KENNESAW, Ga. — If you’re hungry for an authentic taste of Haiti, JoJo Fritay has you covered.
The family restaurant on Ernest W Barrett Pkwy in Kennesaw focuses on fresh and traditional fritay.
“Fritay is the street food,” owner Francois Nau explained. “It’s the equivalent of fast food, like Burger King or McDonald’s here. We take the food from the street food of Haiti and bring it here.”
“How does this dish represent Haiti?”
“Poisson gros sel…Poisson meaning fish. Sel meaning salt,” Nau said. “It is the second-most popular way of eating fish on the island.”
According to Nau, poisson gross sel is a mainstay of Haitian menus.
“If you go to a restaurant on the island, this is the one you have to try. It’s usually served with yam, boiled potato, and boiled plantain,” he said. “It’s melt-out-of-your-mouth!”
According to Nau, the popularity of fritay and other dishes attract customers from across the Southeast.
“How does this dish represent Atlanta?”
“Atlanta is the capital of the Southeast,” Nau said. “We are having people come from Tennessee, Carolinas…whenever they have the feeling for some Haitian food, they come to Jojo Fritay!”
As for Nau, he's happily adopted metro Atlanta as his home.
“I’m happy to be here, and this is my second home,” Nau said.
At the Table is a digital series produced by 11Alive's Matt Pearl and Liza Lucas. Metro Atlanta features the food of dozens of nations. We want to eat through them all! Follow us on Facebook and share your favorite food stories.