My cousin and I randomly had dinner at the new Negril BK the other weekend. We originally planned to have dinner at another restaurant across the street. But strolled on out after being told that the wait was two hours. We were just too hungry. We spotted Negril BK while trying to figure out where to dine instead. It was PACKED inside. But we decided to test our luck. The hostess told us that the wait was 35 minutes. But it was actually only 5 minutes. Things were off to a great start.
Let’s talk about the scene really quick. There was a full bar with an open space to chat. Or get your grind on to the tunes of the live DJ. Yes, a live DJ playing all of the jams. We wouldn’t have cared if we did have to wait 35 minutes as it was lit.
DJ KStylz was jammin. And the art wall behind him featuring a woman in a carnival costume was beautiful.
The dining room was spacious, yet cozy. The lighting was dim with candles on every table. And there’s an illuminating One Love sign on the back wall. A salute to the legendary Bob Marley in case you didn’t know. Now let’s get to the food.
We ordered the Esco Calamari, Spring Rolls and a round of drinks to start. My cousin had a Mango Girls Dem Sugar Pina Colada. While I had the Nutty Dread. The drinks were delicious and mine was super strong thanks to the addition of overproof rum. The calamari was fresh, crispy and seasoned to perfection.
But the Spring Rolls were the star of the show. They were filled with Ackee & Saltfish. I’ve never had anything like it. Simply amazing.
Now on to the entrees. I ordered the Jerk Salmon with Pumpkin Rice and Market vegetables.
The salmon was cooked to perfection, and the sauce was the perfect combination of sweet and spicy. So delicious. I loved the mix of veggies- collards with carrots and pumpkin. And the pumpkin rice rounded off the meal nicely.
Mo had the Jerk Shrimp with the same sides, and she enjoyed her meal as well.
We also ordered a side of sweet plantains. I’m weary of ordering plantains as it’s usually not ripe enough or under cooked. But Negril BK got it just right.
Our eyes were bigger than our gut. We could only eat half of the food. It was all good though. It tasted just as good for lunch the next day.
The vibe was mad chill at Negril BK. People were just kicking it and enjoying themselves. The staff was extremely friendly. And the food was divine. We will definitely be back with the rest of our girls. I need to try the Lobster & Shrimp Grits next.
