Image taken from www.muscleandfitness.com

Green Tea has a High Caffeine Content but is Healthier than Coffee!

Image taken from www.muscleandfitness.com
Image taken from www.muscleandfitness.com

Green tea has less caffeine than black tea, ~25mg caffeine per 8 ounce cup. However, length of brewing time affects caffeine content, the longer the brew the higher the caffeine. Lipton has listed a figure of 45mg caffeine for their 100% green tea claiming its from 1 to 2.5 minutes of brewing. Try it!

If you are having coffee or tea, avoid creamer and sugar, use splenda and skimmed/almond milk instead. However, Green tea is the healthier option. Perhaps the most healthy hot beverage out there. It is filled with antioxidants and nutrients that have powerful effects on the body such as improved brain function, weight loss as it boosts metabolism and burns fat, a lower risk of cancer and many other great benefits.

‘Tis the season to treat yourself! Check out 24 Seven Cafe!

As Christmas Day gets closer, the Christmas specials get ‘yummier’. Check out 24 Seven Cafe’s delicious Strawberry Cheesecake, Mocha Cheesecake and Peppermint Mocha. They have Peppermint Mocha and White hot Chocolate as Christmas Specials.

The temperature where the cakes were kept may have been a bit too low for the Strawberry Cheesecake but as time went by, it got softer and ‘yummier’ with each bite until it was just right. The taste of mocha was strong in the Mocha Cheesecake and it was moist and divine. The Peppermint Mocha had the essence of peppermint throughout and not just at the top where you could see the sprinkles.

The Christmas decor at the Jamaica Pegasus was tastefully done. You will surely feel the spirit of Christmas there, peaceful and joyous simultaneously.

Asia’s Café: ‘Dem Pasta neida Dry nor Wet’ says a diner

A few weeks ago at about 8:30pm, I finally visited Asia’s Café, found in the middle of York Pharmacy on Half Way Tree Road. The restaurant will be opened for a year this December 15th. The news spread fast upon their opening since they are open 24/7 and serve breakfast, lunch and dinner options, sandwiches, salads and various pastries and beverages. It’s also convenient for patients visiting the pharmacy and nearby 24/7 doctor’s offices. The seating area is small so it’s usually order-to go.

For such a small establishment, I noticed a huge menu with affordable items. There were Breakfast items such as Eggs etc., Soups, Salads for $600JMD, OMG Burger for $550JMD, dishes such as Shrimp/Jerk Chicken Pasta and Chicken Lasagna ranging from $700-800JMD, standard Box lunch dishes such as Fried and Roasted Chicken, side orders such as Garlic bread, Potato wedges and Potato salad ranging from $70-$220JMD. They also offer both hot and cold Beverages, as well as Milk Shakes with different flavours for $450JMD. There is a good variety of pastry for $250JMD each including Brownies, Muffins, Banana Breads, Cookies, Cakes, Bread Puddings, you name it. Everything seemed more than reasonable except for some regular Chicken and Turkey Sandwiches that any mother could make and send their child to school with for $550 and $600JMD! Oh no. The same can be found in Mega Mart for $250JMD.

My friend and I ordered the Conch soup ($170JMD tx incl.), Roasted Chicken ($550JMD tx incl.) and Pineapple Jerked Chicken wrap ($550JMD tax incl.). The server came to us a few minutes after, telling us there was no more Conch, but we already made the order and we were ready to grab and go. While we waited, I scanned the room and saw some diners with a large ‘box lunch’ serving of Shrimp Pasta. The Penne looked dry. I braved it and asked one of the ladies how she found it and I said it looked a little dry. She responded, ‘It is awful! Not nice at all, it neida dry nor wet’. We laughed and she then shared her sentiments with the server who told the chef. He said he would redo their order, which was a decent response instead of the ‘I’m sorry to hear’ that can’t buy soldier lorry response. Hopefully there was some improvement.

Although the staff was neither pleasant nor hostile, they said all orders take 7-10 minutes and they stuck to their word, because my food was ready in no time. I saw a quick turn over with other customers as well.

The soup was a bit too salty and ofcourse lacking conch. The Roast Chicken was good but the rice and peas was dry. The Jerk Chicken wrap was tasty and spicy.

Asia’s Café is definitely a good place to get reasonable, decent food on the go, but they should leave the elaborate things to fine dining restaurants, hence reduce their menu size and improve on the quality of remaining items.

Asia’s Café 

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

Address: Located inside York Pharmacy, Half-Way Tree, Kingston

Date of visit: 7/11/14

NB. Ratings fill 5 stars maximum

Parking: ★★★☆☆

Ambience: ☆☆☆☆☆

Decor: ★★★☆☆

Comfort: ★★★☆☆

Service: ★★★☆☆

Speed: ★★★★☆

Food quality: ★★★☆☆

Serving amount: ★★★★☆

Value for $: ★★★☆☆

SuGa Endorsement: ★★★☆☆

 

 

Dracula Transformation Needed at 24 Seven Cafe, The Jamaica Pegasus

I’ve heard the Paninis at 24 Seven Cafe at The Jamaica Pegasus are not that good, but I usually enjoy the majority of other items on the menu so decided to give it a try last Saturday night.

As usual, the service was on point. I ordered the Chicken Pesto Panini and got it quickly. I took a huge bite into it and could hardly get my teeth in and out. The bread was so tough and hard to cut into. I either needed a steak knife or Dracula teeth. The chicken breast was slightly overcooked or probably reheated with the bread because it was not tender. Thankfully the pesto sauce was tasty and the only positive of the meal, but did not make up for the fact that it costed $1050JMD including tax. Definitely not worth it. For now, stick to the Wraps and wheel and come again with those Paninis.