The New Duff’s new location is where culture and history meet, along with a twist on the traditional Bahamian guava duff dish. Nestled on West Bay St. next to Bahama Grill, atop its windows are adorned with its signature red and white swirl design surrounding its logo, which dons as an indicator that something sweet lies inside. The New Duff welcomes its customers with open doors and arms to order sweet and savory treats to their heart’s content. There were also samples of breakfast rolls and breakfast sandwiches (egg and cheese or egg cheese and bacon which had a dollop of a delectable onion jam: it was sooo delish!) and hibiscus mimosas. Aligning its walls are moments of duff history; both New Duff and the art of duff making itself, with an antique tin tub cake pan used by Bahamians in the 1800s and the origin of the term “duff” as we know it. This truly brings a deeper appreciation, respect and value to the guava duff as a craft and legend rather than only as a well-loved dessert item. Viewing these, my excitement continued to swell at being invited to their soft launch yesterday and being a part of such a historic moment in their journey.
The store offers a full line of duffs including caramelized coconut, traditional guava, pina colada, and even fried sugar banana! Clearly, I wasn’t ready for the latter’s smooth and subtly sweet flavor which paired well with the earl grey brandy rum sauce and a drizzle of the guava sauce (why not have fun with mixed sauces!). There was no way I was leaving without my ginger pork stuffed buns which were just as spiced and satisfying as I remembered. Two is never enough but I wanted to enjoy both dishes without any added guilt (or calories, lol), so I only bought one pair.
I sealed my eatery experience with a cup of Bahleaf’s cool fevergrass & ginger tea which was refreshing and cleansing to the palette, with an added bonus of antioxidants and other health benefits found in its natural ingredients. Their sweetener options (ranging on a scale from 1 – 4) are noteworthy as it includes agave, honey, simple syrup and brown sugar which allows for vegans to enjoy their cold or hot teas with a guilt-free sugar alternative. You can enjoy white peach tea and hibiscus along with brown sugar and Thai milk teas on the go or purchase packaged teas that feature turmeric, pumpkin spice, mango and lemongrass varieties! There’s even a glass beverage mug for you to savor every tea drop in an eco-friendly and responsible way. Owner of Bahaleaf, Ryan Winters stated that BahLeaf (which has "Baha" for Bahamas and "Leaf" to represent tea), says that the name is also a play on the word belief as the company believes in the Bahamas, its employees, and in following your passion. To further emphasize this an inspiring quote is printed on the back of every Bahleaf packaged item which is such a thoughtful gesture and gives the customer so much more than just a packaged item but more so an experience. They now walk away with words of encouragement that can brighten their day and empower them. The current quote is by the late Myles Munroe, who was a great Bahamians visionary and pastor whose quotes and presence were motivational to thousands.
Don’t forget to be a part of the story! Along with newspaper clippings commemorating moments in The New Duff’s journey, customers can write a message on the whiteboards located below the counters out front where they are invited to be a part of New Duff’s story (look out for my signature on my IG and Facebook page). Whether you’re feeling ravenous for something sweet, cool, quenching, savory or anything in between, the New Duff’s newest location has a bite (or brew) to satisfy your appetite.
