http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/food/Yes-to-South-Avenue-Grill_16745485
The Terrace at the Liguanea Club
Have you tried the Pumpkin soup at The Terrace, The Liguanea Club yet? It is quite thick, filling and tasty. It used to be a huge serving for $250JMD but now they have downsized and its now $300JMD, but still very reasonable.
New chairs came out today, quite fitting for the name, ‘The Terrace’. They surely seem to be stepping it up with service and quality. The lunch and lunch menu is not so impressive for me as yet but the dinner menu looks interesting, so stay tuned.
As The Terrace continues to revamp its decor month by month, be sure to visit them on Tuesdays and enjoy that lovely Pumpkin soup!
Monte Carlo Gaming Lounge
Want a more private environment to have a drink with friends or go on a date? Monte Carlo Gaming Lounge is the place. The service and food are good. They don’t serve liquor by the cue but those Bartenders will not be mixing you any weak drinks. If you play the slots you can drink for free.
The waiters are extremely attentive and the food provided on their menu is simple but tasty and very affordable. It is also one of the best places to go for a burger. The chicken burger that comes with fries is a good serving and only costs $900JMD.
Mix it up and hit Monte Carlo from time to time, you are guaranteed to win!
Cuddy’z Losing Wickets Fast
Cuddy’z has fluctuated over the years with both quality of food and service, but it has taken a steep decline again where both are concerned. I went there a month ago and it was as if I had to put out a search party for the waitress to make an order. Thankfully the televisions by the booths are now working.
I ordered the ‘Pocket Rocket Burger’ that includes guacamole and sour cream, which I thought would be a safe bet but I was terribly wrong. I was so hungry by the time I got the burger, I don’t even have a picture of it. It was quite sloppy in presentation and taste.
The bill was about $1500JMD including tax for the burger with fries and a beer. So, I probably should have stopped by Burger King instead. Word has it that they are currently experiencing changes with their chef and general business plans as well as downsizing staff. We do not have a confirmation on that but if true, the factors have caused a negative impact on the restaurant. We do hope they rise above and the tailenders come in strong.
Stay tuned to tomorrow’s review for where you can actually get a good burger.
Chilitos Jamexican Restaurant – Deals !!!
Chilitos Jamexican Restaurant on 64 Hope Road has crazy deals. I had to share and make everyone aware that instead of a Burrito they now have a Burrito Bowl with everything that comes in the Burrito for $500JMD. When you hear that you would think you get a scanty serving, but that’s definitely not the case. That Burrito Bowl for $500JMD is actually the smaller version aka a half box full of vegetables, chopped salsa, rice, black beans, grilled chicken and more! You will hardly be able to move after you are done, so you may want to think twice about getting it for lunch because once you start eating it you can’t stop and don’t want to leave anything behind. It’s awesome though and a super deal, so go get it and check out their other deals!
Wi Yard Anna Banana, Portland
When in Portland, nothing is ever normal, from the beautiful landscape to the humorous, hospitable nature of the people. So it is no surprise that Anna Banana is nestled within. It is sometimes hard to find a decent, affordable meal in Portland if you do not wish to go high end at Trident Castle, Geejam Hotel or any of the well known villas. But when driving along Folly Road it is hard to miss the Anna Banana sign. Anna Banana is a triple threat with access to the Restaurant, Beach and Bar. They are open everyday for lunch and dinner, so with that said, I made a visit on Easter Monday.
Upon entering Anna Banana, I was greeted nicely and given a choice of where to sit. They have a beautiful seaside view. There is also an antique authentic, wooden, thatchy decor and irie feel to the Restaurant and Bar. Local artwork is displayed and a stage is present, since they have performers and various events on some nights.
The waiter approached the table with old school style, hospitality and charm. He issued the menu and what they had to offer for the day rolled off of his tongue. They seemed to have a limited amount of dishes available that day compared to the wide range of options displayed on the menu. The menu shows a variety of chicken, pork, beef, vegetarian and seafood dishes with many side order options.
I ordered the soup of the day and the Grilled Cray fish with garlic sauce. Both took a little while to arrive but it was a tolerable wait. The Crayfish was a decent size served with a tossed vegetable salad and baked potato. The salad was quite ordinary but the Crayfish was tasty and the garlic sauce complemented it well.
The bill was about $2550JMD, so could be less. However, the waiter was attentive throughout and with the lovely ambience, I left a happy diner.
Di Grill Shack (Part 2)
I returned to Di Grill Shack mid-April for the Salmon burger, one of my favourites on the menu. It was a Saturday night, but didn’t look so busy. All the paintings were removed from the walls, leaving the decor a bit plain, however a few plants were added indoors close to the seating areas.
The service was still good, staff remained well dressed and pleasant and food was delivered in a timely manner. I ordered the Piña Colada again and it was just as good. The Salmon burger was almost perfect but the temperature could have been on the warmer side. It was as if the burger had to wait a little on the fries because the fries were hot. Other than that, the burger was as tasty and well seasoned as expected.
Although it was a Saturday night, I didn’t stay for more drinks. I was not inclined to with dreary songs like ‘Endless Love’ playing in the background. The decor is also too decent for the name ‘Di Grill Shack’, so perhaps they should revise decor and give the place a bit more of a buzz. My experience in February was better. Rumour has it that there has been a change in management. If true, will Di Grill Shack in Courtyard 71 last? Time will tell.
OPA Greek Restaurant and Lounge
Two Saturdays ago, I finally got to visit the new restaurant in town, Opa Greek Restaurant and Lounge on Hope Road. I delayed my visit a bit as the reviews were not so good, from the food being bland to getting cold pizza. Nonetheless, many persons did not hesitate to display themselves on instavideo breaking plates with great delight and shouting ‘OPA!’, a renowned Greek tradition to express a joyful emotion or a celebratory response to something.
Upon arrival, my beau and I were greeted from the outside with the door opened for us, which isn’t the norm in Jamaica. The owner and hostess welcomed us pleasantly and we were shown to our seats.
The decor was instantly impressive, however so much blue on the walls can tend to darken the place up a bit. It still had an overall unique tasteful touch and the lighting with the waterfalls was creative. It was refreshing to see well dressed waiters as well.
Our waiter, Alan approached the table immediately and took our appetizer orders. Complimentary pita bread for the first round with the option of getting whole wheat is a thoughtful incentive. My beau ordered a traditional Greek soup, Avgolemono.
I then probed Alan a bit to hear what was the best entrée to choose that did not include Chicken. He was very knowledgeable about the menu and the selection of wines. He suggested the 3 dishes, the Psari Sharas (Grilled Fish served with skordalia), Gourounopoulo (Boneless slow-roasted Pork loin with feta and sundried tomatoes) and Kotsi (Slow-baked Lamb Shank), giving you the best variety of options depending on the kind of meat you prefer.
I haven’t had Pork in a while so I went with the Gourounopoulo and my date chose the Psari Sharas. Alan brought a Chateau Menuty rose wine for us to taste and we went with his selection.
All orders, excluding the wine arrived in a timely fashion, not having to wait more than 5 to 15 minutes for any of the dishes. By right, the wine should have arrived before or with the main course.
The Pork was a bit on the rubbery side but had a nice flavour. Pairing the Pork with feta was interesting, not sure if it was the best choice of cheese though. The Fish on the other hand was lovely.
The meals seemed to be overpriced, especially for the portions given and perhaps the plates could be a little smaller to skew our judgement. There could also be more of a variety of side options provided with some of the dishes. The majority of appetizers cost close to or over $1000JMD, not to mention a glass of wine, which is also on the high end for a spend.
A birthday was being celebrated that night so plates were broken traditionally with exclamations of ‘Opa’ and persons seemed to be having a good time. I am sure their bill was blinding though, as my dinner for 2 without dessert, including a free appetizer costed $8791.75. The bill included tax and a 10% service charge but who pays $850JMD for soup?! My beau did, but not if I saw that price first.
Opa is a decent place for a planned dinner or celebration with satisfactory service and good but not great food. So after what seemed to be a decent night out for dinner, you will ponder if you really got value for your money.