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Mmmmm Savoury! Where to go for RW?!

by FoodpornRestaurant Reviews & RatingsWhat's Hot

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The Savoury Category costs $2800JMD (Includes choice of Appetizer, Main course and Dessert. Beverages, G.C.T and Gratuity additional). 

*Reservations recommended

Caffé Da Vince, which was a success for last year’s RW even with a full house, had delicious food and good service. This year they will have a Caprese salad with fresh mozzarella and tomato in a balance reduction. Oxtail Ravioli, Beef and Pork Tenderloin are on the main, then White chocolate strawberry cheese cake to finish. Imagine, there are lots more dishes on that menu too!

Fromage, always a fave of mine, will be offering Korean BBq Pulled Pork with Asian slaw and fries that should be delightful, as well as their other menu items.

C & C South Beach have really revamped themself this year. They have great choices from Appetizers to Desserts. See their recent review and RW recommendations by clicking on the link below:

C&C South Beach, one of many in the Savoury Category for RWJ!

Beirut Mediterranean Cuisine don’t look too bad this year. Their Chickpea purée with sesame paste lemon juice and olive oil, served with fresh pita bread and their Beirut Mixed Grill with 3 skewers of Beef, Chicken and minced Lamb looks decent.

Gimbilyn Restaurant at Alhambra Inn seems to always be off the radar, but has proven to be a lovely experience, especially last year. Their Fish pocket appetizer looks interesting and they have a wide range of main dishes including Chicken, Pork, Mahi Mahi, Beef and a Vegan option. Their dessert options look fantastic as well, including Plain and Chocolate Cake Rum Lollipops, Cheesecake and a Warm Coffee Bread Pudding that is known to be good.

M-10 should have dishes with a burst of Jamaican flavour. Ackee or Callaloo Quiche to start and Smoked Pork chops or their Fish fillet in coconut sauce to follow? Yum!

What’s sizzling on the North Coast?

Evita’s in Ocho Rios was a winner last year. This year they look like they will please diners with their Jamaican Viagra Conch Fritters. Yes I did say Viagra. Looks like the magic will be in the Chef’s special ‘Jerk’ sauce that it is served with.

Mystic India in Montego Bay seems to be the choice for Indian cuisine this year. They always have sizzling options on a regular basis and their menu will include just that, for instance, Chilli Shrimp, Mutton Sheekh Kebab and Tandoori Chicken. That is just an appetizer!

MoBay is also home to the well known, Pelican Grill and Seahorse Grill. Pelican Grill has good service, tasty food and is always a pleasure to visit. Their Surf and Turf as well as their Grilled Fillet of Steak and Lobster look like excellent options. Seahorse Grill will have Smoked Blue Marlin on toast with herbed cream cheese, Hummus Dip with roasted peppers, kalamata olives and pita points as two of the choices for appetizers. Their Shrimp Saint James with savoury shrimp, simmered in a New Orleans style Creole sauce, with red onion, tomato, red and green peppers, okra and jerk sausage looks like all kinds of goodness. Then there is much more!

Remember you can give your feedback here or go to the Restaurant Week Jamaica 2015 index page, choose the Restaurants and rate them.

Dig In!

Contact information and locations for Restaurants mentioned:

Caffé Da Vinci
Location: Market Place. 67 Constant Spring Rd.
Ph: 876-906-9051

Fromage Gourmet Market
Address: 8 Hillcrest Ave., Kingston 6
Ph#: 876-622-9856

C & C South Beach Restaurant, Sports Bar and Event Venue
Location: 2 Brompton Road. Kingston 5
Ph: 876-630-4571 or 876-630-4163

Beirut Mediterranean Cuisine
Location: Market Place. 67 Constant Spring Road.
Ph: 876-395-7577

Gimbilyn Restaurant at Alhambra Inn
1 Tucker Avenue Kingston, Jamaica
Ph: 876-978-9072

M-10 Bar & Grill
6 Vineyard Road, Kingston 3, Vineyard Town, Kingston.
Ph: 876-930-2112 or 876-815-5644

Evita’s Italian Restaurant
Location: Eden Bower Road (Just up the hill opposite Taj Mahal Shopping Center). Ocho Rios
Ph.: 876-974-233

Mystic India
Location: Whitter Village, Ironshore Montego Bay
Ph: 876-953-9460 / 876-953-0659

Pelican Grill
Location: Gloucester Avenue Strip Montego Bay
Ph: 876-952-3171

Seahorse Grill
Location: MoBay Yacht Club. Freeport. Sunset Drive, Montego Bay
Ph: 876-684-9133

Image: The Jamaica Gleaner White Chocolate Cheesecake from The Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel

Restaurant Week Jamaica Begins Today! Where to dress up and go to!

by Restaurant Reviews & RatingsWhat's Hot
Image: The Jamaica Gleaner White Chocolate Cheesecake from The Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel
Image: The Jamaica Gleaner
White Chocolate Cheesecake from The Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel

The Cost of Restaurants in the Epicurean category is $4300JMD and includes an appetizer, salad, main course and dessert. Beverage, GCT and gratuity are additional, so it works out to about $6000JMD per person.

For Kingston, both Rojo Restaurant at Spanish Court Hotel and The Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel are good choices. Rojo may be more suited for a date or party of 4. While Terra Nova may suit bigger parties such as a family affair or dinner/lunch with the coworkers.

Rojo is known to have excellent service and a lovely ambience. Their menu for Restaurant week has finally changed as well. The Pan Seared Shrimp and Lobster with a Herbed Scotch Bonnet Cocktail Sauce and Mixed Greens or Seafood Chowder Flavourful Soup with Calamari, Snapper, Shrimp and Mussels, garnished with Scallion looks great for the Appetizer and Soup.

For the main, the Chicken Rojo with Chicken Breast filled with Ham, Sweet Pepper, Mozzarella & Cheddar Cheese, covered with Seasoned Breadcrumbs then pan-fried, served with a Rose Sauce and Mashed Potatoes looks exciting as well as the Seafood Linguini with Shrimp, Calamari, Snapper & Mussels sautéed in Fresh Garlic, Herbs and a Squeeze of Lemon, all finished in a Basil Pesto Sauce, topped with Parmesan Cheese.

For dessert, their Crème Brulee is usually good.

Terra Nova’s menu seems to have a little more variety and if you are a Lamb or Pork Loin lover, they usually excel with those dishes. Spicily seasoned Salmon cakes served with a Jalapeno Slaw should be a good starter and their White Chocolate Cheesecake with fresh Berry Compote, a delicious conclusion.

Now, where to go out of town? Round Hill Hotel and Villas’ menu seems to lack variety. I doubt persons would be looking forward to Fried Chicken or Fish and Grits for an Epicurean experience. So Suga will be choosing Marguerites Seafood by the Sea in Montego Bay for Epicurean this year! It will be an out of town experience with a salivating menu. I am looking forward to the Boston Beggars Purse Appetizer with Crisp wontons filled with creamy cheese and Jerk chicken breast with Asian slaw followed by their Pan seared scallops for the entrée that will include Smoked bacon and more. Their menu on the website is different from the one published so that may need some clarification because the menu online looks like quite the gourmet affair!

Look forward to dressing up and going to these restaurants. That is part of the fun about this category. Gentlemen, button up shirts are a must and no sneakers. Ladies you can still show a little skin and be classy. Flash back Friday to my style in the FLAIR last Monday!

Image: The Jamaica Gleaner FLAIR Magazine (Mikey Wilson) - 9.11.15
Image: The Jamaica Gleaner FLAIR Magazine (Mikey Wilson) – 9.11.15

***If you haven’t made reservations already, that is a must. Available space goes fast, especially with Rojo.

Contact information and locations for Restaurants:

Rojo Restaurant at Spanish Court Hotel
ADDRESS: 1 St Lucia Avenue Kingston, Jamaica
PHONE: 876-926-0000
Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel
ADDRESS: 7 Waterloo Road, Kingston 10, Jamaica, Kingston
PHONE: 876- 926-2211
Marguerites Seafood by the Sea (Montego Bay)
ADDRESS: Gloucester Ave., Montego Bay, Montego Bay, Jamaica
PHONE: 876-952-4777

ENJOY !!!

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!

by What's Hot
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.

Get an Advantage on your Budget by Signing up for your Pop-Up Gourmet Card Today!

by What's Hot

Pop-Up Gourmet can satisfy a variety of customers. Families, persons in the corporate sector that may have to buy lunch daily or host business lunch or dinner meetings, bar hoppers and ofcourse, the foodie that loves to dine at restaurants frequently throughout each month, all benefit from Pop-Up Gourmet.

Pop-Up Gourmet Advantage Card Holders can use their cards at over 70 locations in Kingston, Ocho Rios, Montego Bay, Port Antonio and the South Coast. Members can also enjoy special discounts and privileges at Food Lovers’ Experiences such as the annually held Simply Red ($500JMD off of ticket for 2014) and more.

It costs $6500JMD to sign up annually, where payment can be made online. They will also even come to you with a swipe card machine for payment! The card is valid for one (1) year and there is a referral programme for other benefits.

So how does it make sense? The average working person that buys a decent lunch including a beverage everyday for about $1000JMD and goes a little harder on the weekend can make back that fee in just over a month with 10-15% discounts at various restaurants and bars. Not to mention the family that eats out or gets take-out at least twice per week, that money is made back promptly.

Unfortunately, card holders cannot use Pop-Up Gourmet for Restaurant week menus but cards can still be presented for items otherwise. Also remember that Christmas is right around the corner with many outings, so the more you can save, the better.

Popular lunch locations include Toss & Roll, CPJ Market, China Express, Cuddy’z, Deli Works, New Leaf Vegetarian, JoJo’s Jerk Pit and More, Ocho Rios Jerk Centre, John Crow’s Tavern, Pier 1 and more.

Hot dinner spots include Caffe da Vince, Tamarind Indian Cuisine, Saffron, Fromage Gourmet Market, Evita’s, Opa, 689 by Brian Lumley, Mystic India and more.

When the end of the week comes and you are running up that bar bill, fret not if you hit up Macau, Bin 26, Cru, Margaritaville, The Deck and others.

I have enjoyed discounts of $500JMD and more from The Wine Shop, Christopher’s at Hermosa Cove and China Express to name a few. My Pop-Up Gourmet Card is so precious, I literally never leave home without it. One night I was hurrying to leave the house, switching from hand bag to clutch so carried just my cards and ‘get vex’ money, only to realise when I got to the restaurant that I left my debit card and only had my Driver’s License, Insurance card, Pop-Up Gourmet card and hardly any cash. Hilarious. But that Pop-Up Gourmet card popped me out of debt or having my friends pay when I was able to use my exact amount of cash as a result of getting over a $500JMD discount by presenting my Advantage card. Phew!

I have also found that when I have slightly overspent or was just within budget, the money from my discount can be used towards tips instead of having to find even more money to spend.

What are you waiting for? Check out http://www.popupgourmetjamaica.com/ for information on more participating locations, what’s hot in the culinary industry, benefits and to sign up now!

Also follow ‘popupgourmetjamaica or Pop-Up Gourmet Jamaica’ on Instagram and Facebook respectively, to keep updated on deals and when new Restaurants and Bars have signed on thus giving you more options to save!

The North Coast takes the Delectable (*$3800JMD) category for RW Jamaica hands down!

by Restaurant Reviews & RatingsWhat's Hot

Majestic, Red Bones and Whitebones need to step it up, not only during Restaurant Week, but all year round. All roads lead to the North Coast! Fresh menus and ambience galore!

All courses at Calypso at Seawind Beach Club (Montego Bay) look great. Pan Seared Tuna Medallions, 12 oz Black Angus Rib Eye, Chilean Seabass, Chocolate Lava Cake with Mint Gelato and more. Dinner at Calypso is usually a treat.

The House Boat Grill will provide another exciting option in Montego Bay with their infamous Caesar Salad, Thai Red Curry Mussels and more for Appetizers. Thai Red Curry Lobster amongst other scrumptious meats will be offered for the main course and the Chocolate Molten Cake looks like it will be divine.

Christopher’s at Hermosa Cove, the hidden gem in Ocho Rios will offer their delicious Smoked Marlin Salad as an appetizer with a variety of other options. They will have Seafood Linguine with Shrimp, Conch and Fish, Smoked Ribs, Beef Tenderloin and more.

Go to http://www.go-jamaica.com/rw/ for more information.

* Prices for each category include 1 choice of Appetizer, Main Course and Dessert. Beverages, Gratuity and G.C.T are additional.

SuGa’s picks for Simple but Tasty (*$1850JMD) for Restaurant Week Jamaica!

by Restaurant Reviews & RatingsWhat's Hot

The Tasty category is more on the simple side with dishes that most persons should be familiar with. A few restaurants still stand out in terms offering more value for money even though they do not have the greatest ambience.

ROE Japanese Cuisine, Tandoor Indian Restaurant and the Chill Out Hut Restaurant (Montego Bay) seem like great choices. Chill Out Hut will have Chicken Wings, Nachos, 1 lb whole Fish/Fish Fillet any way you like it, a Chicken and Ribs combo and more.

JoJo’s Jerk Pit and More usually offers a large serving of BBQ Spare Ribs, small desserts and basic appetizers.

East Japanese seems satisfactory with their usual Miso soup and Salads, simple Vanilla Ice Cream and main course including Shrimp Tempura and Teriyaki Chicken. However the choices at Northside Kitchen, aside from their location seem like more value for money. There is also a wider range of items to choose from.

The menu from Lillian’s at UTECH looks good with a variety of options. The quality of food is usually decent as well.

Pizza Hut – Dine In in Kingston and Montego Bay look like awesome Binge fests!

Go to http://www.go-jamaica.com/rw/ for more information.

* Prices for each category include 1 choice of Appetizer, Main Course and Dessert. Beverages, Gratuity and G.C.T are additional.

 

Where to go for RWJ in Montego Bay for Savoury ($2800JMD*) !

by Restaurant Reviews & RatingsWhat's Hot

Pelican Grill and Seahorse Grill look like the places to go SuGa Readers!

Pelican Grill’s RWJ menu certainly has some stand outs with Jerk Shrimp Spring rolls, Surf and Turf (Grilled Fillet Steak paired with Lobster Thermidor) and some seemingly yummy desserts. The fact that Pelican Grill is even in this category is a good deal.

Seahorse Grill at the MoBay Yacht Club will have a lovely choice of appetizers including Buffalo wings, Pita and Hummus dip and Smoked Blue Marlin on toast. For their main course, the Shrimp dish and Rocky Point Conch look like they will be divine. Then the Sweet Potato Coconut Pecan Pie served hot over rum/raisin Ice Cream ….yassss!

Hit up http://go-jamaica.com/rw/ for more info.

* Price of each category includes one choice of Appetizer, Main Course & Dessert. Beverages, GCT and Gratuity are additional.