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Lunch for $550JMD from The Oasis on the Oxford

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Lunch from The Oasis on the Oxford was as good as it looked yesterday. Fish fillet with veggies and boiled yam, banana and plantain, all for $550JMD.

Oasis on the Oxford is not consistent with good quality and service but gamble and catch them on a good day and it is a win. A reasonable, tasty lunch is often hard to find during the average work day, especially when looking for a little variety sometimes. Oasis on the Oxford has Jamaican cuisine and lunches range from $440-$650JMD. They also have natural juices for $250JMD. Buffet is on a Friday for $750JMD. The ambience is off key but you can sit down with actual plates, cloth napkins and utensils, no plastic and have a good, filling meal.

Location: 11 Oxford Road, St. Andrew. Kingston 5.

Ph.: 876-908-3960

1 week down… 2 to go! and Beyonce is a vegan traitor

More from ‘canrachelbeflawless’. See how Beyonce lied and follow the last few days of Rachel’s journey. Kudos to New Leaf Vegetarian for delicious Vegan dishes. Check out their website, www.newleafvegetarian.com. They are located at 121 Old Hope Road, Shop #6, Kingston 6. Ph: 876-977-2358/ 876-977-5243; [email protected] (email)

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Rotaract Club of Kingston Painted All Classrooms at Four Square Basic School

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Suga’s Throwback Thursday goes out to The Rotaract Club of Kingston’s repainting of Four Square Basic School by Cassia Park on Labour Day, May 25, 2015. The staff, parents and Principal of the school assisted the club members, ensuring that they were fed and hydrated throughout the day. Kudos also to the Eastwood Gardens Youth for Progress Youth Club for partnering with The Rotaract Club of Kingston by sending volunteers on the day. The Rotary Club of Kingston assisted on the day as well.

So many hands coming together to make a positive impact. The kids returned to their newly painted classrooms on the Wednesday of the week that followed in a fresh, brighter, cleaner environment to learn and focus in.

Facebook: Rotaract Club of Kingston

Website: http://www.rotaractkingston.org/

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Help Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) to move from Earth House to Earth Cottage

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JET is scheduled to leave their current location on 11 Waterloo Road to 123 Constant Spring Road by the end of this June. Hon. Gordon Butch Stewart and the Sandals group have generously donated to the use of their Earth House location for the last 13 years and are thankful even though Butch may be finding other use for the property soon.

As JET will now be renting an office space, they will need donations to assist with this unbudgeted move.

Please click on the link provided below, organized by Booster, and make your donation today no matter how big or small. Their goal is to raise $1000USD and they are currently at $525USD with 4 more days to go!

https://www.booster.com/jetismoving?utm_source=fb_share_desktop&utm_campaign=jetismoving&utm_medium=fb_share_on_donation_campaign

Curried goat with plain rice, boiled banana and raw vegetables

M10 in Barbican for Jamaican Lunch !

Curried goat with plain rice, boiled banana and raw vegetables

Suga visited the Barbican location of M10 (across the road from Sovereign North) last Saturday at 1:15pm. Their delicious Roast fish was desired but was not on the menu for the day. I got Curried Chicken instead for $500JMD. My friends had Oxtail and Curried Goat. Nothing was over $900JMD to my recollection. All were tasty, however, since it is a lunch-only spot, they immediately wrote on styrofoam boxes when taking our orders instead of asking if we were dining. So we all had to eat out of boxes because it was too late for the change. I also asked for half boiled banana, half rice and got one finger of banana with loads of rice, as most restaurants tend to do during the week for lunch. Nevertheless, the setting was quite comfortable on a semi-open terrace. Since it is summer tho, they may want to invest in two fans. There was also sufficient parking around the back.

The place was buzzing with people and service time was reasonable, especially if you are used to the long wait at their Vineyard town location. So if ever in the need for quick, authentic Jamaican food, M10 Barbican is the spot!

Contact info.: 876.462.1415/930-2112 *(Vineyard town location numbers, as none seen listed for Barbican)

A. Hawaiian Lamb & Lamb Soup (29/4/15); B. Lamb Shank at Caffe da Vince; C. Patrons enjoying Flambé; D. Neville Graham, a Dir. Of NCR Sheep Ltd. at work on the farm

Get Fresh Lamb at the monthly event, Flambé and other locations supplied by NCR Sheep Ltd. near you!

A. Hawaiian Lamb & Lamb Soup (29/4/15); B. Lamb Shank at Caffe da Vince; C. Patrons enjoying Flambé; D. Neville Graham, a Dir. Of NCR Sheep Ltd. at work on the farm
A. Hawaiian Lamb & Lamb Soup (Flambé 29/4/15); B. Lamb Shank at Caffe da Vince; C. Patrons enjoying Flambé; D. Neville Graham, a Dir. of NCR Sheep Ltd. at work on the farm

NCR (Neville Graham, Carlington Wright, Richard Smith) Sheep Ltd. started hosting the event Flambé about 2 years ago in order to decrease excess inventory and to get more Jamaicans to try lamb. A lot of patrons have tasted lamb for the first time at Flambé.

The venue of Flambé used to be at a house either on Marley Close or in Beverley Hills. However, the word has gotten out more and Flambé is now held at a bigger and extremely central, convenient location at the Caribbean School of Medical Sciences on 8 Waterloo Road. The number of patrons are continuously growing and upon my visit last Wednesday, when I arrived at about 8:20pm and stayed until 10pm, I noticed that there was a steady flow of people who rolled in and out.

So, on the last Wednesday of every month that usually falls on or soon after pay-day, what better way to treat yourself than going to Flambé? It won’t dig a hole into your pay cheque that’s for sure. So you can go, full your belly, mingle with some friends, family or co-workers and leave with an almost full wallet too.

The event starts at 6pm and usually ends at 9pm. Some persons leave straight from work, arrive as early as 5:30pm and wait until the food is ready so they can pick up and go. They find it convenient because they got dinner to go and at that time, most of the traffic would have subsided. While most of the people who wish to hang around and mingle after they eat usually arrive around 7pm.

The menu is comprised of lamb cooked in a variety of ways at an extremely reasonable price. Curried lamb ($400JMD), Hawaiian lamb ($400JMD), Jerked lamb ribs ($500JMD per 1/4 pound), Lamb Burger ($350JMD), Lamb soup ($100JMD) were available at the last Flambé held on April 29, 2015. Water and mixed drinks were on sale as well.

Over the years I have tasted all of the above mentioned. I always found the various options to be tasty and the meat to be fresh and tender. I had the Hawaiian lamb and Jerked lamb ribs with lamb soup last Wednesday. The soup was tasty and spicy but did not have a lot of meat. It doesn’t usually but you taste the ‘essence’ of the lamb. The Jerked Lamb ribs could use a bit more seasoning and sauce was lacking that particular night. That was not the issue with the Hawaiian lamb though, as it had a lovely flavour and sauce. Sides included in the meal served are usually Pumpkin rice and Spaghetti. However, I would love to see a change in side options offered from time to time, perhaps a nice salad, mashed, baked or roasted potatoes, plain rice with the Curried lamb etc. One of the Directors, Neville Graham mentioned that he does the cooking along with his Operations Manager, Delroy McKay. So it seems they have shied away from anything extravagant but at least he mentioned that they are open to providing different options.

I relaxed a bit after eating, mingled with friends and persons that I haven’t had the opportunity to see recently and enjoyed the background music. There was a sound system set up and I definitely appreciated the volume not being loud and the selection played. It was really a comfortable, casual atmosphere and if you are trying to escape the summer heat in the house, the wind seemed to be blowing that way. The venue is out in the open and it was quite cool.

About 35 pounds of fresh lamb is used for the event. Slaughtered lamb is not usually sold after 2 weeks. So the lamb from NCR Sheep isn’t only fresh, but it is unique in that it is local! Large companies such as Caribbean Producers Jamaica (CPJ) Meats sell imported lamb.

Lamb from NCR Sheep can also be consumed at the renowned Round Hill Hotel, Montego Bay, popular restaurants, bars and cafes such as Opa!, Saffron, 689 by Brian Lumley, Caffé da Vince, Tamarind, JoJo’s Jerk Pit and More, The Wine Shop, Cafe el Centro, Pushpa’s, Ribbiz Ultra Lounge and even by Hopeton the ‘Jerk Man’ at Northside Plaza.

Contact NCR Sheep Ltd. for lamb at 876.548.1178 (Ph.) or [email protected] (email). You can also like their Facebook page, ‘NCR Sheep Ltd.’ to keep updated with NCR Sheep Ltd. events.

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Jamaican Food at Michael’s Restaurant & Coffee Shop

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Not many persons may know about this tiny restaurant hidden behind the gas station at Mary Brown’s corner on Constant Spring Road, but they certainly have an active Instagram page that I have been following for a little while. I finally got to check it out on my day off last Friday to see how they handled their usual work day flow. I reached a little bit later than I wished, about 2:15pm. It was easy to find because everyone knows that gas station and you cannot miss the sign. Parking is limited but if there is difficulty with access, there is more than enough space to park by the gas station and walk around. I didn’t need to do that though because a spot was available, much to the unnecessary annoyance of a ‘parking assistant’ that was either confused about his nationality or deported from the UK. Why can’t Jamaicans just go to and fro in peace?

Anyhow, I was impressed to walk in and see a fairly full restaurant with adequate, comfortable seating. The logistics for such a small area were on point. A plasma television and music were there for entertainment. There was nobody present to take an order, but a patron quickly pointed out that I should ring the bell and out came someone immediately. Prices were not cheap, but they were not expensive either. I ordered the $580JMD (two piece) Jerked chicken that came with rice and peas and vegetables. There was a $700JMD and odd option too. I also added their fried dumpling that was advertised as one of the best Johnny cakes in town.

I took a seat by the cafe area and my food was out in two minutes. The verdict? Quality rice and peas. No ‘clumpy clumpy’ or uncooked grains like other lunch establishments. A good fried dumpling, not the best. I am still waiting on a Johnny Cake experience like back in the day from a fish shop in Manor Park. A big fat juicy one bigger than a tennis ball in a brown paper bag. Perhaps J & R Grocery & Snacks ‘aka’ ‘The Dumpling Shop’ on 44E Waltham Park Road, nominated and featured at last year’s Table Talk Jamaica Observer Food Awards has come the closest.

Why do they call it a Johnny cake anyway? Of course with Jamaicans the name has probably been altered over the years by Chinese telephone. They were actually called Journey cakes because slaves used to carry them on long trips in saddle bags and baked them along the way.

Back to the meal. The Jerked chicken and sauce were tasty and a bit spicy but not too spicy. Very filling serving as well. When I almost finished, I spotted a server slicing what looked like bread pudding from a far, my weakness. I asked her if that was what it was, she confirmed and I instantly had a slice of yummy bread pudding that they bake fresh. Although other items in their cafe such as the cookies and cakes are brought in, they sometimes do their own banana pudding and chocolate cake, along with the bread pudding.

The server asked if it was my first time visiting and asked me my name. Surely a homey, feeling. They serve Continental breakfast and other items on their menu include BBQ chicken, Oxtail, Fried Chicken, Cow foot, Stew peas and more.

Suga Lifestyle definitely endorses Michael’s Restaurant and Coffee Shop as a decent spot to enjoy some good Jamaican food. Follow their Instagram page, michaelsrestaurantja for specials and daily menus as well as their Facebook page, Michael’s Restaurant and Coffee Shop.

Michael’s does catering and delivering as well. Their delivery charge is $300JMD as long as you are not too far, for instance, Spanish Town.

Michael’s Restaurant & Coffee Shop

Address: 141B Constant Spring Road (Mary Brown’s Corner)

Ph.: 876.969.2403; 876.969.7707

Opening hours: Monday – Friday, 7am-7pm, Saturday, 9am-7pm and Sunday, 9am-4pm.