Finger lickin’ good and imagine this is just half a rack!
Top 7 Restaurants to Wine and Dine Tomorrow in Kingston, Ja
Expensive (~$4000-$5000JMD per person)
1. Rojo at Spanish Court Hotel
2. Strawberry Hill
3. Terra Nova All Suite Hotel (The Terrace)
Mid-range (~$2500-$3500JMD per person)
4. Majestic Sushi and Grill, Villa Ronai
5. The Blue Window at The Jamaica Pegasus
Affordable (~$1500-$2800JMD per person)
6. South Avenue Grill
7. EITS Cafe at Mount Edge Guesthouse, Newcastle
*Considering at least 2 courses, not including beverages
A-Bar Restaurant and Lounge gets a ‘D’ from Suga
I haven’t been to A-Bar Restaurant and Lounge located in Springs Plaza for months. But I have been craving changes since becoming bored with the current restaurant and bar scene in Kingston, Jamaica. A-Bar is known to have a young demographic and that surely has not changed.
After passing the entertainment of a small ‘street dance’ by the parking lot at the corner of the plaza, the hosts were pleasant upon entry and I was seated at the bar until an available table was ready. Did I just walk into the Youth View Awards though? ‘Flashes Flashes, Lights Lights’, all around as different ‘teeny bopper’ groups posed for not only their phone cameras but it seemed like A-Bar had professional camera staff on hand as well. Clearly not my scene, but what’s important is they looked like they were having a good time. The music was loud but I could still have a conversation, unlike Ribbiz UltraLounge, where I can hardly hear myself.
My other half and I were really hungry so decided to order food at 8:50pm and wait on it before having any liquor. However, I had my eyes on the A-Bar Mojito that I saw being served in a jar, that looked extremely refreshing. Lovely presentation.
The drinks menu was extensive and the food menu had a range of items as well. I liked that they offered Popcorn Lobster, Calamari and Cocktail Shrimp for appetizers, compared to the usual Wings and Quesadillas at other places. They did not have the Soup of the day available though. Not even a substitute.
Their entrees were quite affordable, ranging in price from $950-$2500JMD. Entrees included Pork Skewers, Fried Chicken, Shrimp Pasta Linguini, Rock Lobster, Grilled Salmon and more.
As we waited, we were approached by different waitresses asking if everything was ok. My main concern was the food, then as time went by with all the televisions they had mounted, I requested to see a basketball game that was on. Different waitresses took this request and after half an hour, there was no food and no channel change. The food came a few minutes later. The presentation of the Jerk Chicken Penne Pasta with Shrimp that I ordered was sloppy. It looked like they threw everything in there and scantily added a few shrimps that I had paid extra money for. The excess pasta sauce should have been wiped off the sides of the plate. The creamy sauce was average and the chicken was bland.
My other half had the Chicken Breast that was supposed to be stuffed with plantain, but instead he got what seemed to be callaloo with cream cheese. From a glance at the chicken, it looked overcooked. Typical Jamaicans overcooking a Chicken Breast. Of course, it tasted that way as well, not even slightly overcooked but more on the tough side.
I also quickly ordered the A-Bar Mojitos as the food arrived at 9:30pm to hear ‘Sarry, it done. Dat’s why unnu shoulda orda long time when me ask you’. That is as close to what I can remember the waitress saying. Excuse me??!! It’s 9:30pm and I am at a bar and one of the signature drinks is finished? It wasn’t even ‘bar time’ yet. It was dinner time. Furthermore, who was she speaking to? She probably thought it was one of the 16-year-old patrons there. Thanks for the compliment, but even at 16, I would not appreciate or deserve that response. She did not recommend another drink to appease the situation either. We just instantly asked for the bill, ate and left ‘D-Bar’.
Chicken Shawarma and Hummus from Aladin Restaurant
You can find this yummy dish with Pita bread at Aladin Restaurant in Liguanea, the same plaza with Wendy’s and Liguanea Drug and Garden. They have expanded the seating area and accept Pop-Up Gourmet Advantage Cards!
Spicy Jerk Shrimp Pasta @ Macau
Service is still not the best at Macau, but their spicy Jerk Shrimp Pasta is extremely spicy and delicious! Penne and fettuccine pastas are so common, I was impressed to see them serve bow tie pasta. It was filling and the sauce was on point. Ensure water is present though. They had a 2-for-1 Heineken special last Friday, but it wasn’t clear how long that promotion may last. Then ofcourse, using my Pop-Up Gourmet Advantage card dropped the bill even lower.
GW Art at Cafe Fusion!
‘Silhouette Dancers’ ($25000JMD) and ‘Beans of Life’ ($17000JMD) are currently sprucing up the decor at Cafe Fusion!
Panera Bread for Paninis
Panera Bread, well-known for providing freshly baked artisan breads and delicious food made from the highest quality ingredients has GREAT Paninis.
Prices and availability vary for different locations, for instance the prices in the malls and airports seem to be too expensive, but good deals (~$8US) can be found at various locations with great quality and service. They call you by your name. No place in Jamaica compares as yet since they fail to get the bread right, which is key.
Café Fusion on Ruthven Road
Two friends, Cameca Samuels and Leisha Patrick fused their dreams into a Café. They were a nominee for Jamaica Observer’s Mogul in the Making last year. Though not educated in the Culinary Arts, Leisha is the Chef with skills acquired from working at restaurants in the United States. Initially, Cameca, an Interior Decorator managed the marketing and maintenance of the business and ofcourse kept it looking cosy for customers.
Café Fusion has been open for a little bit over a year now on 12 Ruthven Road. It seems Cameca has become extremely busy with Interior Decorating, so Leisha is now managing the business for the most part. A bit evident in terms of the wall decor looking a bit lacklustre. But not to worry, a piece or two from GW Art will be there soon.
I visited last Saturday for a Sub Sandwich. Leisha seemed to be the only person working but she greeted me upon entry, seemed calm and was quite pleasant. There was a slow flow of customers, which she seemed to be handling well. I was made aware she has an assistant, so perhaps she was on a break.
The Café felt comfortable while I waited on my Turkey Sub, but I didn’t have time to eat there so ordered my Sub Sandwich to-go. I got it quickly. It did not look appealing and the Sub bread was flat, but it was tasty and quite filling.
The cost was $650JMD, less than most places for that size. So since the Sub was tasty and I was full afterwards, accompanied by great customer service, looks didn’t matter. I was quite satisfied and would return.
Fresh Eats from Y.not.pita and Subway
Y.not.pita in Courtyard 71 on Lady Musgrave Road and Subway in Liguanea, continue to be two of the few places that prepare food right in front of your eyes. The service is good at both establishments. There is a wide variety of toppings for sandwiches at Subway and wraps at Y.not.pita. However they both lack a variety of cheese. Subway only had the White American cheese two weeks ago and the Cheddar cheese was finished at Y.not.pita 3 weeks ago. I expected better from Subway, being an American franchise that usually offers four types of cheese. Despite that issue, the wraps and sandwiches were tasty, fresh and filling from both. The Italian herb cheese bread from Subway was awesome!
They also offer Pizza and Salads, various combos with drinks and Soup (Y.not.pita) or Chips (Subway). So persons can get a decent meal or combo for $1200JMD or less. Subway also gives customers punch cards, so after a few meals you can get one free. Keep it fresh!
Napa Chicken and Portobellos from Applebee’s ATL
For just $11.49US, I enjoyed a Grilled Chicken breast topped with Portobello mushrooms and onions smothered in a rich red wine sauce and parmesan cheese.
This was served over sautéed zucchini, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, red onions and crispy red potatoes.
The dish was so savoury and imagine I had it for take-out!
A full belly for just 490 calories. Thank you Applebee’s!