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New Restaurant in Kingston! Steak House on the Verandah at Devon House!

by FoodpornRestaurant Reviews & RatingsWhat's Hot

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The Launch of the New Restaurant at Devon House, Steak House on the Verandah owned by Marilyn Burrowes was held almost a month ago on Sunday, October 15th.

The Steak House resides at the exquisite location once held by late Culinary icon, Norma Shirley who owned Norma’s on the Terrace.

The Restaurant is managed by Michael Fulford and the man responsible in the kitchen is Chef Alex D-Great.

Premium local, Dry-Aged Steaks are their specialty and they offer other delectable delights and desserts accompanied by a substantial selection of wines.

I visited the Steak House for a Lunch date with my other half, Randy last Saturday at 2pm. We were greeted pleasantly by the staff and our waitress was Princess, who we were familiar with from another establishment.

She took us through the menu and after giving us a few minutes, she took our orders and was quite attentive throughout our stay.

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Challah Bread served to start off our Lunch!

Appetizers

Randy had the Jamdung Onion Soup, which was different from others out there. The cheese was on the bread instead of in the soup and the soup was more like a beef broth, richly flavoured with onion. For something that had a scotch bonnet label, it was not spicy though.

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Jamdung Onion Soup ($900JMD) – Very rich scotch bonnet beef stock, loaded onion and served with a Gruyère cheese corn bread.

There were other choices that I wasn’t interested in, such as Salads, Wings, Pumpkin Shrimp Bisque and Tempura Shrimp ranging from $900-$1200JMD. I knew they offered Bone Marrow, however Princess told us that was on their Dinner menu. She quickly offered to speak with the Chef and he agreed to fulfil my desired preference. Thank you Chef!

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Spicy Bone Marrow ($1150JMD)

That Spicy Bone Marrow was divine. It was so seductive, sweeting me up with the sauce, then hitting me up with a fiery, zesty flavour.

Entrees

Steak House on the Verandah sources their Steak locally from The Meat Experts Ltd. Meat Experts operates out of St. Ann and they have been making quite a name for themselves with their high quality, hormone-free meats.

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12oz Rare Dry-Aged Ribeye Steak ($5750JMD) with Black Truffle Butter, Béarnaise Sauce, Sautéed Vegetables and Mashed Potatoes (Photo credit: Craig Anthony Fleming)

I had my mind set on having the Ribeye Steak ($5750JMD), but they were all out.

We had the Filet Mignon and Dry-Aged New York Steak with our choice of two sides and a sauce. We both requested our Steaks to be cooked medium rare. Mine arrived overcooked, but I decided not to reorder. It was still tender in some areas. The Steaks were delish, especially with the Coffee Demi Glaze.

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Filet Mignon ($4100JMD) served with Coconut Callaloo, a Cheese Potato Croquette and Coffee
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Dry Aged New York Steak ($4900JMD) with Red Wine Reduction Sauce, Mashed Potatoes and Sautéed Vegetables + ($150JMD – Caramelized onion)

If you are a Steak Eater, especially a lover of premium cuts, your bill may turn out to be quite high. A couple going for 3 Courses over two glasses of wine and sharing Dessert can rack up a $20,000JMD bill. However, there are more affordable options excluding the premium cuts. The menu also satisfies persons who aren’t Steak lovers with plates of Chargrilled Salmon ($4050JMD), Rosemary Herbed Chicken Breast ($2150JMD) and Fettucine Fungi Alfredo ($1250JMD) with the options to add Chicken ($600JMD) and Shrimp ($1000JMD).

Dessert

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Flourless Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Ice cream ($1200)

They did not have Vanilla Ice Cream. How come?! Not disappointing though, because I like Strawberry Ice cream. The Cake was warm and tasty.

Coffee/Tea ($350) was the other option for Dessert, but there was no need for a range of options. Persons can walk around afterwards and choose from many other shops to satisfy the sweet tooth while enjoying the historic grounds as well.

I enjoyed the succulent food served amidst the ambience and attentive service by the staff on my Lunch date at the new Steak House. I will return not only for the Ribeye, but to try their Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich for $1400JMD, which consists of Julienne Steak cuts, mushrooms, bell peppers and caramalized onion with a side of seasoned fries.

Great start Steak House on the Verandah! Keep it up. #SugaEndorsed

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Gabby a.k.a Suga from Suga Lifestyle and husband, Randy Burgess enjoying Lunch at Steak House on the Verandah last Saturday, November 4, 2017.

Steak House on the Verandah

***Reservations Recommended***

Location: Devon House

Ph: 876-616-8833

Facebook: @steakhouseja

Opening Hours:

Mon. to Thurs. @ 12noon – 9:30pm

Fri. & Sat. @ 12noon – 10:30pm

***Closed on Sundays*** 

By: Gabrielle Burgess

If you liked this article, follow Suga Lifestyle or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.

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Cheesy, Vegetable Casseroles for the Win from Black Orchid Restaurant!

by FoodpornRestaurant Reviews & Ratings

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Two Saturdays ago, I went to Black Orchid Restaurant, upstairs in Eden Gardens to redeem my Fine Vegetarian Cuisine Special for two.

My husband, Randy and I had the Fine Dining Restaurant to ourselves that night at 8:45pm.

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Décor at The Black Orchid Restaurant

Our host/waiter for the night that emerged from the Tulips Restaurant downstairs was quite hospitable.

He took our order of Moussaka and Vegan Pasta, then realised instantly that they did not have Eggplant for the Special we already paid for.

Moussaka is a layered eggplant or potato-based dish that sometimes includes ground meat. Many versions have a top layer made like a custard. In Greece, the dish is layered and typically served hot. In Turkey, it is served warm or at room temperature after being sautéed and served like a casserole. The Arabs usually eat it cold.

Our host reassured us that they had a competent Chef who had experience working with the Cruiselines and that he would come to speak with us shortly. Chef Xavier got an idea about what we expected, i.e. the layered eggplant casserole and the Vegan Pasta, also with Eggplant and Parmesan. He told us that he knew what he would do for us even though he didn’t have Eggplant or Squash, but other vegetables.

To our surprise, about half an hour later, our host arrived with not two, but three dishes! I got both the Vegan Pasta and the Eggplant Parmesan Casserole. Randy had a Cheesy Eggplant Casserole as well, but his was a combination of other Cheeses since he told the Chef he didn’t mind which Cheese was used. Chef Xavier looked like he also found a small amount of Eggplant stashed away and had just enough to put in the Casseroles, but not the Vegan Pasta.

The Casseroles had a mixture of eggplant, other vegetables and potatoes in a freshly made tomato sauce layered with cheese. While the Vegan Pasta had a mixture of vegetables as well, topped of with grated parmesan cheese. All dishes had distinct flavours that pleased us both.

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R-L (Top row): Piña Colada; Vegetable Pasta; (Bottom row) – Vegetable and Cheese Casseroles

I just planned on having the Vegan Pasta and tasting the Casserole but as I had a little of both, I had a lot of both. Chef Xaver did an exceptional job. Cheat Day times two!

I really appreciated them extending such a courtesy when they saw we were not going to get what we expected. They actually exceeded our expectations.

Our Blended Drinks were delish as well!

I can’t speak to other items on their menu, but if you are ever feeling for Cheesy Casserole Dishes, go to Black Orchid and pray that Chef Xavier didn’t sail away in a Cruiseline Kitchen.

Black Orchid Restaurant

Location: Eden Gardens Wellness Resort & Spa @ 39 Lady Musgrave Road, Kingston

Ph: 876-946-9977

By: Gabrielle Burgess

If you liked this blog, follow Suga Lifestyle or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.

Lunch on the Seaside in Hopewell, Hanover

by FoodpornRestaurant Reviews & Ratings
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Randy Burgess (L) and wife, Gabrielle Burgess from Suga Lifestyle celebrating their 1 year anniversary

Sunday before last, I visited Smoked Marlin Restaurant in Hopewell, Hanover for lunch with my husband.

Apart from our traditional Sweet Potato Pudding stop in Priory, St. Ann, Smoked Marlin was our last stop after a relaxed, food-filled weekend in Negril before heading back to Kingston.

Our waitress was pleasant but could have been more attentive. The wait for food including the Appetizer of Fish soup was too long. The diners that ordered just after us complained as well.

The food was tasty but did not blow us away. Servings were sizeable and made up for the delay. We had a little space left for Dessert, but they did not have all the items listed on the menu including the Tropical Crêpe that I desired.

I thought it would be a more impressive visit, but it was still a delightful experience with a picturesque seaside view to up the ante.

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Marlin Salad – $900JMD +tx (Top); Oxtail Ragu – $1900JMD +tx (Bottom Left); Seafood Linguine with shrimp & fish – $1900JMD +tx (Bottom right)

Date of visit: 30/4/17

Time: 3:45pm

NB. Ratings fill 5 stars maximum

Parking: ★★★★★

Ambience: ★★★★★

Décor: ★★★★☆

Comfort: ★★★★★

Service: ★★★☆☆

Speed: ★★☆☆☆

Food quality: ★★★★☆

Serving amount: ★★★★★

Plating: ★★★★☆

Value for $: ★★★★☆

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Smoked Marlin Restaurant

Location: Main Street. Hopewell, Hanover

Ph: 876-609-4181

Opening Hours: 12pm-9pm

By: Gabrielle Burgess

If you liked this article, follow Suga Lifestyle or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.

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Suga Visits Italian Café in Negril

by Restaurant Reviews & RatingsWhat's Hot

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Suga went to Negril last weekend and The Italian Café also known as Kenny’s Italian Café was the first stop.

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.  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.

A Suga Bear, Helen Da Costa, stopped by earlier in the evening for Dinner at Italian Café before she went back to Kingston. She enjoyed Bruschetta and Shrimp Pasta. Regardless of the fact that she disliked that they topped off the Bruschetta with lettuce and they didn’t use fresh Basil, she thought it was delicious.

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Pasta and Bruschetta from Italian Café (Photo: Helen DaCosta)

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.

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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 atmosphere was buzzing with many locals and tourists, accompanied by lively music. Service and Plating were excellent and I loved the modern décor and lighting with a hint of rustic.

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.

Italian Café is a chill spot for persons who would like to stop by and have authentic Italian Lunch, Dinner or just Lounge with friends over Cocktails while listening to some good, lively music.

Italian Café

Ph#: 876-957-4032

Address: Norman Manley Boulevard (Accross from Merrils Beach Resort). Negril, JA

Date of visit: 28/4/17

NB. Ratings fill 5 stars maximum

Parking: ★☆☆☆☆

Ambience: ★★★☆☆

Decor: ★★★★☆

Comfort: ★★★★☆

Service: ★★★★★

Speed: ★★★★★

Food quality: ★★★★☆

Serving amount: ★★★★★

Plating: ★★★★★

Value for $: ★★★★★

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Suga Endorsement: ★★★★☆

By: Gabrielle Burgess

If you liked this article, follow Suga Lifestyle or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.

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How was the New Fromage Brasserie in Market Place for Suga?! – Part 1

by FoodpornRestaurant Reviews & RatingsWhat's Hot

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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.

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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).

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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.

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Lobster Ravioli in a subtle Lemon Cream Sauce ($2300JMD+tx)

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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.

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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.

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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

If you liked this article, follow Suga Lifestyle or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.

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Throwback Tuesday to Evita’s Italian Lobster Fettuccine Contessa!

by FoodpornRestaurant Reviews & Ratings

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This was Suga’s winner for dinner at Jamaica Gleaner’s Restaurant Week Jamaica 2014 from Evita’s! Delish!

Evita’s Italian Restaurant

Location: Eden Bower Road. Ocho Rios

Ph.: 876-974-233

Did you like this Promo? VOTE for Gabby from Suga Lifestyle to be 

The Jamaica Gleaner’s Restaurant Week Ambassador!

Go to http://go-jamaica.com/rw/ambassador

You have 10 votes per device and wifi connection until October 2, 2015. Just Refresh the page after each vote as instructed. Much love!

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.

 

The Savoury (*$2800JMD) category in Ocho Rios is poppin! But EVITA’s is Leading

by Restaurant Reviews & RatingsWhat's Hot

All restaurants in the Savoury category in Ocho Rios look like they will be enjoyable. However, it is Evita’s Italian that looks the most impressive and may guarantee more value for money. They have an astounding range of mouth-watering entrees (11!) including Lasagna Bolognese, Seafood or ‘Rastafari’, Salmon Risotto, Lobster and Baby Shrimp Fettuccine and more.

 

If you feel like taking RW to the beach, Bamboo Beach Club is looking good and interesting with an Oxtail Bruschetta appetizer, a main course of Smoked Pork Chop with Guava spiced rum sauce, escallion curry rice and Rum & Raisin Bread Pudding or Coffee Cheese Cake for dessert.

The appetizers at Spring Garden’s Cafe do not look too appetizing, a bit too simple. However, they have some exciting choices for the main course including Seafood Thermidor, Lobster Primavera, Chicken Caprese and more. A warm Bread Pudding with Ice Cream for dessert is usually satisfactory as well.

Ochi here comes SuGa Lifestyle!

Remember you can visit http://www.go-jamaica.com/rw/ for more information.

* Prices of each category includes 1 choice of Appetizer, Main Course and Dessert. Beverages, GCT and Gratuity are additional.

The Wine Shop, not necessarily a place to wine and dine your date just yet

by Restaurant Reviews & Ratings

The Wine Shop is not the bar or one of those places where everybody knows your name, which is a good thing. So it is a place currently under the radar that persons can go for dinner and not only shop for wine. They are open until 11pm from Monday to Saturday, closed on Sundays and have both indoor and outdoor seating.

Their menu has a wide range of items and appetizers that go well with wines, for instance, Hummus and dip, Bruschetta, Smoked Marlin plates, Jerk Sausage, Lamb chops and Penne Pasta bowls with different choices of sauce and meat.

The service was good, not great. The Hummus and dip arrived in a reasonable period of time. The dip’s taste was quite basic. The entrees took too long to arrive, more than half an hour for 2 Pasta dishes and Jerk Sausage. The serving sizes were big so quite filling to make up for that wait if hungry, but the quality was mediocre. The Jerk sausage was decent, but slightly overcooked. The Shrimp Penne Pasta bowl with Cream sauce was salty and the Grilled Chicken Penne Pasta bowl with Cream sauce was bland. I was disappointed that they did not have Basil Walnut Pesto sauce for the Pasta bowl, maybe that would have been good.

In terms of the wine, they have a wide range available to choose from for groups or couples buying by the bottle or buying for the home, but for rum drinkers that just need to buy a glass with dinner before they hit a real rum bar, the choices were way too limited. Literally, a restriction to 3 or 4 types of wine, not even a Riesling?! Unacceptable.

So quite a cosy, inexpensive little spot, but though a wine shop, no pun intended, the quality of food can be improved upon.

 

Hummus – $450JMD +tx

Jerk sausage (with Lyonnais potatoes) – $950JMD +tx

Shrimp Penne Pasta bowl with Cream sauce – $1150JMD +tx

Grilled Chicken Penne Pasta bowl with Cream sauce – $1550JMD +tx

*Pop Up Gourmet Card accepted (10% discount)

 

The Wine Shop 

Ph#: 876.620.5098

Address: Shop 7B, Southdale Plaza, South Avenue

Date of Visit: 5/9/14

NB. Ratings fill 5 stars maximum

 

Parking: ★★★★★

Ambience: ★★★☆☆

Decor: ★★★★☆

Comfort: ★★★★★

Service: ★★★★☆

Speed: ★★★☆☆

Food quality: ★★★☆☆

Serving amount: ★★★★★

Plating: ★★★☆☆

Value for $: ★★★☆☆

SuGa Endorsement: ★★★☆â˜â€