Brunch, Curaçao Edition: Kome

With a name like Kome – which means eat in Papiamento (a local language spoken on the ABC islands) – I knew I was in for a mouthwatering culinary experience from the moment I heard about the resto. You see, the Curaçaoan gem has a slight obsession with food — from its name right down to the ever-changing menu which features some of the most inspired dishes on the island. A popular spot with locals during lunch and dinner, the restaurant recently rolled out a Saturday Champagne Brunch (served 11 am – 3 pm) that I just had to check out while I was in Willemstad…

Tucked in the historical district of Petermaai (off the beaten tourist path), Kome has a casual yet polished vibe and is beautifully designed. Think: vaulted ceilings, intricate tiles and an open kitchen. I’m a huge fan of Steampunk elements so I naturally loved their concrete bar and the wood accents throughout the space…

But as we all know, it’s the food that really matters — and is something these guys have mastered. Let’s just say their chef-driven menu had my taste buds jumping for joy! I’m not exaggerating: every single morsel put a smile on my face. I could actually taste the love in their dishes. That’s because the husband-and-wife duo who helm the kitchen pour all their passion into their creations. Chef David and Pastry Chef Susan are incredibly talented, positively creative and understand how to craft elevated comfort food. No pretensions here. Just food that makes them happy, which in turn makes their customers happy. As simple as that. I’m talking menu items like Pulled Pork, Fried Chicken ‘N’ Waffles, McPork Belly Bites and Smoked Beef Brisket. Yup, this is the place you want to head with a group of friends to indulge. Cocktails in hand, of course…

Back to brunch. As always, I got really excited about the menu and wanted to try everything. Thankfully – and with the help of my fab waitress Dorien – I was able to narrow it down to a select (ahem) few items. Here’s what I feasted on:

Smoked Salmon Napoleon (25 NAFl) – Slices of salmon cocooned by the most flaky, buttery puff pastry and served with a delightful dill mousse. The dish was beautifully-plated and had great texture to it; I loved the creamy mousse and velvety salmon paired with the crunchy radish and crisp pastry.

Let me just pause for a moment to talk about the freshly baked goods. OMG. Chef Susan truly makes some of the best pastries I’ve ever had. What is sadly an afterthought at most restaurants is certainly a highlight at Kome – and reason alone to dine at the restaurant. I was so thrilled to see that many items on the menu incorporate her delectable creations (including the salmon and fried chicken dishes I tried). I’d recommend Susan’s Bakeshop Basket (12 NAFl) to anyone dining at Kome. You won’t regret it. Her Parmesan and Chive Biscuit, Apple and Pecan Bread Pudding, Hawaiian Roll and Blueberry Banana Muffin had me drifting off to pastry heaven at first bite. Oh and did I mention the basket is served with homemade honey butter and raspberry coulis?! Divine.

Sweet Potato Pancakes (21 NAFl) – This was my first time devouring sweet potato pancakes and it certainly will not be my last. I loved the flavour profiles in this dish: the fresh fruit gave it nice acidity, the blueberry-rum syrup amped up the complexity and the sweet potato pancakes added a salt element that made it an irresistible sweet and savoury dish.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Biscuit (23 NAFl) – Although the dish wasn’t the prettiest of the bunch, it made up for it in spades in the taste category. Moist chicken, buttery biscuit and a generous scoop of rich and delicious sausage gravy — yes, yes, yes! The dish was heavenly: comfort food at its best. The only thing I’d personally like to see is more restraint with the pepper; I found the seasoning a tad aggressive and distracting.

Build Your Own Benedict (23 NAFl) – No brunch is complete without eggs benny. Those of you who joined me on Periscope saw just how perfectly these eggs were poached: delicate ovals with gooey, golden yolks. Oh, and Kome kicks things up a notch by allowing you to build your own benedict! I added crispy bacon, spinach and grilled tomato to mine and topped it off with a rich, creamy Hollandaise. Yum!

So. Much. Deliciousness. Wish I had room for the Brioche French Toast and Smoked Beef Brisket Hash! Wait, who am I kidding?! I wanted to eat everything on the brunch, lunch AND dinner menus combined. Needless to say, Kome pretty much blew my socks off. I particularly love that they prepare almost everything from scratch (from the handcrafted syrups in their cocktails to the sauces and baked goods). To me, this shows a deep connection and respect for the food being served. Beyond that, it illustrates a desire to create, innovate and explore the culinary realm — all signs of an energized kitchen that is bound to serve up great meals. If you’re in/around Willemstad, make sure you kome at Kome. Your taste buds will thank you.