As Wynwood— often referred to as the heart of Miami— booms into a tourist goldmine filled with cultural diversity, more and more businesses emerge to take advantage of the attention.
One such business, Bakan, which concentrates on Mexican cuisine, held its grand opening in December.
At first sight, Bakan can come across as just another overpriced restaurant, perfect for you to geotag on social media to make your friends jealous. The portion sizes can definitely be improved for its prices, but its varied options was a pleasant surprise.
Bakan has a diverse, traditional Mexican menu with more than 30 different main courses to choose from, along with an extensive list of liquors (more than 500).
The peculiar appearance of the place makes for an attractive setting. It is similar to an outside bar setting surrounded by cactus plants. The plants form a fence around the location, with dangling ornaments on the roof and extremely comfortable seating.
“[It’s a] really cool environment and very different,” said Jaime Soto. “Pretty unique to the area, I would say.”
The food stood the test. The tacos were juicy and the well-seasoned beans had the perfect amount of spice. The chicken breast was a bit dry, but the sides that incorporated mashed beans and roasted sweet corn saved the day. The dishes also had an impeccable presentation without straining too far away from looking like traditional Mexican food.
It’s a great place to soak in the environment after you eat but the portions definitely left much to be desired, especially when the price exceeds well $35 per person making the meal not within the average college student’s budget.
Though Bakan’s portions and prices were a bit high—tacos were more than $6 each—the quality of food and service, along with the unique atmosphere made the place worth the visit.
