Melanie's Restaurant and Juice Bar

On the corner of Fulton Street and Nostrand Avenue -- two of the busiest streets in Bed-Stuy -- is Melanie’s, a restaurant that specializes in Caribbean food.

As one of the newer restaurants on the fast developing Nostrand Avenue, Melanie's has, in no time, become one of the neighborhood’s most popular eats.

This brightly lit, large, open dining area gives off the impression of a stylish food court. The bakery section of the restaurant sells sweet rolls, loaves of bread and various pastries.

I tried the whole wheat currant roll, which has a crispy, flaky crust, and is filled with semi sweet, moist pastry. The currants add a slightly bitter, slightly sweet tang that I would choose over raisins any day. And it’s healthy, or at least healthier than its white flour equivalent.

The hot food section specializes in gigantic meals that for a small price could feed you for an entire day. Each meal comes with a heaping pile of rice, 2 vegetable sides, and entrees that range from stewed oxtail, to curry goat, to savory soy.

Their rice and peas dish has a barbecue flavor to it, complimenting the rest of the meal perfectly. The vegetable sides vary in quality. The yucca has little flavor and is slightly dry, whereas the okra is crunchy, a little spicy, and yet still very fresh.

The spinach is soft, has a bit of a kick to it, and goes well with other foods but doesn’t stand as well on its own. The pumpkin is a tasty surprise, especially since it‘s savory rather than sweet and has a smooth almost creamy texture.

For entrees I tried the stewed chicken and the stewed oxtail, both delicious. The stewed chicken has a spicy sauce with a tinge of something that tasted almost like cilantro. It adds a freshness that balances out the rich, heavy flavor of the chicken.

The oxtail has a lot of fat and bones, but when you get to the meat, it is well worth it. The meat is very dark, very moist, and very good. There is a powerful smoky flavor to it as well, which I love.

After all this eating, all you'll want to do is lean back in your chair and go to asleep.

But keep your head up for a moment longer and order the best part of the meal: The juices and smoothies. Although a bit pricey, these fresh and healthy drinks are delicious and will revitalize your energy for the walk home.

I had the Tropical Canada, one of their most popular smoothies made with mango, pineapple, orange, and soy milk. It was unbelievably tasty. The flavor is fresh and sweet without being even the slightest bit sugary, and after eating so much heavy rice, meat, and vegetables, nothing is more satisfying than this.