News Americas, New York, NY, March 26, 2025: A taste of the Caribbean – infused with deep cultural roots and a modern edge – has found its way into Manhattan’s East Village, thanks to Barbadian-born Chef Paul Carmichael. The acclaimed culinary artist has opened Kabawa, a new bar and restaurant concept that pays homage to the Caribbean’s rich and complex heritage through food, drink, and atmosphere.
Located just off the Bowery at 8 Extra Place, Kabawa features two distinct experiences. A green door leads to a vibrant bar offering a curated list of daiquiris and a lively soundtrack of Caribbean vocal music, while a nearby blue door opens into the serene, open-kitchen space of the prix-fixe restaurant—offering a refined three-course meal for $145. The restaurant now occupies the space formerly known as Momofuku Ko, and remains part of the Momofuku restaurant group.
For Carmichael, the Caribbean is not just a region – it’s a powerful cultural convergence. “They have it all: Spanish, French, Dutch, English, Indigenous and some Asian,” he explained to the New York Times, emphasizing that Kabawa reflects the authentic Caribbean experience, not the tourist version. “It’s local, not tourist,” he was quoted as saying.
Kabawa captures this vision with thoughtful culinary storytelling and atmosphere. The bar offers a space to socialize over rum-forward cocktails, while the restaurant invites diners to engage deeply with Caribbean flavors through a contemporary lens, all set to an instrumental soundtrack that allows the food to take center stage.
Carmichael’s latest venture not only highlights his Barbadian roots but also serves as a bold statement on the evolving narrative of Caribbean cuisine – positioning it as both globally relevant and profoundly rooted in cultural identity.
