By Camryn Bowden
On Oak Street in Uniondale, there sits a strip of crowded eateries boasting a number of cultural cuisines. In the middle of these storefronts is Blue Mermaid Gourmet. It may seem unassuming on the outside, but the vibrant colors, the smell of fried goat and the welcoming faces paint a picture of the Caribbean.
Blue Mermaid Gourmet is dedicated to the foods of Haiti and Jamaica, highlighting traditional staples from these island nations. Menu items such as griot (pork shoulder marinated in citrus juices), jerk chicken and coconut rice tie the two different cuisines into one large menu.
The cuisine “makes me feel like every problem I have can wait. I have a good time…That’s the best way I can describe it,” said Henry Hilaire, one of the eatery’s managers.
Hilaire, who has worked at the restaurant since it opened in March 2024, started in the animation industry, working as an artist for teams at Nickelodeon, Netflix and Budweiser. He continues this same passion and drive to this day, but devotes some of his attention to the restaurant, which he started alongside family.
“When my brother and family members decided we wanted to do it, they wanted to include me, and I decided that’s definitely something I’ve been wanting to do, and it’s a very good complement to my work,” he said.
Hilaire said he uses his creativity and memory of his home country of Haiti to create art in the form of the dining area. “When I made the design, it had to have certain things. It had to be clean. It had to be simple. It had to be familiar to anybody, so I had to reference the McDonalds or the Burger King, but not look like one,” he said. “I want for you to, kind of, be transported into a new place. The place looks different, tastes different and feels nice.”
- Blue Mermaid Gourmet
- Address: 327 Oak Street, Uniondale, N.Y. 11553
- Phone: (516) 246-9727
- Hours: Open 10 a.m.-9 p.m. daily, except Sunday, when the eatery is closed
- Website: bluemermaidgourmet.com
Hilaire serves up the menu with a smile and a welcoming hello to every customer. His friendly demeanor stems from a desire to change how Haitians are seen in the United States, a topic that soared to the forefront of media coverage following comments made by then presidential candidate Donald Trump during the 2024 election regarding Haitian migrants eating house pets.
Hilaire immigrated to the U.S. with his family at age 17, following political instability with the fall of the 29-year Duvalier dynasty, which lasted from 1959 to 1986. This reign of dictators resulted in the torture and deaths of many political dissidents, and Haiti’s dictators were among several Caribbean and Latin American rulers who used fear to stamp out dissent and subjugate citizens.
Hilaire said his family was unsafe remaining in Haiti, noting, “We knew from a friend from the government that they wanted us dead — all of us.”
While the Duvaliers resigned before they could carry out acts of violence against Hilaire and his family, as well as other Haitians, the Hilaires’ worries stemmed from a lack of knowledge about who would become the next government officials in charge of the nation. So, the family moved to the U.S. in search of a better future.
Hillaire said coming to the U.S. introduced him to the idea of democracy, a concept that was foreign given he was raised in a society that lacked political representation. Now Hilaire prioritizes his work in animation, while helping to build the restaurant in Uniondale, an act he hopes will draw more attention to the Haitian community. During times of instability, like his home country is experiencing with its recent gang issues and increased violence, Hilaire hopes to depict a truer Haiti with the restaurant and its menu. Specifically, he is seeking to show the positive side of Haiti (and Jamaica) through food, music and people.
