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Restaurant Review: Bacari Grill
800 Ridgewood Road
Washington Township, NJ 07676
201 358-6330
Tucked away just outside of Paramus, NJ is a delicious Italian restaurant called Bacari Grill. We had a party of 12 on reservation and were seated immediately upon our arrival. The restaurant was tastefully decorated with soft colors and romantic lighting. It wasn’t incredibly noisy for a saturday night, and you could move around without bumping into another table.
As we nestled into our seats we perused over their extensive selection of wines with a fair amount available at several different price points. We went with the recommendation of trying out their homemade red Sangria first. It came in a giant wine glass filled to the top for a low price. Not to sweet, not to dry and it wasn’t overpowered with fruit which I liked. For dinner we went with a few bottles of the Robert Mondavi Private Reserve Cabernet Savignon as well as the Campobello Chianti Riserva.
After drooling over the Dinner Menu that had so many delicious items available I had a hard time choosing, I decided finally to start off with a Greek “Chopped” Salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, olives, arugula and feta cheese. When it arrived it was a great size for the small price of $6.00 and the presentation was perfect. The dressing wasn’t overpowering and the vegetables were crispy and plentiful.
For dinner I ordered the Lobster Ravioli special which came in a delicious cream tomato sauce that melted in my mouth with every bite. Again, the portion was perfect for the price and the presentation was wonderful. Our server, Harrison was on the ball making sure we had plenty of tasty flatbread on the table, full water glasses and never an empty cocktail.
For dessert we had brought our own cake as we were celebrating a graduation, but the restaurant manager surprised us with a complimentary round of RumChata, an after dinner drink that tastes like a mix of spiced rum and Bailey’s with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. I was surprised at the taste and am looking forward to finding a place to buy some for my own home bar.
After dessert I took a tour of the entire restaurant to get a feel for the layout. The bathrooms were well-tended too and wonderfully decorated. On the other side of the bar was a larger dining room with white linen table clothes and wide windows for a romantic view of the twinkling lights on display outside. As someone who has done her share of bartending in the past, I was particularly impressed by the way they used vertical glass votives to hold the bar fruit. It was much nicer to see as a bar patron and it gave the bartenders room to mix their drinks.There was a sushi station and the food look fresh and well prepared. Next time I visit, I am definitely trying the sushi!
Overall the food, ambience and service was top-notch. On a scale of one to five, my overall rating for this restaurant is 4 1/2 stars. I will definitely be returning.
