Inside Carnivale Bahamas: A Feast of Latin Fusion and Bahamian Hospitality

A two-decade-old Latin-inspired dining concept that originated in Chicago has just debuted on Paradise Island, creating an expanded culinary fusion by including local Bahamian culture. As a brilliant centerpiece of the redeveloped Hurricane Hole superyacht marina, just across from the bridge that leads to Atlantis, Carnivale is uniquely pleasing.

“Our expansion to the Bahamas is incredibly meaningful for us,” says Bill Marovitz, co-owner of Carnivale. “We’re excited to introduce the Carnivale experience to the Bahamian community.”

Photo: Courtesy of Carnivale

Few restaurants are as colorful as Carnivale. The 15,000-square-foot venue offers a plethora of photo-worthy opportunities with its festival masks, elaborate headdresses, large murals by Bahamian artist Angelika Wallace-Whitfield, and neon pop art installations. Refreshing cocktails include the Paradise Garden, a blend of mezcal, tropical lime, pineapple, cilantro and jalapeño, and the Jubilee, with blanco tequila, elderflower, lime and sparkling wine.

Photo: Courtesy of Carnivale

Outdoor seating is the most sought-after for its proximity to the water and yachts. Late lunches overlap with sunset cocktail hour, and in a blink it’s dinnertime. This is how island life is, especially when one eats fresh island food.

From the sea comes pristine aguachile of shrimp, a spicy gazpacho-like sauce with sweet Bahamian shrimp and bits of chicharron, while a Peruvian crudo marinates bonito with lime and ají amarillo.

Photo: Courtesy of Carnivale

The mojo dayboat ceviche is a complex preparation that mixes quinoa, coconut and hominy with a fresh dayboat catch marinated in lime and goat pepper.

Among the other delicious appetizers are the Carnivale guacamole, bacalao croquettes, shrimp quesadillas with Chihuahua cheese, and the Fulton Market salad, a nice mix of greens grown on the island with pickled onions, candied pecans and herb dressing.

Photo: Courtesy of Carnivale

Hearty dishes to share with the family include the hard-to-pass-up peri-peri pollo asado, featuring a roast chicken, elote, string fries and ají verde; slow-roasted Yucatán pork with frijoles, red rice, guava goat-pepper salsa and tortillas; and the 48-ounce tomahawk steak accompanied by crisp delicious yucca fries, buttered greens and chimichurri.

Photo: Courtesy of Carnivale

Seafood paella and variations such as chorizo with chicken, mix paella, and all-vegetarian with snap peas, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, coconut and saffron are pleasing options. However, I did enjoy the simplicity of the dayboat lobster with grilled pineapple, cascabel chili, goat pepper and citrus butter.

Photo: Courtesy of Carnivale

Desserts honor the Iberian Peninsula. The tres leches de café is a dreamy coffee cake with three milks, including dulce de leche, while the xocolatl features chocolate mousse, chocolate ice cream, brownie crumble and soft caramel—yum! For a table with a big sweet tooth there are also malassadas (Portuguese doughnuts with cinnamon sugar and guava curd) and crema catalana.

Best For

A vibrant experience with friends and family to celebrate a memorable occasion or simply the pleasure of Bahamian food and culture.

Verdict

This Chicago import offers delicious island fare in a colorful atmosphere, ideal for a lazy lunch or indulgent dinner. carnivalebahamas.com