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Last Saturday at Jamaica Food + Drink Kitchen (Ig: @jafoodanddrinkkitchen), a bit over 30 guests had the pleasure of experiencing a Night in Thailand with Mystic Thai (Ig: @mystic_thai_jamaica) coming in from Montego Bay, Select Brands (Ig: @selectbrandsja) and Debra Taylor-Smith a.k.a Wine Lady Debra (Ig: @wineladydebra).

It’s what you would call a precursor to Mystic Thai coming to Kingston! Yes, you read right. Mystic Thai will be opening a higher end version of their restaurant some time within the next 6 to 8 months. Envision Sea Bass and Steaks prepared by a mix of new Chefs coming from India, while you are surrounded by the finest of Thai décor. Can’t wait!

In the mean time, we had the delight of being taken through 7 courses with the most interesting, some shocking, but tantalizing pairings presented by Wine Lady Debra of Select Brands.

Let Suga take you through!

The Beefeater Gin Cocktail was a bold welcome, tempered by Lemongrass that got guests buzzing, catching up after not seeing each other for a little while, then eventually seated with anticipation for what the rest of the evening had to offer.

Then BOOM came an unexpected shot of Stone’s Ginger Wine topped with Torresella Prosecco paired with Tom Kha Soup! A Ginger Mimosa Shot that got us off to a fast, but great start. The rich, creamy coconut flavour of the Soup was amazing by the way.

The Papaya Salad Wraps paired with Rosé cooled things down a bit with delicate flavours and well-rounded acidity.

One of my faves, the Kung Fu Girl Riesling followed to pair with the Mystic Dragon Roll, where its flavours were even more enhanced by a homemade pepper sauce that was offered. It took a little while for Kung Fu Girl to grow on those who were just introduced, as she is on the dry side, but hints of citrus and white peach perhaps made them appreciate her more as they sipped in between bites.

Truffle Infused Pad Thai Chicken paired with a California Cline Gewurtztraminer definitely spiced up the night again! Pun intended. Wow. I enjoyed that pairing thoroughly.

The highlight if the night for me then arrived.

GREEN CURRY SALMON with Hahn PINOT NOIR…What?! “Life is too short”, said Wine Lady Debra.
It is indeed. Naturally a Creamy or Lemon Sauce, or even a Salsa topping on Salmon would pair well with a Traditional White Wine, but I applaud this chance taken.
It was a HIT for ME. BRAVO…YOLO.

Crispy Sesame Lamb paired with a Malbec followed. It was tasty, but the small cuts of Lamb were unfortunately overwhelmed by the sauce and crispy texture.

Before we knew it, it was Dessert time! Oh but a bit of an anti-climax for me and my Suga Tasters who have recently traveled to Thailand. They’ve been spoiled by a wide selection of Sticky Rice Puddings, Fried Bananas, Coconut Puddings and other authentic Thai Desserts. Alas, we were served Chocolate Mousse. Owner, Kareena Mahbubani was surprised to know we would have been open to having her Sticky Banana Pudding. Of course, bring it on next time.

Wine Lady Debra did not skip a beat though! The Cocktail paired with the dessert literally fired things up again. An El Dorado Rum Cream Slide with smoky Cinnamon sticks! Delicious! Awesome finale.

Let us remember that Mystic Thai is one of, if not, the best Ethnic Restaurant in Jamaica, so expectations were high. It was truly a fabulous evening. Kudos to Kareena and her team, Jamaica Food + Drink Kitchen for creating such a spectacular space for these Culinary Experiences along with their amazingly attentive and professional team, Select Brands and Wine Lady Debra who all delivered. A fantastic experience. Cheers. 🥂

By: Gabrielle Burgess (Founder/Owner, Suga Lifestyle)

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