The "street fair" was simply a sidewalk flea market. "Barbecue," as at many Memorial Day affairs, meant grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken, and dollar slices of watermelon. But the church's diverse congregation was also represented in the partially canopied parking lot by Puerto Rican pasteles and pernil, Mexican tacos and tamales, and a choice of several Haitian plate meals. This rendition of the thick vegetable stew called legim (leh-Gem, $5) also featured crab.
For dessert: pineapple upside-down cake ($2). Even the festival's vigorous Gaga-Gangnam soundtrack couldn't flip it rightside-up.
Our Lady of Refuge Barbecue and Street Fair
Our Lady of Refuge Roman Catholic Church, 2020 Foster Ave. (at Ocean Ave.), Ditmas Park, Brooklyn
Memorial Day