The Good Good’s strength lies in its understated yet significant upgrades to familiar offerings. Gin finds a tropical partner in the Soursop Gimlet (left); plantains hit the textural bull’s-eye (center front); mushrooms prove a more than worthy alternative to jerk chicken (center middle); Brussels sprouts embrace sweet and citrus (center back); and an editor finds herself delightfully sated.

Stop 3: The Good Good

Cozy eatery with serious culinary power

“The Great Great” might be a more appropriate name for this neighborhood eatery, which plenty of New Yorkers, including Marcus Samuelsson’s business partner Andrew Chapman, have described as “Harlem’s best kept secret restaurant.” There’s nothing overtly “Harlem” about The Good Good. Instead of showcasing go-to classics like fried chicken and soul food, the restaurant presents a modern menu with hints of Caribbean/Jamaican influence—a nod to Justine and Juliet Masters’s upbringing. The Masters sisters, along with restaurateur Lesly Bernard, are the proprietors behind the concept.

Jerk mushrooms are deceptively spicy, with a signature marinade bringing a delayed, almost smoky heat to already umami-rich king oysters and portobellos. Fried sweet plantains are surprisingly unique—neither soft and sweet like maduros nor firm and chewy like tostones. The thinly sliced wedges are perfectly crisped to a thin, shell-like outer layer with a tender inside (the server credits potato starch for this precise texture calibration). Housemade lime salt serves as a high-impact finisher to brighten the starchy appetizer. Crispy Brussels sprouts with bacon present a Middle Eastern twist through dates, mint and fried capers, while orange zest and chile-garlic mirin dressing provides citrus tang and spice.

The beverage lineup reinforces The Good Good’s tropical roots and includes a dark rum daiquiri, coconut-infused espresso martini and a soursop gimlet. The latter was recommended by Chapman and had nearly sold out by 6:30 on this Monday visit.

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