Items from the RW menu at Evita's Italian

Winner Winner Lobster Dinner at Evita’s Italian for Restaurant Week!

Items from the RW menu at Evita's Italian
Items from the RW menu at Evita’s Italian

My my, Dinner at Evita’s Italian yesterday evening was certainly a treat as expected and definitely value for money. The service, ambience and food were all exceptional. SuGa Endorsement for Restaurant Week: ★★★★★

Good feedback has come in from other SuGa recommended restaurants as well, such as Black Orchid at Eden Gardens with no long wait, good food and value for money and Suzie’s Bakery’s yummy Jerk Chicken Pasta.

Continue to enjoy Restaurant week SuGa Readers and please keep the feedback and pics coming!

Tandoor! Spicy to the Core

Tandoor’s menu is filled with delicious, traditional Indian dishes. Probably too many though. There is even an Asian Fusian selection. Way too crammed and not easy on the eyes. Perhaps some images and more colour could be added for some enhancement. The waitress was polite and very attentive, however she could have assisted more with making suggestions from the menu. But with so many choices, could you blame her?

The ambience and decor need to be worked on majorly. The restaurant felt outdated and the colour scheme was mundane. The Indian show that was on the television by the bar on high volume wasn’t helping either. Where was the music channel?

There were only two other diners last Saturday night. This reminded me of my recent visit to Japanese Restaurant Cocoro. An indication that no matter how good and authentic the cuisine with decent service is, marketing and a revived ambience, thus giving a holistic dining experience, is important in such a competitive culinary atmosphere.

With that aside, I thoroughly enjoyed the Aloo Stuffed Paratha (Indian bread stuffed with potatoes – $295JMD) and Bhuna Gosht (Lamb pan roasted with garlic ginger tomato bell pepper & traditional spice – $1795JMD). The Bhuna Gosht was bursting with flavour and extremely spicy. Imagine I ordered medium spicy. The lamb was also roasted well, tender to the taste. Two thumbs up to the chef.

Tandoor Indian Restaurant

Ph#: 876-929-3568 / 876-929-5961

Address: 11 Holborn Road, New Kingston. Kingston 10.

Date of visit: 8/11/14

NB. Ratings fill 5 stars maximum

Parking: ★★★★★

Ambience: ★☆☆☆☆

Decor: ★☆☆☆☆

Comfort: ★★★★☆

Service: ★★★★☆

Speed: ★★★★★

Food quality: ★★★★☆

Serving amount: ★★★★☆

Plating: ★★★☆☆

Value for $: ★★★☆☆

SuGa Endorsement: ★★★☆☆

Where to Nyam and Scram (30% off) for Restaurant week!

The Nyam and Scram Category finally has some actual deals this year!

Asia’s Cafe in York Pharmacy will offer their OMG Burger, Soup and Bread pudding all for $595JMD. While Michael’s Restaurant and Coffee Shop on Constant Spring Road will have Hot and Spicy Fried Chicken with Sweet Potato Salad and a Chocolate Chip Cookie for $440JMD.

Brick Oven will have a combo with Shrimp Patty, Apple Pie and a scoop of Ice Cream for $550JMD that sounds fattening and awesome at the same time.

Check out Suzie’s Bakery and Coffee Bar for their decadent Jerked Chicken Pasta, succulent Shrimp or Chicken Noodle Stir Fry, juicy chunks of Curried Chicken plus lovely sides, all for $995 each, inclusive of tax.

Super’s Spicy Doubles (Indian cuisine) in Mona is also a place to check out with meals ranging from $400JMD to $600JMD.

Oasis on the Oxford will offer combos of Curry Goat and Roti with vegetables and juice for $550JMD and Chicken Satay, Pumpkin rice cakes with vegetables and juice for $490JMD.

Have great lunches starting this Friday, November 14 to Saturday, November 22!

Go to http://www.go-jamaica.com/rw/ for more information.

Epicurean (*$4300JMD) seems more of the same for RW 2014, but what are SuGa’s Picks?

Same old Same old for the Epicurean category this year. Rojo practically has the same menu as last year. If no new restaurants emerge on the scene with Epicurean standard or none of the current restaurants improve enough to be added to this category, some new elements need to be incorporated to spice it up. Otherwise its ‘been there, done that’ or persons will just use the opportunity to host business meetings and dinners.

The Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel and The Restaurant at Round Hill Hotel and Villas (Montego Bay) seem to have the fresher, more interesting menus including Lobster Creole, Lamb Ribs, Oxtail Ravioli and Braised Short Rib.

Bon appétit!

Go to http://www.go-jamaica.com/rw/ for more information.

* Prices for each category include 1 choice of Appetizer, Main Course and Dessert. Beverages, Gratuity and G.C.T are additional.

The North Coast takes the Delectable (*$3800JMD) category for RW Jamaica hands down!

Majestic, Red Bones and Whitebones need to step it up, not only during Restaurant Week, but all year round. All roads lead to the North Coast! Fresh menus and ambience galore!

All courses at Calypso at Seawind Beach Club (Montego Bay) look great. Pan Seared Tuna Medallions, 12 oz Black Angus Rib Eye, Chilean Seabass, Chocolate Lava Cake with Mint Gelato and more. Dinner at Calypso is usually a treat.

The House Boat Grill will provide another exciting option in Montego Bay with their infamous Caesar Salad, Thai Red Curry Mussels and more for Appetizers. Thai Red Curry Lobster amongst other scrumptious meats will be offered for the main course and the Chocolate Molten Cake looks like it will be divine.

Christopher’s at Hermosa Cove, the hidden gem in Ocho Rios will offer their delicious Smoked Marlin Salad as an appetizer with a variety of other options. They will have Seafood Linguine with Shrimp, Conch and Fish, Smoked Ribs, Beef Tenderloin and more.

Go to http://www.go-jamaica.com/rw/ for more information.

* Prices for each category include 1 choice of Appetizer, Main Course and Dessert. Beverages, Gratuity and G.C.T are additional.

SuGa’s picks for Simple but Tasty (*$1850JMD) for Restaurant Week Jamaica!

The Tasty category is more on the simple side with dishes that most persons should be familiar with. A few restaurants still stand out in terms offering more value for money even though they do not have the greatest ambience.

ROE Japanese Cuisine, Tandoor Indian Restaurant and the Chill Out Hut Restaurant (Montego Bay) seem like great choices. Chill Out Hut will have Chicken Wings, Nachos, 1 lb whole Fish/Fish Fillet any way you like it, a Chicken and Ribs combo and more.

JoJo’s Jerk Pit and More usually offers a large serving of BBQ Spare Ribs, small desserts and basic appetizers.

East Japanese seems satisfactory with their usual Miso soup and Salads, simple Vanilla Ice Cream and main course including Shrimp Tempura and Teriyaki Chicken. However the choices at Northside Kitchen, aside from their location seem like more value for money. There is also a wider range of items to choose from.

The menu from Lillian’s at UTECH looks good with a variety of options. The quality of food is usually decent as well.

Pizza Hut – Dine In in Kingston and Montego Bay look like awesome Binge fests!

Go to http://www.go-jamaica.com/rw/ for more information.

* Prices for each category include 1 choice of Appetizer, Main Course and Dessert. Beverages, Gratuity and G.C.T are additional.

 

So many places to go in Kingston for the Savoury (*$2800) category, where to go?

With so many choices, to make a decision or decisions, it all comes down to reputable service, quality, ambience and ofcourse the menu.

Caffe Da Vince in The Marketplace is at the top of the ladder for SuGa. The menu choices look delicious for appetizers, entrees AND desserts. Eggplant Caprese salad, their infamous Seafood pasta, Chicken Lasagne, Beef Tenderloin, Pork Tenderloin, Flambe, Panna Cotta, Chocolate Mousse Cake and the list goes on. It will definitely be hard to choose dishes, but that’s a good thing.

Gimbilyn Restaurant at Alhambra Inn is not too far behind with an inviting menu including Shrimp salad, Ackee and Saltfish pockets, Tomato Bruschettas, Grilled Salmon, their signature Sirloin of Beef, topped off by some good looking dessert choices.

Fromage is looking good as well. Their standard of good quality food and service has been high this year. They ofcourse will offer their signature Blu Crab Cakes, Steak Au Poivre, salivating Caramel Crumble Bread pudding and more.

The Melting Pot Restaurant and Lounge at the Knutsford Court Hotel will have crispy Wonton Dumplings with corned pork and more. Roasted Air Line Breast stuffed with Smoked Turkey Pastrami, butter beans, pepper jack cheese and sundried tomatoes sounds flavourful. Seafood Portofino, Herb marinated Fillet with smoked Marlin and Chutney will also be there with a ‘rub your belly’ finish of Double Fudge Chocolate Cake, Rum Cream Cheese Cake or their Assorted Dessert Trio.

Black Orchid Restaurant at Eden Gardens may be under the radar, but this is one of the advantages of Restaurant Week. Go somewhere you haven’t been before and see what the restaurant has to offer. Their menu stands out with a few unique dishes. Citrus Quinoa salad, Ackee and Saltfish Puff Pastries and Crab Chowder are on their appetizer list. For the main course, they have a Peppercorn Crusted Striploin, Pan Seared Salmon and the interesting choice of a Garlic Shrimp Coconut Polenta. Dessert choices look decent as well.

Even if not chosen for Restaurant Week, restaurants that put themself out there are still recognized. Restaurant Week also provides a good outlet to promote or launch new dishes. The end of the year will definitely not go by before SuGa tries that orgasmic-looking Oxtail Lasagne offered at 689 By Brian Lumley on Wednesdays and Sundays!

Have fun supporting Brand Jamaica and our local chefs SuGa Readers!

Go to http://www.go-jamaica.com/rw/ for more information.

* Prices for each category include 1 choice of Appetizer, Main Course and Dessert. Beverages, Gratuity and G.C.T are additional.

The Savoury (*$2800JMD) category in Ocho Rios is poppin! But EVITA’s is Leading

All restaurants in the Savoury category in Ocho Rios look like they will be enjoyable. However, it is Evita’s Italian that looks the most impressive and may guarantee more value for money. They have an astounding range of mouth-watering entrees (11!) including Lasagna Bolognese, Seafood or ‘Rastafari’, Salmon Risotto, Lobster and Baby Shrimp Fettuccine and more.

 

If you feel like taking RW to the beach, Bamboo Beach Club is looking good and interesting with an Oxtail Bruschetta appetizer, a main course of Smoked Pork Chop with Guava spiced rum sauce, escallion curry rice and Rum & Raisin Bread Pudding or Coffee Cheese Cake for dessert.

The appetizers at Spring Garden’s Cafe do not look too appetizing, a bit too simple. However, they have some exciting choices for the main course including Seafood Thermidor, Lobster Primavera, Chicken Caprese and more. A warm Bread Pudding with Ice Cream for dessert is usually satisfactory as well.

Ochi here comes SuGa Lifestyle!

Remember you can visit http://www.go-jamaica.com/rw/ for more information.

* Prices of each category includes 1 choice of Appetizer, Main Course and Dessert. Beverages, GCT and Gratuity are additional.

Where to go for RWJ in Montego Bay for Savoury ($2800JMD*) !

Pelican Grill and Seahorse Grill look like the places to go SuGa Readers!

Pelican Grill’s RWJ menu certainly has some stand outs with Jerk Shrimp Spring rolls, Surf and Turf (Grilled Fillet Steak paired with Lobster Thermidor) and some seemingly yummy desserts. The fact that Pelican Grill is even in this category is a good deal.

Seahorse Grill at the MoBay Yacht Club will have a lovely choice of appetizers including Buffalo wings, Pita and Hummus dip and Smoked Blue Marlin on toast. For their main course, the Shrimp dish and Rocky Point Conch look like they will be divine. Then the Sweet Potato Coconut Pecan Pie served hot over rum/raisin Ice Cream ….yassss!

Hit up http://go-jamaica.com/rw/ for more info.

* Price of each category includes one choice of Appetizer, Main Course & Dessert. Beverages, GCT and Gratuity are additional.

 

Hamburgers and Milkshakes from Fuddruckers, Annapolis DC!

I took take out from one of the chain restaurants in the states, Fuddruckers a few weeks ago. They specialise in exotic burgers such as Buffalo, Elk and Wild Boar. They give persons the option to just have regular Beef or Chicken burgers as well. I had the Buffalo burger with pepper jack cheese, mushrooms and onions. But when I got there for pick up, I realised you could build your own burger by the market fresh produce bar, adding any topping you desired. So I went for more.

Looking on it I felt like I would put on 10 pounds, but the burger meats from Fuddruckers are usually lean since it’s all-natural, grass and grain fed, 100% hormone and antibiotic free. The exotic burgers are also served on a 3g fiber filled wheat bun. The fatty part is their irresistible Oreo Milkshake that was thick, creamy and super delicious. If ever in need of a good, fatty cheat day Milkshake, go get it at Fuddruckers.