Have you gotten your Early Bird Tickets to Simply Red as yet?!
It’s that time again! The Heart Foundation of Jamaica’s fundraiser, Simply Red, will be Friday September 25th on the lawns of Jamaica house for $7000JMD, offering food and wine to your heart’s content. No pun intended. However, Pop-Up Gourmet Jamaica has Early Bird Tickets until this Friday, September 11th for $6300JMD, so get them while you can!
Call 876-807-5349 for your Early Bird tickets.Â
Need a remind
er of what this event has to offer? Check out Suga’s review from last year here:
Simply Red! Wine and Food Galore! Gabby checks out BBQ Oxtail, Cheese fountains and more
Get an Advantage on your Budget by Signing up for your Pop-Up Gourmet Card Today!
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!
Simply Red! Wine and Food Galore! Gabby checks out BBQ Oxtail, Cheese fountains and more
Simply Red’s 25th Anniversary was a night to remember. Relaxed atmosphere with a wide variety of wine and food as expected. The only thing lacking was a range of desserts. Chocolate Dreams locked up shop pretty early and there seemed to be mainly Mousses and Pana Cottas. Other than that, nothing to really bite or cut into. The tents were also pretty hot, probably as a result of humidity setting in after the evening rain, but no fans were in sight. The logistics however, allowed enough space for persons to walk around freely in the large central area to cool off.
It would be hard to give highlights, as every chef, caterer, company or organization had something special to offer. UTECH had a few stations. You could hardly taste the lobster in their Lobster roll with red pepper remoulade, but their Brined Duck Breast with breadfruit soffrito was cooked to perfection. Brian Lumley’s signature Herb de Provence Chicken marinated with white wine was up to good standard as usual, complemented by mushroom cream sauce and red pepper coulis. The Ham stuffed 689 Croquettes were decent as well. Chef George Matthews had a wicked Steak flank with Corn on the Cob and Barbecue Oxtail! The Barbecue Oxtail was alright, I expected more with the sauce and it surely didn’t slide off the bone.
Rainforest Seafoods had Smoked Marlin sandwiches that had way too much butter, but a Bread pudding with cheese and an optional honey topping that was delish. Their Avocado salad with arugula was also divine. The Chilean’s Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Pebre had a savoury, unique taste. Unfortunately the beef was not tender enough and the representative did not sufficiently or enthusiastically explain the dish. Perhaps the kids also representing the booth that were oh so adorable, stole her spotlight.
Interesting and fun options were Tastee’s cheese fountain with potato wedges and Kendel’s Mackerel Tempura rolls.
Persons that wished to load on the carbs had unlimited options of pastas, noodles, lamb and beef burgers as well.
Jacqui Tyson put on quite a show with her Best Dressed Fried Chicken and dancing chefs. Her area as well as the Pop Up Gourmet/CPJ booth, were crowded all night compared to all the others that had a free flow. Kudos to Jacqui for occasionally going on the mic to keep the crowd in the know of what she had to offer, raising person’s interest and having them go back for more.
Mission Catwalk also had a booth showcasing red dresses made by contestants, of which there was a poll going for the best dress. Only two were impressive, though the others showed great potential and it was a good promotion for the show.
Grace, Campari, BETCO Premier Ltd. along with JMMB, CPJ wines with Pop UP Gourmet, Select Brands and the Chilean representatives kept the spirits flowing all night. The Little Penguin Chardonnay and BETCO’s René Barbier Blanco were the winners for me.
The event seemed to be well supported, so hopefully The Heart Foundation reached their target and it will be even more spectacular next year.
Cost: $5000JMD or $4500JMD from Pop Up Gourmet
Simply Red Wine & Food Festival tomorrow! Get your tickets now
The Heart Foundation’s annual fundraiser, Simply Red, will be tomorrow on the lawns of Jamaica House at 7pm. You should still be able to get tickets at The Heart Foundation of Jamaica, Pop Up Gourmet, Swiss Stores (Downtown) or Island Grill (New Kgn, Twin Gates & Manor Park for $5000JMD. Celebrity Chefs and more will be there!