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The reggae was rockin’ and the drinks were poppin’ at Bar Manje during a special friends-and-family event on Friday night.
Jeremy Wladis, a longtime Upper West Sider and well-known neighborhood restaurateur, was on hand to celebrate. And Christmas came early this year, with Bar Manje officially opening inside his American fare classic Good Enough to Eat, located at 520 Columbus Avenue at the corner of West 85th Street. The new concept is taking over the space formerly occupied by Telio, which previously operated as GETE’s supper menu before relocating to 2672 Broadway at West 102nd Street.
Jeremy Wladis said Bar Manje is deeply personal, rooted in his longtime relationship with Chef Kingsley John. “Kingsley is from St. Lucia. He came here about 35 years ago when he was 16 or 17 and needed a job. He’d never worked a day in his life,” Wladis said. “I asked him what he could do, and he said, ‘I’ve never done a thing.’ I asked if he was going to be a hard worker, and he said, ‘Definitely,’ so I hired him as a dishwasher.” Wladis said everyone quickly fell in love with John, recalling a favorite story from his wife. “He went into a shop to buy his sister a dress and actually tried it on himself because they were about the same size at the time. What guy does that? Just a sweet guy.”
As for the concept, Wladis described the food as Caribbean with touches of soul food, Southern cooking, and a bit of European—primarily French—influence, paired with a soundtrack ranging from Bob Marley and other Rasta bands to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Aretha Franklin. “It’s Good Enough to Eat during the day, with brunch seven days a week,” he said. “And at night, it becomes Bar Manje, serving dinner seven nights a week with Chef Kingsley.”
ILTUWS got a look at the full menu and sampled a steady stream of small plates coming out of the kitchen, all while sipping Bar Manje’s special drink of the evening: a homemade rum punch with a peppery, salted rim that had as much bark as bite. The seasoning clung to the glass, letting you keep doubling—and even tripling—down, unlike other salted-rim cocktails that fall flat after a single sip.
The jerk octopus ($21; we had sample sizes, not full orders) with pineapple relish was a standout, as was the trini corn soup ($12) with split peas, dumplings, and corn. The BBQ lamb ribs ($19) we sampled felt tailor-made for settling in during the upcoming college football playoffs, with the music dialed in just right to keep the jams going. The succulent juices were irresistible, with the meat falling right off the bone. A return visit is in order to try the Jamaican beef patties.
The menu’s prices were written in pen, so they could potentially change—classic soft-opening stuff. Jeremy told us on a call that they’re still working things out but are excited to show the world what they’ve been creating. Entrées at Bar Manje range from the sea, like Mahi Mahi in seasonal sauces ($29), to land, with jerk chicken grilled in a jerk sauce ($24), and five-spice beef lo mein noodles with cabbage ($21). And they’ve got grits—creamy stone-ground grits enriched with butter and sharp cheddar, topped with sautéed lobster and jumbo shrimp in a Creole-spiced butter sauce. We tried the abridged version last night, with the grits topped with shrimp, which was a surprise-and-delight moment for me.
The cari burger, a house blend of brisket and chuck ($20–pictured below) was another winner, and they’ll also have buttermilk fried chicken by the piece for $8. Oxtail lasagna ($24), curry crab fried rice ($24), and bone-in rib eye ($44) are also featured on the Bar Manje menu. When we perused the cocktail list, the Upper West Side Caribbean Cosmo—with guava nectar, vodka, fresh lime, and pimento simple syrup—seemed like a sweet-on-the-town choice, while the HHS Margarita with honey hot sauce offered a spicy kick. White Sands sangria and a Pickback martini are also available.
“Feels like I’m coming home,” said John about returning to work with his first partner, Wladis. When asked whether Bar Manje might eventually move into its own dedicated brick-and-mortar space, John said, “That’s the intention.” He noted their current soft-launch hours will be Monday and Tuesday, 5–10 p.m., and Wednesday through Saturday, 5–11 p.m.
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