It was so refreshing to leave town last Independence weekend and Restaurant hop!
Of course, with so many culinary gems on the north coast, I didn’t get to go everywhere I wanted to go, but definitely made a few stops worth mentioning.
First stop for Lunch last Friday, Evita’s Italian Restaurant!
Attentive staff with face shields, great, timely service, tasty dishes and a picturesque view.
We enjoyed Grilled Octopus, Smoked Marlin, Curried Shrimp and Chicken Breast and Chicken Breast Tortellini.
Grilled Marinated Octopus served with a fresh tomato and olive salsa (USD$8.50)Smoked Marlin ‘Carpaccio’ sliced thin, topped with capers and marinated onion rings (USD$7.50)Ja Curry ‘Supreme’ – Shrimp and Chicken Breast in Curry Mango-Chutney, white wine sauce (USD$16.50)
I concluded lunch with their Tiramisu. I was wondering why they didn’t dust the top of my Tiramisu with cocoa powder though.
Tiramisu
Stay tuned to see Suga’s next stop in St. Ann with Excellent Tiramisu!
Evita’s Italian Restaurant
Location: Eden Bower Road. Ocho Rios
Ph.: 876-974-2333
By: Gabrielle Burgess (Founder/Owner, Suga Lifestyle)
If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
Last weekend was filled with sun, sea, food and rum for Suga and husband, Randy in the scenic parish of Portland.
Our first stop last Friday night was The Italian Job owned by Chef Gianmaria Pedroli who calls himself, The Pizza Man.
It’s a quaint restaurant on the side of the road on Harbour street that seemed to attract a lot of Europeans visiting the island. The Pizza Man was hospitable and made us feel quite comfortable. He seemed to have two local Chefs working for him that night, who he checked on from time to time after he took our order.
Randy started things off with a classic Italian Minestrone soup and I had Bruschetta, where the bread was toasted just right. The tomato was fresh complemented well with herbs and a light touch of vinegar.
Bruschetta – Toasted Bread topped with garlic, olive oil, freshly diced tomato, vinegar and herbs
Our mains arrived theatrically with steam still coming off the plates. We thoroughly enjoyed our flavourful pastas, mine a little less loaded with seafood than Randy’s. Lobster was still abundant throughout my dish and the shells served with the dishes weren’t just for presentation, but contained meat as well. The sauce was not heavy, so despite the size of the dishes, we did not feel gluttonous at the end, but fully satisfied with its lightness, freshness, flavour and authenticity.
Linguini con Aragosta ($3000JMD incl. tx) – Pasta with Lobster, white wine, tomato, parsley and garlic
Linguini The Italian Job ($3000JMD incl. tx) – Pasta with Lobster, Clams, Shrimps, Mussels, Calamari, freshly diced tomato
Prices were beyond reasonable and Dessert was available too.
The Italian Job is definitely #SugaEndorsed. We returned the next day to pick up our Pizza order!
Stay tuned to see other foodie stops we made for the rest of the weekend!
Chef Gianmaria Pedroli a.k.a The Pizza Man and Randy Burgess after Randy was served his Linguini Italian Job with steam abound.
The Italian Job Pizzeria and Restaurant
Location: 29 Harbour Street. Port Antonio.
Ph: 876-573-8603
Opening Hours: 12pm – 10pm; Closed on Sundays and Mondays
By: Gabrielle Burgess
If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
Kingston Kitchen had Hope Gardens buzzing with activity last Saturday. It was a great event for family, friends and foodies to unite for the love of food.
The event was well supported, probably the biggest staging I’ve ever seen. The logistics and execution of the event was quite commendable.
Just a few drawbacks for me. One bar was not enough for the event and amount of patrons. It was overcrowded to say the least.
I also believe that our Gastronomy network via the Tourism Industry should have been involved with the event to incorporate tourists from various hotels on the north coast of the island. Kingston Kitchen’s Night Market would have been an eye-opening experience for them to see so much of our culture in one area and in one night. The event would also expose them to Kingston, as many tourists are unaware of the many cultural activities, beauty and places to go that exist in Kingston. For the next Kingston Kitchen, I would like to see them in bus loads!
There were so many vendors to pick, choose and refuse from, Suga and husband went with a hit list.
Here is a reminder of what Kingston Kitchen had to offer in addition to entertainment for adults and kids:
I am proud to say my husband, Randy and I succeeded. We definitely took note of places to try in the near future as well.
Suga’s Breakdown!
MUST-STOPS AND GLAD BAG BUSS
â— Stush in the Bush– A variety of unique Sauces, Spreads and Preserves made with love. Always a crowd pleaser.
Lisa and Chris Binns doing what they do best at Kingston Kitchen last Saturday, July 7, 2018.
â— Lucky Strike Seafood Bar and Grill – Their Seafood bowl is always a hit. My husband approves!
Randy Burgess and wife, Suga a.k.a Gabby from Suga Lifestyle at Kitchen last Saturday
â— Street Food Saturdays – Fresh mint Lemonade, Street corn and more. They kept patrons coming all night!
â— Fish Pot – Flavourful, peppery Fish soup. Great gas buster to prep for food galore.
â—Simo’s Bread and Catering – Pastries, Soursop Popsicles, Dessert, Sauces, Seasonings. Excellent spread as usual from the main hands of it all, Christina Simonitsch.
Delicious Mini Cronuts, Pastries, Sauces and more from Simo’s Bread and Catering at Kingston Kitchen last Saturday.
â— I Love Paella – Rich, flavourful Tapas! From Valencia with love. Bravas, Croquetas and Empañadas cooked right in front of you.
â— Scott van Bonnet -Â New kid on the block from Blue Diamond Shopping Centre, Montego Bay. They had tasty Turkey and Lamb Wraps. Loved the infused flavours.
Coming soon to Kingston, Ocho Rios and Negril. Can’t wait!
â— Topp In Designz Limited – Foodie Gear galore!
Suga had to cop this shirt!
DISAPPOINTMENTS
â— Gypsy House Tapas!
I have never thrown away food at Kingston Kitchen, but there is always a first. Trust me, I tried my best to eat their Seafood and Meat stacked Paella, but I just couldn’t get past the dry rice that nearly choked me and lack of flavour. It was horrible. Chef Enric’s, I Love Paella still stands as the place to go for authentic Valencian Paella.
â— Soup King
They didn’t have any Soup for over an hour after the start time of the event. They seemed to have gotten things going later on in the night though.
SATISFYING STOPS #SugaSnaps
â— Lyming at Walkerswood – Mannish water, Curried Goat and more. Jamaican cooked food that goes right to the heart and makes you feel at home.
â— NCR Sheep Limited –Â Tasty Lamb sausage.
â— Rolly Polly – Ice cream for adults and kids. I enjoyed my topping of Bailey’s rum cream on my Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream. Delish!
PLEASANT SURPRISES
Gustazos BoothÂ
Suga had a ball in the Money Machine to grab as much cash as possible in a short period of time to go towards her Gustazos Account credit.
Patrons enjoyed their small giveaways, boomerang photo booth and money machine! Fun addition to the event.
Comments:Â Parking is far too tight for the entire Plaza. Definitely not a place for Wine with a limited selection, so I see why they seem to now go by Debut Brick Oven Pizzeria instead of Debut Fine Wine and Grill – Brick Oven Pizza. Good Service and filling, tasty Pizzas. Love the incorporation of spice. Affordable prices. Simple, cosy spot for lunch.
Suga visited Debut Brick Oven Pizzeria two Saturdays ago at about 3:45 pm.
Even though they are known mainly for Pizza and that is what I went there for, I browsed their menu and it had a variety of items other than Pizza at affordable prices. Appetizers such as Buffalo Wings, Spicy Nachos, Mozzarella sticks, Calamari and more are available in the range of $648 – $1298JMD.
There are Paninis for $998 – $1198JMD, Salads for $698 – $798JMD and Pastas for $1698 – $1998JMD.
Jamaican Specialties such as Jerked Chicken, Escoveitched and Steamed Fish, Pepper Shrimp and more are available for under $3000JMD.
Vegetarians are not left out. There are Veggie Cheese Kebabs, Veggie Pizza options and more. The Pizza Siciliana (Grilled Eggplant, capers, tomato sauce, mozzarella) and Pizza Manchurian (Veggie balls, tomato sauce, mozzarella) look like a treat, whether you are Vegetarian or not.
Most importantly, quite a variety of Pizzas are available in the range of $1398 – $1898JMD. You can pick, choose and refuse from the traditional Pepperoni, Hawaiian, Margherita and Jerk Chicken Pizzas or you can go with Pizzas that have more divine toppings such as the Pacifica (Smoked Pacific Salmon, capers, sour cream, tomato sauce) and Pizza Marinara (Shrimp, Calamari, Fish, tomato sauce and cheese). You can also customize your own Pizza with protein and veggies.
Dessert is available as well, but with limited options.
It was quite lonely when my husband, Randy and I went there, but we were told by our hospitable hostess that the place really comes alive at night and when the cruise ships come in. The Cafe that was two shops down
got a lot of traffic when I was there though.
Indian Spiced Chicken – Chicken Tikka, Cheese, Green Pepper, Onion ($1498JMD)
Our Pizzas arrived within 20 minutes of ordering. Randy, who loves spice thoroughly enjoyed his Indian Spiced Chicken Pizza. I can confirm it was as good as it looks. It was a mouthful of spicy, flavourful and cheesy goodness, not just because I tasted it, but because he finished eating his Pizza before me. That’s a record! Indians own the restaurant, hence a few dishes showcasing Indian cuisine and the incorporation of Indian spices and flavoured protein toppings on the Pizzas.
Left side: Pesto Pizza with Mozzarella, Pine Nuts and Basil; Right side: Pizza Bianca with Double Pepperoni and Mozzarella
MidiCi Fort Lauderdale makes wood-fired Neapolitan Pizzas. Neapolitan Pizzas are authentic Italian style Pizzas that are made with San Marzano tomatoes grown on volcanic plains in Italy and Mozzarella cheese made with milk from water buffalo that are raised in the marshlands of Italy. The Mozzarella cheese used is known as ‘white gold’ because of its high premium quality and taste.
MidiCi has a Daily Happy Hour from 3-7pm and all day on Thursdays. They also do Wine and Cheese on Wednesdays for $19.95USD.
They have quite a salivating Instagram page. Looks like they are worth a try on my next trip!
MidiCi Fort Lauderdale
The Neapolitan Pizza Company
Location: 510 North Federal Highway. Fort Lauderdale. Florida
I have been following Angela Davis on Instagram, who is a self-taught home cook, recipe developer, private chef and author located in Maryland, D.C.
She had a Sunday Dinner Party two weekends ago, titled ‘Christmas in July’. It was also hosted by Clinton Mitchell and his wife. There were 12 guests, who were a mixture of followers, friends and clients that hit it off quickly and had rave reviews, using the hashtag, #KitchenistaSundays on Instagram.
The Dinner was the Feast of 7 Dishes with an Italian Seafood theme. The prelude included Crostinis with anchovy butter and radishes, an Italian Seafood salad, a Vegetable salad and stuffed Clams.
A slow roasted pistachio crusted Salmon followed for the main course. A guest said it was the best Salmon they have ever had.
All of that was topped off with Roasted figs along with whipped goat cheese and a Lemon Olive Oil Cake.
The Kitchenista also did a live Pasta making demo that streamed on twitter. You can check her website link below for more information, get added to her mailing list for upcoming events and check out some of her recipes as well.
For all my Suga Bears in DC, don’t wait till I get there. Send this Kitchenista an email so you can taste her magic because there will be more Kitchenista Sundays!
It’s Lobster season alright and Suga indulged in Toscanini’s salivating, flavourful Lobster Thermidor three Fridays ago.
Note that their vegetables are farm to table and the seafood is freshly caught. Owner, Lella Ricci usually has first pick on the Lobster!
For my Kingstonians, take a drive out to Toscanini Italian for Lunch or Dinner. It’s only an hour away now and definitely worth the trip and the price!
Toscanini Restaurant & Bar
Location: A3 Highway, Tower Isle. Ocho Rios
Ph: 876-975-4785
***Prices***
Appetizers range from $5-$20 USD. Pastas range from $16-$32 USD. Other main courses range from $22-$45 USD. Desserts range from $7-$9 USD.
Opening Hours: Tuesdays to Sundays-12-2pm; 7-10pm (Closed on Mondays)
By: Gabrielle Burgess
If you liked this blog, follow Suga Lifestyle or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
My husband and I got to Negril late in the night after 11pm so we knew we could only get Pizza at that time. No Problem. I heard the Pizzas are authentic Italian, so I was still looking forward to it. Â The owner, Kenny married an Italian lady and after being a Chef working in the tourism industry for years in Jamaica, he took a few years to learn cooking Italian cuisine from his wife and others in Italy.
My husband and I had Pizza and Beer. We shared the Rasta Pasta ($15.50USD) that was served with crushed pepper and parmesan cheese. It was made fresh, tasty and flavourful.
Rasta Pizza ($15.50USD) – tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, onions, black olives and green peppers
Their menu has quite a variety of Pastas and Pizzas. There are also a few options for Appetizers, Salads, Seafood and Dessert. Prices are quoted in USD but still reasonable. Of course if you go with a high end dish such as Steak, Seafood or a Full House Pizza, it may be a bit pricey.
The Ladies’ bathroom could use some attention from the cleaning staff and Parking was limited given its location on the popular Norman Manley Boulevard ‘Negril strip’. If you sat close by the sidewalk, you were likely to be approached by locals selling CDs or other things, but they were not persistent if you showed no interest to purchase.
