The menu is pretty much the same and the quality of the food is still good with mediocre service. Pleasant staff but I thought 25 minutes was too long a wait for a Mini Nacho Supreme ($600JMD incl. tx), Gorditas (2 Chicken & 1 Beef for $1050JMD incl. tx) and a Burrito ($1000JMD incl. tx). The Mini Nacho Supreme should have come out quickly or we should have been asked if we would have liked that before the main. The Restaurant was not full either.
My husband and I have been pretty much ordering the same thing from them for years and I remember getting served within 5 to 10 minutes. Our food was made right infront of our eyes. I still prefer that method. I suppose as years went by with expansion and more customers they saw a need for a change, which I don’t mind but more speed in service is required. The waiters assigned to each table also need to be attentive in reassuring us the food will soon be ready and also asking if we would like anything else or if everything is ok.
Mini Nacho Supreme ($600JMD incl. tx)
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They have their usual Taco Tuesdays as well as Margarita Mondays and Burrito Fridays with various specials.
So go check out Chilitos at their new home on Hope Road. Lovely setting for going out on a date or for outings with friends and family. If the wait is a little long have some $300 beers while you do.
Jamaica Liquor Warehouse at Lindsay Crescent is the place to go!
They opened a few weeks ago and have affordable liquor for you in all sizes. Yes Johnny Walker Black is sold by the cue there too!
They have a Bar and a Deli that you can walk over to. Suga went last week Saturday and ordered food, browsed in the liquor store then ate.
The staff were very cordial. Food came out in an adequate time. I was salivating at their Chicken and Waffles from one of their Instagram posts, a Warehouse favourite. Apparently it had shrimp too. The spicy maple syrup was everything.
Golden brown Waffles and Crispy Chicken Tenders and Shrimp ($1850)
My husband had the Warehouse Burger that was cooked to order, medium. Well done Chef.
The Warehouse Burger served on an over easy egg ($1400)
GW Art will be at The Hub Coworking’s Christmas Pop Up Shop tomorrow from 10am – 6pm and there will be some deals!
Remember to come and collect your Orders during that time as well and browse the New Items.
The New GW Art Collection that was launched at the end of October is SOLD OUT! Thanks so much to all my Loyal Customers. But not to worry, I will be bringing back replicas of some of the favourites if you missed out or want more.
Get the ‘It’s Always Wine O’Clock’ Table/Desktop for your Wine Cooler, Bar top, Liquor trolley or any surface you desire like this happy customer here!
Other favourites such as ‘Martini Madness’, ‘Petals 2’ and variations of others will be there too!
Martini Madness
If you didn’t get to order your ‘Joy’ Bottle for Christmas that sold like hot bread, there will be more!
Please check out the Images below available for Ordering with new designs as well as designs for Table/Desktops (Acrylic on Canvas Panel) that you may have missed out on last month.
Decorative Bottles:
(L) Joy; (R) Peace Love Joy
Top Left: Live Laugh Love with Burlap flower; Top right: Live Laugh Love; Centre: Burlap flower
Left: Blue with Burlap Flower; Right: Gold with Ivory rose
Table/Desktop pieces:
Petals 2
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Prices:
Decorative Bottles – $2500.00
Table/Desktops (9*12)” – $3500.00
Table/Desktops (8*10)” – $3000.00
Bulk items – *Discounted prices Available
To Order:
1. Email ([email protected]) with your order by Monday, December 12.
2. You can Pick up your Order at The Hub Coworking’s Christmas Pop-Up Shop (34 Lady Musgrave Road, Unit #18) on Saturday, December 17, 2016 from 10am to 6pm.
Steam Fish (Small) – $1000 incl. tax; Side of Bammy – $200 incl. tax
We had the Seafood Soup ($350JMD incl. tax) as a starter and ordered a Steamed Fish and Oxtail. Service was satisfactory. It was obvious the Steamed Fish wasn’t the ‘Catch of the Day’ and it could use more pepper and seasoning. The Oxtail on the other hand was quite tasty.
Oxtail – $1150JMD incl. tax
Prices were very reasonable. I loved that they had a wide range of Beverages including a variety of Margaritas, Martinis, Shots, Cocktails and Frozen Drinks ranging grom $399-$999JMD incl. tax.
Simple spot to grab some tasty food and drinks that are reasonably priced. Hoping to try the Chinese and Indian Cuisines some time soon but indoors next time.
Date of Visit: Saturday, November 12, 2016
Time: 2:50pm
Mainland China & Tandoor Restaurant and Bar
Location: Landmark Plaza, Ocho Rios
Ph: 876-974-8899
Opening hours: 12noon-2am Everyday
***Free Delivery on Orders $850JMD or more***
By: Gabrielle Burgess If you liked this article, follow Suga Lifestyle or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
GW Art Table/Desktops and Decorative Bottles from the New Collection Launch at TSO are available to order NOW! Prices are $2500JMD and up for great, unique Christmas gifts.
These 2 Table/Desktops are still available from the launch.
The Graphic/Abstract ‘Martini Madness’ is always up for grabs and is available on larger canvases.
Here are some favourites for the Vino lovers!
Those who love Jamaican art, here you go!
Decorative bottles will be coming in new colours with different ornaments too! Stay tuned.
***Custom-made orders availableÂÂ
***The GW Art Gallery is on the www.sugalifestyle.com website!
GW Art Contact Information:
By: Gabrielle Burgess
If you liked this blog, follow Suga Lifestyle or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
How was Restaurant Week for Suga and her Suga Bears? Not so exciting. The majority of Suga Bears’ responses were ‘meh’, ‘It wasn’t all that’ and ‘I didn’t participate this year or feel the urge to’. I totally agree. Marketing was probably at its lowest this year. It seemed as if the Ambassadors were practically invisible until the week had almost passed by. The Nyam & Jam Food and Drink Festival had a lot more buzz going on. Did the US elections and the victory of Donald Trump kill advertising? It’s partially the media’s event so they should have had control over that.
The lack of creativity and variety in Menus were also disappointing for many this year, causing some not to participate at all.
Though in agreement, I still tried to find and suggest the best Restaurants and got a few to change their mind. One was pleasantly surprised with Nirvanna Indian Fusion Cuisine’s Nyam and Scram. It was not only affordable but filling and delicious with the right amount of spice.
Nirvanna Indian Fusion Cuisine ($1300 +GCT)
Sugacan’t say the same for CPJ Deli’s Nyam & Scram though. Thankfully I made the right choice with the Pan Seared Snapper Fillet. It was the best of the worse at the table with its bones and all. The Grilled Garlic and Ginger Pork Chop was lacking seasoning and a salivating sauce and the Crispy Parmesan Shrimp Salad was a disaster. The best thing on that plate was the taco shell that the Salad came in. The Salad arrived at the table with no vinaigrette as advertised and the Shrimps were burnt. When my friend was already trying her best to get halfway through, the waitress realised she forgot to serve it with the vinaigrette and Parmesan cheese for the Shrimp. The Parmesan cheese could not help that dry, burnt Shrimp though. Most of the staff were unpleasant and seemed overwhelmed by the Deli full of diners. They usually have good service but last Saturday was horrible. Even getting an extra fork was a production. Their Restaurant Week menu did not include a Soup or even a Muffin but only a glass of wine or a Vodka mix along with the meal. Thankfully we digressed from the Restaurant Week menu and ordered the Chocolate Endulgence. Go to CPJ Deli if you are in need of a proper Chocolate fix! Let it soften from the fridge for a bit and then allow it take your breath away. Endulge!
The Houseboat Grill (Delectable) in Montego Bay was average and the food was described as salty. Have they fallen off? That would be a shame. Suga will have to revisit and see for herself.
Marguerites Seafood by the Sea in Montego Bay (Epicurean) has kept up its sensational standards.
I was let down by the build up for L’Escargot (Epicurean). Thankfully the best thing was their Escargots. Long waits, tasty but not so delicious food, desserts that were not decadent and waiters that lacked charisma. Not value for money but will revisit as they have an extensive menu.
Escargots from L’Escargot
I was disapponted that I did not get to try Boardwalk Bistro, Ocho Rios (Tasty) for Restaurant Week. They took a while to greet me as a diner and did not start serving the RW menu until 5:30pm. Since it was literally on the Boardwalk close to the sea and given the casual look of the Restaurant & Bar, I think it would have been appropriate to offer their menu during lunch time was well. The tourists on their Cruise may have also enjoyed that option.
Boardwalk Bistro’s Rum Fire Ice Cream Cake (Photo credit: @jamaicagleaner Instagram Photo)
Sadly I will have wait to return some day to taste their Rum Fire Ice Cream Cake (if available) that I was looking forward to, as well as one of their best sellers, the Fisherman Seafood dish with scallops, shrimp, squid, mussels and fish.
Great Escape at Runaway Bay Golf Club (Savoury) was a pleasant surprise. New kids on the block with great service and food with a picturesque view.
Evita’s Italian (Delectable) also held it down in Ocho Rios. Kudos to them. They had another good year.
Evita’s Italian (Photo credit: Simone Green)
In Kingston, it was reported that Redbones (Delectable) was good but not great. I think they are consistently good but didn’t see based on their menu where they would be spectacular.
Saffron Indian Cuisine (Savoury) was not prepared for Restaurant week. A Suga Bear had an 8:00pm reservation with friends and got seated at 8:50pm at a two seater table for three people. What a shame.
The Regency Room at Terra Nova All Suite Hotel (Epicurean) lived up to its reputation of having the best Lamb Chops!
Many Restaurants may not have been mentioned but these are the highlights for Suga this year based on experiences and feedback given. If you did not choose to participate in Restaurant Week this year, still have a look at the Restaurants at www.go-jamaica.com/rw/ and see where looks interesting that you haven’t visited as yet. Let us remember Restaurants not only treat diners with special offers for Restaurant Week but participate for opportunities to expand their patronage and debut new items on their Menus.
I look forward to trying Bettino by Drax Hall Estate, Ocho Rios and Smoked Marlin in Hanover some day soon.
Well that’s it for this year folks. Until next year!
By: Gabrielle Burgess
If you liked this article, follow Suga Lifestyle or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
L’Escargot is also probably the most anticipated Restaurant to visit or hear about this year for Restaurant Week, not only because it is fairly new but because of their raving reviews and salivating menu. So I thought it would be a fabulous, fantastic experience but they fell short of that. It was just good, not great.
My husband and I ​arrived last Saturday night at 8:40pm, a few minutes late for our 8:30pm reservation.
Randy Burgess waiting to see what L’Escargot has in store
We were shown their regular menu for the night as well as the Restaurant Week Menu. It was a hard decision but we stuck to the plan and ordered from the Restaurant Week Menu at 9pm. If you weren’t ordering a meal over $30USD, there were tempting main dishes available for $20-$25USD so I don’t think the Restaurant Week offer was a huge save, especially if you opted out of Dessert.
Quite a few diners were present and more came in as the night grew older, but the wait for Appetizers was still too long. Also note that this was not just a result of Restaurant Week because I have received feedback from persons who visited before that they had a long wait for their food as well. It was approaching 25 minutes before we got our Escargots and Smoked Marlin. The Smoked Marlin was a huge disappointment. Quite plain, arriving with just the Chef’s special mousse. It was tasty and complemented the Marlin well but at least a salad should have been added to it. We reminisced about Chef Conroy Arnold’s special Marlin Salad from Christopher’s at Hermosa Cove that put that dish to shame.
Smoked Blue Marlin with Chef’s Special Mousse
But serve my husband right, thou shall not go to L’Escargot and not order Escargot.
My Escargots? Decent serving, and it was delicious with just the right texture and taste, not rubbery or salty. L’Escargot specialises in French cuisine and Escargots are usually served as a starter in France, Spain and Portugal so they deservedly get the edge over the Escargots I’ve had at Toscanini Italian.
Our table was cleared at 9:30pm and our Entrees did not arrive until half an hour later. Our waiter did not visit during that half hour to reassure us that our Main dishes were on their way either. Luckily we weren’t on a first date because after about 15 or 20 minutes there would be crickets of awkward silence.
The serving size was decent for our Entrees. Randy’s Beef Tenderloin was savoury and cooked as ordered (medium rare). My Lamb Chops were savoury as well but one of them was medium rare bordering rare and I requested it be medium. I didn’t mind but that may not be the case with everyone. The sauces did not highlight or complement the meats in any special way. The Filet Mignon at Marguerites by the Sea is still a winner for Randy.
French cuisine is known for being one of the finest in the world. Afterall, they are the ones that published the Michelin guide and thus award stars for excellence to a select few restaurants. Although L’Escargot is French and Toscanini is Italian, they are often compared considering they are both high end restaurants on the North coast offering similar dishes. I prefer Toscanini. The hostess and waiters at L’Escargot were efficient for the most part but more like robots doing what they were supposed to do, lacking the charisma needed for such a restaurant.
Even though I wasn’t wowed, I still look forward to returning to L’Escargot to enjoy their ambience again. Randy looks forward to trying their French Onion Soup, while I look forward to trying their Bouillabaisse and Risotto with Escargots and Scallops.
L’Escargot
Location: Main Street, Runaway Bay. St. Ann, Ocho Rios
Ph: 973-5652; 973-5589
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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