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Bring On the Heat!

Seafood shack sets up shop in Rockaway Beach


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Alice Smolinsky and owner Solomon Johnson. Photos by Brienne Kenlock

Soloman Johnson, the owner of Healthy Henry’s in Jamaica, Queens, has opened a new restaurant called ‘Heat Wave’ on 88-12 Rockaway Beach Blvd. Like many of the new eats opening in Rockaway, this latest endeavor has seen a tidal wave of support – support which the owner hopes will continue to grow in the months to come. 

“We had a soft opening last week, so far everything is going great,” Johnson told The Wave. “We’re running out of everything – shrimps, fish, crab legs. People love the Crab Mac and the regular Mac and Cheese…I mean everything is selling at this point which is a blessing.”

An order of 10x Fried Shrimp and small fries combo. Heat Wave’s dive is serving up delicious seafood. Whether ask for jerked, steamed, fried, or escovitch the heat’s served with style.

And as for where Johnson learned how to chef it up in the kitchen, he says his mother and grandfather were his main influences. Those influences led him to open his first restaurant – named after his grandfather – Healthy Henry’s on 90-04 160th Street in Jamaica, Queens which serves a variety of items from seafood to wraps to pastas. 

“I have been cooking since I was about five or six years old. I remember I was in second grade, living right here in Hamels on the first floor at 410. And I burnt myself cooking some eggs and the butter splashed all over my face. At school, the kids joked on me because I thought I had chickenpox. I went right back home and started cooking again. I never stopped,” said Johnson.

The menu at Johnson’s latest project – named both for the large blue wave painted on the side of the building and the close proximity to the beach – consists of all things seafood, from whiting fish, wild salmon, shrimp, and crab legs. Heat Wave also serves add ons like curry rice with raisins and cranberries, brown rice with peppers, onions, sweet plantains and tomato, with other options like freshly made ice tea, lemon coconut cake, and carrot cake. 

According to employee Alice Smolinsky, however, it’s the combo items that have folks coming back for more. 

“People really like the combos, the whiting fish and shrimp or the crab legs and shrimp with an order of wings,” said Smolinsky. “We run out so fast people are disappointed when there’s no more.” 

 

 

 

2) (From left to right) Alice Smolinsky and owner Solomon Johnson.

3) List of menu items

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