“A lot of American people come here to try the food. They say ‘Don’t worry, we are with you,’ ” manager Romane Pierre, a Haitian immigrant living in Dayton, said Friday.
One family brought a bouquet of flowers, on display on a counter at the restaurant that opened just over a year ago at 1881 S. Limestone St.
While the majority of diners are fellow Haitian expatriates, Pierre said Americans have been visiting and enjoying the food since they opened last summer.
“Everybody is welcome,” Pierre said.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
The menu offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, with many dishes featuring chicken, fish, goat and pork, along with traditional beans and rice and plantains.
Sadly, some people have called the restaurant in the past week asking if they serve cat or dog, after a false claim about Haitians stealing pets went viral, being repeated by former President Donald Trump and his running mate, U.S. Sen. JD Vance of Ohio.
Pierre said he’s not letting those calls get to him and believes that it will pass.
“Yesterday some people call, I think they make some joke, ask if we have cat, dog. I say ‘We don’t sell that. We sell chicken fish, goat pork, rice, beans,’ “ he said.
“I know my people — dogs, cats — we don’t do that in Haiti,” said Pierre, who called the rumors “a shock for us.”
What Pierre said he wants Americans to know is that people came here from Haiti because they were looking for a better life, to escape the chaos of their home country.
Just 10 days ago, Haitian authorities expanded a state of emergency to the entire nation, as the government battles violent gangs that have taken control of large areas.
“I don’t want people to think that Haitians are bad people, because we came here to work. We work very hard,” he said.
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