New Vegan Caribbean Restaurant to Open in Williamsburg

Yesenia Ramdass picked up the book “Skinny Bitch” in the early 2000s and suddenly found herself on a dietary journey, according to reporting by Grub Street. Before reading the polarizing book, she had never heard of “vegetarian” before – it just wasn’t a term that existed in her world in a neighborhood of Washington Heights as a Dominican. But “Skinny Bitch” challenged her perspective and set her on a path to discover the wonders of plant-based cooking.

Over a decade has passed since Yesenia’s initial encounter with the book, and her passion for meat-free cuisine remains as strong as ever. On November 15, she and her Trinidad-born husband, Randy, are set to open their first restaurant, “HAAM,” in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

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HAAM, which stands for “Healthy As A Motha,” reflects Yesenia Ramdass’ transformation from a vegan-curious teenager to a mother of three. This restaurant venture brings together the couple’s unique blend of Spanish and West Indian sensibilities, creating a space that exudes Caribbean hospitality. The airy, sunlit corner space features a vibrant mural showcasing the flora and landscapes of their home countries, along with other personal touches like a steel drum, a Trinidadian tawa, and a Dominican guira.

The heart of HAAM lies in its culinary offerings. Yesenia Ramdass’s approach is to take traditional recipes and replace animal-based ingredients with familiar substitutes. For instance, she transforms mushrooms in various ways, using lion’s mane to mimic chicharron in dishes like “Yuh Motha’s Mofongo,” and oyster mushrooms to replace chicken in jerk preparations. Her philosophy is all about achieving the right texture in each dish.

What started as a social media project in 2019 while Yesenia was pregnant and her mother battled cancer has evolved into HAAM. She began sharing her recipes and insights on health and family, cultivating a “millennial mom” following that supported her project even before it had a physical presence. Her transition from a cooking pop-up to a delivery-only service maintained the momentum. With the brick-and-mortar HAAM, Yesenia and Randy aim to create a welcoming space, departing from the fast-casual nature of their ghost kitchen days.

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HAAM’s daytime menu is designed to cater to various tastes, offering options like the “Motha Earth” bowl, a sweet-plantain boat filled with plant-based beef and queso, or “bake and shark,” which replaces carnivorous seafood with banana blossoms. The commitment to using fresh fruit remains a constant from HAAM’s early days when Randy’s father would prepare coconuts and sugarcane at their events.

This dedication to fresh fruit also pays homage to Yesenia’s father, a longstanding tropical fruit vendor on St. Nicholas Ave. He supplied unique fruits like soursop and extra-large avocados. At HAAM, these fruits find new life as fresh juices and, once a liquor license is secured, as ingredients in cocktails.

What sets Yesenia and Randy apart in the thriving vegan sector is their emphasis on their Dominican-Trinidadian heritage. The “hot as a motha” sauce, a Trini-style staple, is prepared by Randy’s mother using peppers from their family garden on Long Island. Their mothers, both instrumental in their lives and the restaurant’s development, exemplify the unwavering Support that propels HAAM forward. “No one wants anything better for you than your mother,” Yesenia asserts, “I never really cared much when it was just me — but being a mother is what got me on this journey.”

Check out HAAM’s Instagram here!

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