Suga Bears visited the Simma Soupery & Bakery last Saturday afternoon and had an average experience.
Simma Soupery & Bakery is a take-out only Restaurant and my Suga Bears found their service quite efficient when they were having lunch on the go.
They ordered Sandwiches and Soup. They enjoyed the tasty Chicken with pumpkin and vegetable Soup but found the Sandwiches (Pimento Beef Sandwich -$650JMD; Coconut Chicken Sandwich) to be lacking condiments, especially for their price. So they did not think they got value for money but it was a convenient stop to get food quickly.
Pimento Beef Sandwich ($650JMD incl. tx) – Photo Credit: Randy BurgessPhoto Credit: Randy Burgess
Simma Soupery & Bakery
Location: 157 Old Hope Road, Welcome Plaza. Shop #1. Liguanea
Ph: 876-649-7246
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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Suga returned to Fromage Brasserie that opened recently in the Market Place for dinner with hubby two Saturdays ago at 8pm. I hoped to have better quality food after being disappointed with the first visit.
If you would like to refresh your memory with the experience of my first visit, click here:
It was night time and diners were out. The Restaurant was full and we had no reservations so had no problem with being seated in the Courtyard. The hostess was quite pleasant and accommodating and it was refreshing to see such bubbly, courteous staff compared to the last visit.
We skipped appetizers and went straight for the main and ordered at 8:15pm. I appreciated the waitress coming to inform us that they were plating at 8:35pm, the point at which we would be expecting the food to arrive. The food came out literally 2 minutes later as promised.
The quality of food was better this time around, but different types of dishes were chosen. At the end of the day with a full tab plus G.C.T and Service charge, I think the items are too pricey for the mediocre standard of food you are getting despite the Restaurant being at a bigger and better location. I have to revisit Fromage Gourmet Market on Hillcrest but if memory serves me correctly, the quality of food was much better there and I know for a fact the prices for some of the same dishes were much less. So for now, I will stick with the original Fromage.
Fromage Brasserie
Location: Market Place- 67 Constant Spring Road. Kingston.
Ph: 876-649-0820-1
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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Cured Salmon [Photo Credit – Tina Davis]Iberostar Chef on Tour had Suga Bear, Tina Davis raving over what Chef Emma Bengtsson had to offer last weekend.
Chef Emma Bengtsson, a native of Sweden is the Executive Chef of Aquavit, a 2-Michelin star Scandinavian Restaurant in Manhattan, New York.
Aquavit was established in 1987 and continues to impress and be popular with New Yorkers and travellers from around the world two decades later.
Aquavit was also the first Restaurant in New York to have both a casual Bistro and Fine dining, i.e. house 2 Restaurant concepts under 1 roof.
Chef Emma Bengtsson was made Executive Chef in Spring 2014 and her talent, experience and fresh perspective earned Aquavit its 2nd Michelin Star in 2015. So Chef Bengtsson is now the 2nd female in the US and 1st Swedish female to run a kitchen with 2 Michelin stars.
She displayed her talents, ‘bringing a gastronomic experience to Montego Bay’ according to Suga Bear, Tina Davis over the weekend at the Iberostar Grand Suites Hotel.
Tina was amazed by every course, but seemed to enjoy the Cured Salmon the most. Chef Bengtsson even added a Jamaican course that was much appreciated, consisting of Sorrel stuffed with Ackee, roasted Ackee and seared Scallop. Tina was surprised the Ackee and Sorrel complemented each other well.
The Menu [Photo Credit: Tina Davis]Thanks for visiting Jamaica Chef Bengtsson and Suga is looking forward to visiting Aquavit in NYC!
Aquavit
65 East 55th Street
Manhattan, New York
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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Suga surely enjoyed her Ash Wednesday treat from 100. The Bread Pudding did not arrive as advertised, with most of the crumble missing from the top, but it was quite warm, soft, delicious and moist, just the way I like it.
I give up on trying to find one better than that of Fromage now, as their sweet, nutty crumble on top with caramel and more is unbeatable. However, I definitely endorse the Bread Pudding from 100 and put it 2nd in line.
Appreciated the great service from my waitress on the Terrace as well!
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.
Lobster Bisque ($700JMD +tx)
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).
Pesto Pasta with Shrimp ($2000JMD+tx)
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.
Lobster Ravioli in a subtle Lemon Cream Sauce ($2300JMD+tx)
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.
The inside of my Lobster Ravioli
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.
Lobster Mac & Cheese ($1000JMD)
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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