The White Orchid Salon & Spa at The Jamaica Pegasus has been open since late 2015. Since then, I would visit every few months to treat myself. It is truly a quiet oasis on the ground floor away from the busy lobby and 24 Seven Cafe upstairs.
It is probably one of the few Salons/Spas I have been to do my nails with no waiting time and it doesn’t matter who does them if the person I am familiar with is not there because they are all professional and thorough. When I say thorough, I mean it. Do not expect to just go and spend an hour to an hour and a half there. They take their time and give you a relaxing experience with the perks of tea and a huge, satisfying cookie from the Cafe upstairs if you are doing a few treatments.
That must be why they now have flash treatments/services for 30 minutes if you are having a busy schedule and the experience is just as rejuvenating in a shorter space of time.
Towards the end of February a few weekends ago, my husband, Randy and I were approaching 10 happy months as Newlyweds and he also just completed a few exams in his part-time Masters Programme. So I thought he deserved a Spa Day! He has never been to the White Orchid Salon & Spa that has been consistently refreshing for me, so I figured it was just the right place for him this time.
My spoilt husband was at the Spa from 3pm to 7:30pm and from all of what he had to say I decided I had to share his as well as my previous experiences this time.
See Randy’s short Interview with Suga telling you which Services he had done, how he found the whole Experience compared to other Salons & Spas and more by clicking on the video below:
Watch “White Orchid Spa Jamaica Pegasus Experience” on YouTube here
Consider the White Orchid Salon & Spa at The Jamaica Pegasus next time you would like to treat yourself or someone special. You can get treatments together too!
White Orchid Salon & Spa, The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel
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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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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It has been a while, but I am still upset about the poor service from ChezMax Catering and Toss & Roll Salad Bar over a Gustazo they offered towards the end of last year.
ChezMax Catering
ChezMax offered $1299JMD for 2 Wraps (Wheat, Spinach, Tomato, Basil etc.) OR Caesar salads with your choice of meat + 2 Strawberry, Mocha or Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothies, Coconut Water or Sorrel with Ginger + 1 Banana Bread that expired December 2, 2016.
My experiences with both establishments were similar, besides the fact that communication with ChezMax was over the phone and that with Toss & Roll was face to face.
My coworker and I love to have something different on Fridays, so I called ChezMax two Fridays before the expiration date and was told they had no ingredients for the Smoothies. I was really looking forward to the Smoothies so I was assured that they should have some the following week. When I called back the following Friday I was told that they still could not offer any of the Smoothies because everything had finished with the large amount of Gustazos being used and it’s almost the final week.
I explained that whether or not it is the final week or day, they should be prepared for the demand, as persons have already spent their money expecting to get a choice from ALL of what was offered.
I already had plans for lunch the following Friday and with the staff’s nonchalant response on the phone and her still being adamant that it was because of the Gustazos, I was not going to wait another week where even less may have been available. I also told her not to argue with the Customer because the Customer is always right, especially since they are in the Customer Service business. I like value for my money so what they did could have been interpreted as false advertising, because as far as I know, persons buy Gustazos based on the guaranteed value of what they are getting at discounted rates.
They delivered the lunch on time for a $200JMD additional charge. I had the Spinach Wrap with Jerked Chicken, Coconut Water and Banana Bread. The Banana Bread was tasty but the Wrap had enough vegetables to feed a rabbit and the Chicken didn’t have a memorable taste so I wasn’t impressed and will never order from them again.
Spinach Wrap with Jerked Chicken from ChezMax Catering
Toss & Roll Salad Bar
Toss & Roll offered $1399JMD for 2 Main Dishes with a choice of 12″ Wheat or Spinach Wrap with your choice of Meat (Grilled or Jerked Chicken); Sweet and Sour Grilled Chicken; Sweet Chili Chicken served with vegetables or pumpkin rice and toss salad + 2 Natural Juices or Cranwatas + 1 Granola Bar that expired on December 21, 2016.
Over the holidays I was busier than expected, but on one particular day I needed a Wrap that was convenient to eat while I had to drive and run errands. I remembered my Toss & Roll Gustazo expired that day so I went there about 3pm. No Wraps, Cranwatas or Granola Bars were available, all of which I wanted. I was not amused and more upset since this was the 2nd issue within 1 month involving not getting my value for money with a Gustazo and food. Not to mention, I was also very hungry. Take note that some persons may even forget they bought a Gustazo for food because they try to save it for the right moment so it almost feels like a free meal of your choice. When that illusion of a free meal is not granted after being so excited that the day has come to get it, no matter how cheap it is, if it isn’t available, people can become not only upset but disappointed. Gustazos are used to help market what places have to offer so they leave a bad impression when they have poor service and do not deliver what persons bought.
At Toss & Roll I was told I could only get the Chicken dishes and Natural juices. Perhaps they thought since food was still available then that was a sufficient substitute. It was not because that was not what I had in mind, even when I bought the Gustazo.
The cashier had quite a sour face and attitude. She did not check into a resolution since they owe me a granola bar and I could hear her complaining to the Chef. At least the Sweet Chili Chicken was spicy and flavourful and the Juneplum Juice was refreshing and not too sweet, but half of the rice and veggies were left on my car seat and floor mat dodging a pothole. So as simple as it may have seemed, the substitute dish was an inconvenience.
Both experiences were reported to Gustazos but no follow up with me was made. I am hoping that establishments in the future only offer what they can handle and Gustazos finds a way to ensure that is so.
â— ChezMax Catering
Location: 2 College Green Avenue
Ph.: 876-585-5996; 876-977-3090
â— Toss & Roll Salad Bar
Location: 75 Hope Road. Kingston 6.
Ph.: 876-879-3310; 876-539-6886
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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My Stew Peas lunch for only $650JMD from C&C South Beach last Friday was divine! Get yours tomorrow. If you are not having it there you can call early and order for pick up. Mine was ready and waiting for me when I got there. Good service.
Kudos to South Beach. See you soon!
C&C South Beach Restaurant, Bar & Event Venue
Location:Â 2 Brompton Road. Kingston 5
Ph: 876-919-3700
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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