Kimberly G.
Yelp
I'd heard a lot about Bacchanal Junction, so I was excited to try it out. Located along the border of East Orange and Bloomfield, it can easily be missed when driving past since the area looks residential. There is a small parking lot that gets full pretty fast on a Saturday evening, so parking on the street may be the only option. Upon entry, I felt like I had been transported to the tropics. Caribbean music was popping (at the perfect volume), and the decor was certainly serving island vibes.
Our server, Phil, was attentive, knowledgeable, and pleasant. He made many great recommendations since it was our first time dining there. To start, I had the garlic parmesan jerk wings, and this was one of the best things I ate all year. The wings were crispy, juicy, and all of the flavors melded together perfectly. Plus, the order of six had an equal number of drums and flats, so it was good for sharing. The wings are included in the happy hour specials, so I will definitely be back for them.
The cocktail that I had was a 10/10. The lychee lagoon was sweet, but not too sweet, and had a lovely subtle fizz from the prosecco. I also tried the rum punch, which was fantastic as well. It was fruity but packed a punch with the blend of Caribbean rums. The specialty cocktail menu is divided into sweet, spicy, sour, refreshing, and dessert sections, so there is something available to fit your mood.
For my entrée, I had the stewed kingfish with black rice and plantains. The fish was tender, the plantains were perfect, and the black rice was flavorful. The portion was sizable, so I had plenty to take home. My partner had the rasta pasta with chicken, which was also a huge portion and tasted fantastic.
I wish Bacchanal had a dessert menu because I would absolutely have loved to end the evening on a sweet note. At 8 pm, the live DJ comes and plays a variety of music, so it would have been nice to have stayed longer to enjoy the vibes. All in all, I had a fantastic meal and will definitely be back since there are many specials throughout the week.