Munchie's Hits the Spot for Fried Food Lovers

Having never been to Jamaica, or a single Jamaican restaurant, I wasn't sure what to expect at the recently opened Munchie's on Irvington Avenue. After a few hours chatting with owners Reid and Sophia Taylor, while noshing on a seemingly endless stream of traditional Jamaican fare, I was pleasantly surprised by the spicy, starch-heavy meal.

If you love fried food, this is the place for you. I can't say I'm the biggest fan of everything being deep fried, but for an occasional treat, I'd head back for the "festival"—a form of fried dumplings—and would stop by for a filling brunch starting with cornmeal porridge.

On Tuesday night, the meal started out a bit strangely. There is no signage on the storefront, so we weren't even sure we were in the right place. But as we walked in, Reid was there to greet us and quickly offered to set a table. He then started explaining the décor—traditional Jamaican board games hanging from the walls; a hand-painted mural of the island nation on the wall adjacent to the open kitchen; and Jamaican one- and two-dollar bills, vinyl records and concert posters sitting inside glass tabletops. He said he knows that non-Jamaican guests may not understand the significance of all of the pieces, but they are highly valued in the Jamaican culture. One- and two-dollar bills have been out of print for years, he added.

I wasn't sure if we were in a fast food joint, though, because the tables do not have place settings and the counter seems to be take-out style. The menu is written out on a large chalkboard, and diners are given paper printouts. Reid seemed taken aback when I asked if Munchie's is part of a chain, and assured me they are quite the opposite. Everything is made in-house, and the dishes are created by his wife. Sophia was born and raised in Jamaica, where she was always considered the best cook in her large family.

As we started to place our order, Reid took the reins from us. I think he could tell we weren't exactly sure what everything was, so he made recommendations and offered to create a vegetarian dish for me. We were a bit disappointed to hear that they were out of a few items for the day—most of the food is prepared a few hours ahead of time or in the morning. But he had one vegetable patty—essentially a large pastry filled with a variety of stewed vegetables—and sent it over as an appetizer. The flaky crust melted in my mouth. It was large enough to split three ways.

For our second course, he sent over festival dumplings and traditional fried dumplings. He wasn't kidding when he said the festival offerings were delicious. They were somewhat sweeter than the regular dumplings, but if you eat more than one you are almost certainly going to ruin your appetite for the large main course. They are on the heavy side. Sophia also sent over a plate of salt fish, which my friend Kaitlind really enjoyed. It was shredded and mixed with several chopped vegetables to create a light side salad.  

The main course featured heaping plates of plantains, rice and beans, pressed cabbage salad, a sweet mango salsa and our dish of choice: jerk chicken for Steve, curry chicken for Kaitlind and sautéed okra for me. The okra was not on the menu, but when Sophia heard that I am a vegetarian, she whipped it up on the spot. I walked away feeling satisfied and full. The chicken was tender, not too juicy or too dry. The mango salsa worked perfectly as a dessert. 

The night started out slow, as we weren't sure if we had found the right place. By the end, I felt like I was eating with family friends. Reid and Sophia chatted with us throughout the meal, as Sophia prepped the dishes to our tastes and requests. It was incredibly laid-back—a place with a friendly vibe and filling food that I expect to be popular with Seton Hall students when they return in the fall. It's not a fancy restaurant, but great for an inexpensive, casual meal.