Cocina Candela, located at 706 Bloomfield Avenue, is a Puerto Rican restaurant serving up native dishes, playing the island’s very own salsa music, and transforming the street into an upscale tropical experience. That is – until it closes in the coming weeks. But there may be an opportunity to return in the future. Read on for the details of the closure.
Owner Kenny Candelaria explains what inspired him to open the restaurant, “Cocina Candela is an experiment in Puerto Rican gastronomy honoring the traditions of our Taíno roots, and the purity of ingredients. I remember from my childhood in Puerto Rico when I pulled yams from the ground with my grandmother, drank fresh milk from a cow in the morning with my grandfather, and ate dinners prepared on the fogón with whatever else could be found on the land in the evenings.” He continues, “Before Brooklyn, before supermarkets, and before sazón and adobo, these are my earliest memories of Puerto Rican food,” he stated on the website.
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As for the food, it’s is made by a conscientious chef who works with fresh, organic, no antibiotics, grass-fed meats. The ingredients are locally grown and the fresh fish comes from American waters.
On November 21st, the owner announced via the restaurant’s Facebook account that it will be closing early next month.
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The statement read, “Cocina Candela has been a labor of love. We have poured every ounce of ourselves into it and hope that we gave our wonderful customers meals and experiences that they enjoyed and will remember. Due to unforeseen difficulties and circumstances, we will be closing our Montclair location as of December 12. However, this is not the end of Cocina Candela! We hope to be back soon, bigger and better, doing what we love. Please continue to follow us to stay posted for updates on the next chapter. As always, THANK YOU for your support!”
Be sure to stop into Cocina Candela for authentic Puerto Rican eats before its last day on December 12th.
