What a mouthful of goodness! Check out Biggs BBQ Restaurant & Bar on the Hip Strip, Gloucester Avenue in Montego Bay. So far, Suga endorses their Ribs, Pork and of course, their burgers!
Biggs is open everyday until 12am and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Two Saturdays ago, I finally got to visit the new restaurant in town, Opa Greek Restaurant and Lounge on Hope Road. I delayed my visit a bit as the reviews were not so good, from the food being bland to getting cold pizza. Nonetheless, many persons did not hesitate to display themselves on instavideo breaking plates with great delight and shouting ‘OPA!’, a renowned Greek tradition to express a joyful emotion or a celebratory response to something.
Upon arrival, my beau and I were greeted from the outside with the door opened for us, which isn’t the norm in Jamaica. The owner and hostess welcomed us pleasantly and we were shown to our seats.
The decor was instantly impressive, however so much blue on the walls can tend to darken the place up a bit. It still had an overall unique tasteful touch and the lighting with the waterfalls was creative. It was refreshing to see well dressed waiters as well.
Our waiter, Alan approached the table immediately and took our appetizer orders. Complimentary pita bread for the first round with the option of getting whole wheat is a thoughtful incentive. My beau ordered a traditional Greek soup, Avgolemono.
I then probed Alan a bit to hear what was the best entrée to choose that did not include Chicken. He was very knowledgeable about the menu and the selection of wines. He suggested the 3 dishes, the Psari Sharas (Grilled Fish served with skordalia), Gourounopoulo (Boneless slow-roasted Pork loin with feta and sundried tomatoes) and Kotsi (Slow-baked Lamb Shank), giving you the best variety of options depending on the kind of meat you prefer.
I haven’t had Pork in a while so I went with the Gourounopoulo and my date chose the Psari Sharas. Alan brought a Chateau Menuty rose wine for us to taste and we went with his selection.
All orders, excluding the wine arrived in a timely fashion, not having to wait more than 5 to 15 minutes for any of the dishes. By right, the wine should have arrived before or with the main course.
The Pork was a bit on the rubbery side but had a nice flavour. Pairing the Pork with feta was interesting, not sure if it was the best choice of cheese though. The Fish on the other hand was lovely.
The meals seemed to be overpriced, especially for the portions given and perhaps the plates could be a little smaller to skew our judgement. There could also be more of a variety of side options provided with some of the dishes. The majority of appetizers cost close to or over $1000JMD, not to mention a glass of wine, which is also on the high end for a spend.
A birthday was being celebrated that night so plates were broken traditionally with exclamations of ‘Opa’ and persons seemed to be having a good time. I am sure their bill was blinding though, as my dinner for 2 without dessert, including a free appetizer costed $8791.75. The bill included tax and a 10% service charge but who pays $850JMD for soup?! My beau did, but not if I saw that price first.
Opa is a decent place for a planned dinner or celebration with satisfactory service and good but not great food. So after what seemed to be a decent night out for dinner, you will ponder if you really got value for your money.
Di Grill Shack has expanded its franchise from an eatery at Sovereign Centre’s food court to a dine-in restaurant and bar at The Courtyard. It is now situated where Grill 71 used to be, so what is the difference? Di Grill Shack has already developed its customer base, gaining popularity as a gourmet fast-food eatery. The dining areas are now expanded with more seating indoors and outdoors to facilitate preferences for patrons who I am sure would prefer the ambience to Sovereign’s food court. The decor has changed, adding vibrant colours, though the paintings may not reflect the same perspective. The setting and new location seems great for family outings and the prices are reasonable for the quality and quantity of food offered.
A few persons expressed dissatisfaction with service, food availability and quality during the opening week of the restaurant, however teething pains are expected. I went to Di Grill Shack almost two weeks ago and had a great experience. The service was excellent. So I encourage persons that had a negative experience to return. Though I am a fan of their Salmon Burger, I had the Garlic Chicken Pasta that was superb and so was my Piña Colada. Usually bars are polite with the alcoholic content of Daiquiris and Piña Coladas, but mine certainly had a kick to it. My beau was pleased with his Cajun Chicken Pasta and Chef Siri Brown, who also dined that day enjoyed her Raspberry and Strawberry Daiquiris. Note that the most expensive cocktail is a Long Island Iced Tea for $535JMD. Impressive.
It was a bit chilly while dining indoors, but the temperature of the air conditioning was quickly adjusted after notifying the waitress. Other than that, the staff were pleasant and attentive, the food came 15 minutes after ordering and the serving size was more than satisfying.
Di Grill Shack has extended its opening hours, Monday to Thursday 11am to 10pm, Friday to Saturday 11am to midnight or until, Sundays from 12pm to 9pm or until as well, depending on the weekend crowd. So if their good service, management, food quality and quantity are consistent, along with extended opening hours, wide variety of items on the menu, comfortable seating, reasonable prices and most importantly old and new customers, Di Grill Shack should last longer than Grill 71 at The Courtyard.
Ph#: 876-978-6665
Address: The Courtyard, 71 Lady Musgrave Road. Kingston 10
NB. Ratings fill 5 stars maximum
Parking: ★★★★☆
Ambience: ★★★★☆
Decor: ★★★☆☆
Comfort: ★★★★★
Service: ★★★★★
Speed: ★★★★★
Food quality: ★★★★☆
Serving amount: ★★★★★
Plating: ★★★★☆
Value for $: ★★★★★
SuGa Endorsement: ★★★★☆