There are plenty of Jamaican restaurants in Baristaville and the urban centers that surround it. But most are set up as take-out joints. Munchie’s, a new offering in South Orange, may be the only one to offer free wifi. That’s no accident. With its brightly-painted walls and other cheerful decor, the restaurant is clearly suggesting that you linger.
The food is also outstanding. This place isn’t just about meat patties and plantain. Jamaican-born Sophia Taylor, whose nickname is Munchie, whips up a mean plate of oxtails ($12 large/$9.50 small, with sides), that has a delicate flavoring reminiscent of Scotch broth.
The “festival” are corn fritters that are just this side of heaven. At two for $1.50, you can afford to buy a lot more than diet could possibly allow. And then there’s my favorite, the Ital, an all-vegetarian stew of beans, pumpkin, okra, potato and carrots, cooked in coconut milk. The coconut milk adds just a touch of sweet to the savory, and the stew is unbelievably hearty. ($8.50 large with rice/$6.50 small). Be sure to call in advance for the Ital, which is not always on the menu. There are lots of sides to choose from, including several varieties of rice and beans, but my favorite is the lightly-cooked cabbage and the plantain.
Stay a while and you are likely to become friends with Sophia and her husband Reid, an American-born Jamaicophile who grills the tasty jerk chicken and is the restaurant’s official raconteur. He’s also in charge of all the ambiance, from the music (he is a DJ with a personal collection that encompasses Reggae, blues, rock and more) to the hand-painted mural of Jamaica on one wall, which he actually painted for the restaurant’s predecessor, a Jamaican restaurant with linen white walls that went out of business. Reid went to Jamaica to collect the vintage Ludo boards that serve as authentic folk art, and he has a wall of T-shirts and baseball caps to sell, in case you feel transported and need a souvenir. “Americans sense the authenticity and realize it’s not a Disneyfication of Jamaica,” he says.
The restaurant is, of course, named for its chef. As Reid tells it, his wife’s nickname was always Munchie: “Her passion is cooking and feeding people. People would call at 11:30 at night and say, ‘Hey, Munchie, I need food!’”
Now, luckily, we all get to enjoy Munchie’s cooking, and if you want to “take a lickle taste” of an item on the menu, they’ll give you a small serving — just like an ice cream shop lets you taste the different flavors. Chances are if you bring your laptop and stay a while, you’ll get more than a lickle taste.
Munchie’s Take a Lickle Taste is at 307-C Irvington Ave. in South Orange, right next door to the former site of Zayda’s. It’s open Tuesday from Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Mondays. 973.821.5471
Thanks for the wonderful review, Debbie! We hope we can feed all of Baristanet.
And it’s not just the Jerk Chicken, but husband and wifi get along well in our restaurant– a real team effort!
Just ate at Munchies last night and it was sooo good. Not only the food, but the atmosphere was great too. Good food + good people = good time.