Reopening of Tropical Paradise Outdoor Café
spacious and colorful to meet COVID-19 protocol
By Tangerine Clarke
Proprietor Davis Gayle told
patrons at the reopening of
Brooklyn’s Tropical Paradise
Outdoor Café that it has
been a challenging to refigure,
revamp, and redesign his
restaurant after five months
closed due to the COVID-19
pandemic
The entrepreneur, during a
Sept. 3 reception at the Utica
Avenue restaurant, thanked
elected officials, Community
Board 17 Commerce Committee
Chair Hassan Bakiriddin,
and “Brooklyn Level Up” — an
organization that helps businesses
stay in compliance with
NY rules and regulation — for
their commitment to the community.
Gayle, who has welcomed
mayors, hosted West Indian
American Day Carnival Association
events, showcased Caribbean
artists, and entertained
thousands of patrons at the
iconic Tropical Paradise Ballroom
and Catering for over 20
years, called on the community
to support not only his eatery,
Caribbean L 8 ife, Sept. 11-17, 2020
but other small businesses
across the borough as well.
Gayle, who hopes to continue
serving his classic West
Indian fare, such as jerk chicken
and oxtail, and other popular
dishes, at brunch and dinner,
built the eatery’s spacious
curbside seating to keep with
social distancing protocol,
adding a colorful Caribbean
style canopy that lights up the
block.
Like many other restaurants
working to stay afloat, Tropical
Paradise offers takeout, and
delivery services via third-party
apps like Uber Eats, Doordash
and GrubHub to satisfy
the needs of hungry customers.
The eatery, located at 1367 Utica
Ave., opens at 11 am daily.
Congresswoman Yvette D.
Clarke said she was proud that
Gayle was welcoming back customers
during these challenging
times. The local politician
quipped that this was the first
time in months her mother, Una,
came out — because they both
Tropical Paradise Outdoor Cafe’s Davis Gayle, seventh from left, with Councilmember Farah
N. Louis, Hassan Bakiriddin, Joan Bakiriddin and staff. Photo by Tangerine Clarke
could not miss the opportunity
to celebrate the addition to the
Tropical Paradise Ballroom.
Clarke said the community
will continue to support the
venue, noting that patrons
should keep Carnival season in
their hearts, wear their colors,
raise their flags and celebrate,
but stay safe, healthy, strong
and blessed during the COVID-
19 pandemic.
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