Not cooking this Sunday or need a quick pick-me-upper later? Give Tropical Chinese Cuisine Restaurant a try.
Tropical Chinese Cuisine Restaurant
Location: Loshusan, Barbican
Ph: 876-978-0696; 876-978-8866
By: Gabrielle Burgess
If you liked this promo, follow Suga Lifestyle or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
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By: Gabrielle Burgess
If you liked this promo, follow Suga Lifestyle or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
The West beat the East last night in the NBA All-Star Game 192-182. Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans passed Wilt Chamberlain’s record by scoring 52, the most points in an All-Star Game.
The other highlight for Suga was the alley-oop from KD to Russ early in the game after their bad break up. Their ongoing squabbles and avoidance of each other has been the talk for a while now and this was the first sign of them putting their feelings aside as they were forced to be teammates in the All-star game
Watch “KD Lobs to Westbrook, West’s Bench celebrates” on YouTube here:
Westbrook was visibly competitive and serious throughout the game. The commentators had to say it seemed like a Playoff game to him.
That alley-oop dunk did not mend the split with him and KD based on his post-game interview though as he played with the reporters.
Poor Russ. Deeply wounded.
In other news, it was announced last night that DeMarcus Cousins has been traded to the New Orleans Pelicans to join Anthony Davis in exchange for Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Gallaway and a furture 1st and 2nd round pick!
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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*Jamaican Residents Only*
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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With just 30 Calories, 0 Fat Calories, 1% Cholesterol, 2g Sugar, 1% Carbs, 8% Sodium and 4g Protein, Fat-Free Philadelpbia Cream Cheese can be used as a healthy substitute for butter, mayonnaise and more.
You can use Fat-Free Philadelphia Cream Cheese in the following ways to eat healthy and guilt-free:
â— On Baked Potatoes instead of butter or sour cream
â— On your Tacos instead of Sour Cream
â— In your Wraps instead of Cheddar cheese
â— On your Whole Grain/Whole Wheat Bagels and Bread instead of regular, fatty cream cheese or butter
â— In your Tuna instead of mayonnaise
â— To make your own healthy version of a Creamy Sauce instead of using an Alfredo sauce or Coconut cream sauce to put on your Baked Fish or your Pasta by melting it in a pot with a little bit of olive oil, garlic, onion and skimmed milk.
Have fun eating healthy!
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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Suga and a friend visited Fromage Brasserie that opened recently in the Market Place. It is a bigger location for Fromage Gourmet Market on Hillcrest that we know and love. They are one of my favourites.
I loved the elegant, modern decor from the ceiling to the floor. The hostess was pleasant and the waitress was professional. Seating was comfortable but not so sure about the 2-seater tables. They looked a bit too small.
I ordered the Lobster Bisque ($700JMD) recommended by the waitress that came out quickly but it was not in the usual Bread Boule that Fromage offers. However, I realised that I did not specify mainly because the waitress did not ask. The salt seemed to have gotten away in the soup so I was disappointed.
The Bacon Shrimp Chowder would need half an hour more to be ready so my friend didn’t bother to order it.
For the main I had trouble deciding because they had so many items on their menu. I think less items should be on the menu, similar to the Fromage on Hillcrest. Sometimes less is more.
I was deciding between the Seafood Risotto that I had seen pictures of and the Lobster Ravioli. Again, the waitress recommended the Lobster dish, saying the Risotto tends to be a bit heavy because of the Saffron cream sauce and I wasn’t in the mood for that so ordered the Lobster Ravioli ($2300JMD).
I recommended that my friend who loves Shrimp Pasta have the Pesto Pasta with Shrimp ($2000JMD).
When the food arrived in reasonable time I wish I recommended that for myself because I clearly made the wrong decision. My friend’s Pesto Pasta with Shrimp was delish. I started to wonder if the waitress just recommended Lobster dishes because it had Lobster. She had seemed confident with her recommendations but she was wrong this time.
I’m not sure if the Chef was having an off day but I know the kitchen wasn’t pressured. There were other diners but the Restaurant was far from full.
As you can see, the presentation was poor. I saw no evidence of a Ravioli wheel or stamp used to properly shape the pasta. The Ravioli was overcooked and/or it had too much flour. It had a doughy taste and the taste of the Lobster was absent. The sauce wasn’t much to be desired for either. It needed more of a lemon zest and perhaps some chopped basil, fresh parsley and a touch of garlic.
I told the waitress it was horrible and not to recommend it again. Hopefully the Chef gets it right soon or it should be removed from the menu.
I couldn’t let my first visit end on such a bad note after expectations were high. So I ordered the Lobster Mac and Cheese that looked salivating in pictures and on plates passing my table to other diners.
The Lobster Mac and Cheese ($1000JMD) came out quickly and definitely saved the day. Presentation got 10/10 but the quality got 7/10. Believe it or not, it actually didn’t taste as good as it looked. It was tasty but lacked flavour. I think it needed a more pungent cheese and some garlic and herbs to spice it up. The Lobster Mac and Cheese at The Regency Room, Terra Nova is still a winner.
It was a disappointing visit and I felt robbed paying for that Lobster Ravioli but it is still early days for the Restaurant and I know given the history of the owners they will keep striving for better quality and service. The new Brasserie seems a bit pricey but I shall return in the near future to try some meat dishes such as the Feta Crusted Lamb ($3050JMD), Steak and Frites ($2000JMD) and the Korean BBQ Pork Ribs ($2450JMD).
Stay tuned for Part 2!
Fromage Brasserie
Location: Market Place- 67 Constant Spring Road. Kingston.
Ph: 876-649-0820-1
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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#tbt to my Lobster Mac & Cheese from the new Fromage Brasserie in Market Place. How was it? Look out for the review soon!
Fromage Brasserie
Location: Market Place- 67 Constant Spring Road. Kingston.
Ph: 876-649-0820-1
By: Gabrielle Burgess
If you liked this promo, follow Suga Lifestyle or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
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For those of us who can have a Cheat Day this weekend!
By: Gabrielle Burgess
If you liked this blog, follow Suga Lifestyle or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
Unlike processed grains, Oats are whole grains that are intact so they have more nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and fiber.
The type of fiber Oats contain is soluble and that is the type that can help to lower cholesterol.
Oats help to facilitate Bone Development as well.
They are a great source of Carbohydrates when compared to bread, brown rice etc. and actually slightly better than whole wheat/grain bread because 1 cup of cooked Oats has 4g fiber and more.
1 serving of cooked Oats is equivalent to ~1/2 cup.
How do you measure when cooking? Oats has a 1:2 ratio. 1/2 cup dry Oats yields 1 cup of cooked Oats.
Ensure that if you are using milk, you use almond milk or skimmed milk.
If you are tracking your servings of Carbs for the day, note that 1 serving of bread is 1 slice and 1 cup of cooked Oats is equivalent to almost 2 slices of bread.
1 cup of Oats is ideal but if you would like to add more flavour, use half a cup of cooked Oats and add fruits such as Strawberries, Blueberries, a touch of Raisins or Banana, Flaxseeds and Chia seeds. You could also add a sprinkle of nutmeg or cinnamon.
Go cook up some Oats and have a great start to your day!
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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It has been a while, but I am still upset about the poor service from ChezMax Catering and Toss & Roll Salad Bar over a Gustazo they offered towards the end of last year.
ChezMax Catering
ChezMax offered $1299JMD for 2 Wraps (Wheat, Spinach, Tomato, Basil etc.) OR Caesar salads with your choice of meat + 2 Strawberry, Mocha or Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothies, Coconut Water or Sorrel with Ginger + 1 Banana Bread that expired December 2, 2016.
My experiences with both establishments were similar, besides the fact that communication with ChezMax was over the phone and that with Toss & Roll was face to face.
My coworker and I love to have something different on Fridays, so I called ChezMax two Fridays before the expiration date and was told they had no ingredients for the Smoothies. I was really looking forward to the Smoothies so I was assured that they should have some the following week. When I called back the following Friday I was told that they still could not offer any of the Smoothies because everything had finished with the large amount of Gustazos being used and it’s almost the final week.
I explained that whether or not it is the final week or day, they should be prepared for the demand, as persons have already spent their money expecting to get a choice from ALL of what was offered.
I already had plans for lunch the following Friday and with the staff’s nonchalant response on the phone and her still being adamant that it was because of the Gustazos, I was not going to wait another week where even less may have been available. I also told her not to argue with the Customer because the Customer is always right, especially since they are in the Customer Service business. I like value for my money so what they did could have been interpreted as false advertising, because as far as I know, persons buy Gustazos based on the guaranteed value of what they are getting at discounted rates.
They delivered the lunch on time for a $200JMD additional charge. I had the Spinach Wrap with Jerked Chicken, Coconut Water and Banana Bread. The Banana Bread was tasty but the Wrap had enough vegetables to feed a rabbit and the Chicken didn’t have a memorable taste so I wasn’t impressed and will never order from them again.
Toss & Roll Salad Bar
Toss & Roll offered $1399JMD for 2 Main Dishes with a choice of 12″ Wheat or Spinach Wrap with your choice of Meat (Grilled or Jerked Chicken); Sweet and Sour Grilled Chicken; Sweet Chili Chicken served with vegetables or pumpkin rice and toss salad + 2 Natural Juices or Cranwatas + 1 Granola Bar that expired on December 21, 2016.
Over the holidays I was busier than expected, but on one particular day I needed a Wrap that was convenient to eat while I had to drive and run errands. I remembered my Toss & Roll Gustazo expired that day so I went there about 3pm. No Wraps, Cranwatas or Granola Bars were available, all of which I wanted. I was not amused and more upset since this was the 2nd issue within 1 month involving not getting my value for money with a Gustazo and food. Not to mention, I was also very hungry. Take note that some persons may even forget they bought a Gustazo for food because they try to save it for the right moment so it almost feels like a free meal of your choice. When that illusion of a free meal is not granted after being so excited that the day has come to get it, no matter how cheap it is, if it isn’t available, people can become not only upset but disappointed. Gustazos are used to help market what places have to offer so they leave a bad impression when they have poor service and do not deliver what persons bought.
At Toss & Roll I was told I could only get the Chicken dishes and Natural juices. Perhaps they thought since food was still available then that was a sufficient substitute. It was not because that was not what I had in mind, even when I bought the Gustazo.
The cashier had quite a sour face and attitude. She did not check into a resolution since they owe me a granola bar and I could hear her complaining to the Chef. At least the Sweet Chili Chicken was spicy and flavourful and the Juneplum Juice was refreshing and not too sweet, but half of the rice and veggies were left on my car seat and floor mat dodging a pothole. So as simple as it may have seemed, the substitute dish was an inconvenience.
Both experiences were reported to Gustazos but no follow up with me was made. I am hoping that establishments in the future only offer what they can handle and Gustazos finds a way to ensure that is so.
â— ChezMax Catering
Location: 2 College Green Avenue
Ph.: 876-585-5996; 876-977-3090
â— Toss & Roll Salad Bar
Location: 75 Hope Road. Kingston 6.
Ph.: 876-879-3310; 876-539-6886
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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