Robin Godwin: Haitian Food Stall ‘Sobeachy’ Opens at Cross Street Market

Haitian food stall Sobeachy opened last week at the newly-renovated Cross Street Market. Sobeachy’s new stall is adjacent to Rice Crook, Gangster Vegan, and Annoula’s Kitchen in the eastern section of the block-long market.

Sobeachy is run by the husband and wife Leo and Chanel Fluerimond. Leo Fluerimond was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, but eventually moved to Baltimore to join his brother who had started a job with the Baltimore Police Department. His sister is also now a Baltimore resident. Baltimore is where Leo Fluerimond met Chanel Fluerimond 10 years ago.

Leo Fluerimond was working different jobs in Baltimore including construction, but was in a car accident in 2012 during which he broke his back, wrists, ankles, and sternum, and suffered injuries to his brain. He struggled to find work after the accident and decided it was time to tap into his Haitian culture and share the Caribbean island’s food with Baltimore.

Leo Fluerimond and Chanel Fluerimond started a business selling Haitian food at events, farmers markets, and for pop-ups and catering. It was initially called Green Grass Tall Trees, but they decided to rebrand as Sobeachy last year as they said many people confused them for a cannabis or landscaping business. They noted the original name tapped into their use of fresh ingredients and herbs in their food. They liked the name Sobeachy because it gives the business the relaxing, island vibe they are going for.

The Fluerimonds initially hoped to open a restaurant at a building they purchased on Harford Road in Darley Park, but when they were invited to come to the new Cross Street Market, they decided to put their focus on Federal Hill. They said they love the demographics of Federal Hill and see it as an area where people are open to trying different foods. They may eventually turn the other property into a commercial kitchen.

Sobeachy is now the first Haitian restaurant in Baltimore and that brings the Fluerimonds a lot of pride. They said the local Haitian community which they are involved with is very excited.

While Chanel Fluerimond is American, she dedicated herself to learning to cook Haitian cuisine with her husband and wants the menu to be as authentically Haitian as possible. She noted any fusion on the menu with more traditional American items are Leo Fluerimond’s ideas.

Chanel Fluerimond said Haitian food has a Afro-Latin feel and taps into Haiti’s blend of French and African culture. She said it is similar to Cuban and Latin American food, but quite different from other Caribbean foods from Jamaican and Trinidad.

Sobeachy’s meats and vegan dishes are stewed and often cooked with green peppers, red peppers, onions, thyme, and acid from lime or vinegar. They are served over a choice of rice, or rice, beans, and plantains.

Sobeachy is currently in a soft opening and will slowly be expanding to its full menu. Currently it offers rice dishes with chicken, turkey sausage, ground beef, or veggie with a black bean sauce. It also offers several fresh juices and smoothies including an island punch, Haitian lemonade, strawberry lemonade, and watermelon juice. Any juice can be made into a smoothie with the addition of bananas or mango paste.

Starting on Friday, Sobeachy will have its liquor license and can add Barbancourt Haitian rum to any of its juices. It will also serve Haitian beer Prestige and Kremas, which is a Haitian egg nog drink.

Sobeachy will add many items to its menu including Haitian patties which are puff pastries filled with beef, chicken, or fish; Haitian wings which are one of the Haitian and American fusion items as it adds a mango habanero sauce to wings; jomou which is a triple squash soup with pasta, veggies, and stewed beef; plantain cups which are a cup-shaped plantain stuffed with herb-crusted fish, avocado spread, Haitian cole slaw, and mango sauce; whole red snapper; burgers; fried codfish sandwiches; Haitian fritay which are street food fritters; a Caribbean salad; and more.

Many items will be available with no wait time as they are scoop-and-serve dishes.

Leo Fluerimond built the stall himself, tapping into his background into construction. He didn’t intend on taking on the project, but he was put into action when a business loan didn’t come through. They designed the stall to look like patrons are looking into their kitchen, but they also gave it a beach shack vibe. It has distressed wood, Sobeachy’s palm tree logo, a chalkboard wall to display specials, and a display for the trays of food. Caribbean music will be playing out of the speakers.

Sobeachy is open Monday to Saturday from 11am to 9pm and Sunday from 11am to 3pm.