Food samples included plantain chips with guacamole & sour cream, salmon soup (which was amazing!), jerk chicken sliders with cheese, amazing oxtail/​gnocchi skewers, spicy chicken wings, mushroom mini pies, bread pudding cake w/​a dollop of vanilla bean ice cream (which reminded me of French Toast and tasted amaaaaaazing with notes of vanilla and cinnamon!) and a black berry jelly and jello-​shots, FANTASTIC rum jello shots — seriously among the BEST I’ve ever had.
Being normally used to vodka jello shots, who knew that rum jello shots could be SO MUCH BETTER? This Puerto Rican rum lover was very pleased with the mini-​tower of jello shots — lol.
Great event in all, Pete worked the room like a pro and my friend and I got to meet some cool fellow Unilocalers — already looking forward to the next Unilocal event!

Awesome event! The 5 minute walk home was my favorite part, especially after all those rum drinks. I was so happy to have a Unilocal event in my hood where nothing cool ever happens. But maybe I should eat my words, because MangoSeed totally showed me that my hood does have some cool things going on. Super friendly staff, stiff drinks, great music, a sweet outdoor space and delicious food — all right around the corner. My favorites were the spicy & tangy wings and the jerk chicken sliders.
It was a crowded event, and some Unilocalers did hang around the mouth of the kitchen to pounce on food as it came out (but I’ll cut them some slack because it was very crowded) but the waitresses expertly pushed through the crowd to make sure everyone in attendance tried a bite of every dish offered. It was impressive, and truly a culinary adventure as promised.
Met some great new Unilocalers too, as always. Thanks again Peter, Unilocal,and MangoSeed!

Mangoooooooooo!
I haven’t been to the Caribbean in a long time but I think I was transported somehow after I had that experimental cocktail at Rhythm Splash down the street.
Fastforward to MangoSeed! Their juicy Caribbean jerk chicken wings are on my mind, in my stomach and on my breath. I also enjoyed the jerk chicken sliders, the bass and salmon soup, the spicy soy and shitake mushroom cups, the plantain chips with guacamole, jerk salmon with plantains, oxtail with gnocchi and many more.
I’ll write more once I awake from my rum-​induced coma. Till then, thank you Peter, the other Unilocal minions and of course MangoSeed for having us.