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Authentic African Cuisine from Cafe Africa!

by Restaurant Reviews & Ratings

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My other half visited Cafe Africa about a month ago and enjoyed his Cameroon Beef lunch in a simple, comfortable setting.

Cafe Afica is located between Trafalgar and Lady Musgrave Road, where Toss and Roll used to be.

Nothing is extravagant or over the top. The service is mediocre, but the relaxed, laid back, feel-good vibe of the outdoor ‘side-walk’ cafe reaches every diner.

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Photo: Cafe Africa’s Instagram page

The menu changes from time to time and is written on an African-shaped blackboard. Dishes from over 25 countries have been put on that menu, for instance, Congo’s original Saltfish and Okra Stew, Mozambique style Pan Grilled Chicken and more.

They also deliver!

The Cafe could serve as a cool watering hole or coffee fix and tea stop, as they serve South African wines, Organic coffee and African teas.

Cafe Africa

Location: 2 Trafalgar Road,SBAJ.Kgn. 5 (Centre of Trafalgar and Lady Musgrave)

Ph: 876-828-4144

Instagram: cafeafricaja

Facebook: Cafe Africa

Opening Hours: 

Mon – Thu: 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
Fri – Sat: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Sun: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
 
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Throwback Thursday to the Garlic Shrimp Appetizer from The Wine Shop!

by Restaurant Reviews & RatingsWhat's Hot

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The Wine Shop 

Ph#: 876.620.5098

Address: Shop 7B, Southdale Plaza, South Avenue

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!

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Check out this cool, FREE wine app that rates and provides info on wines – Vivino!

by What's Hot

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Vivino is a community-driven app that lets you scan any wine on the go. Whether buying wine, popping bottles or looking at restaurant menus (yes, you can scan wine lists at restaurants too!), give the label or menu a quick scan to find out how it is rated around the world and to learn about the wine. That is, foods it is best paired with, the flavours it constitutes, the area and country it is produced in and more. You can also benefit from seeing over 10 million users share their wisdom on wines and find the true value of the wine. Is your source overpriced? Sadly, a lot of wines have quite a mark up in Jamaica. For instance, my Little Penguin Chardonnay 2013 purchased at Sovereign Supermarket, Kingston, costed  $1458.56JMD +tax and was scanned for an average price of $6US. So considering the exchange rate, that is a mark up of about 100%. Import costs have to be considered as well though. Therefore, if convenient, it is best to consider buying wine at a wholesale or from a distributor for more reasonable prices . Check it out. You can give your review, location and rating to have an impact on its result as well.

What are the perks of rating?

Rating helps you to keep track of the wines you like and don’t like, develop your personal taste profile and find new wines that match your taste.

Rate and get to know your taste in wine! Cheers to the weekend!

What is Le Dîner en Blanc? (Part 1)

by What's Hot

Francois Pasquier started the concept of Le Dîner en Blanc in 1988 in Paris with a simple gathering of friends, all dressed in white to identify each other in a public place to have a picnic. The event gained momentum as friends invited more friends and it spread to other locations in Paris and eventually various cities, provinces etc. around the world. For instance, Montreal, New York, Brisbane, Québec, Barcelona, Boston and Sydney to name a few.

The event is designed to promote Ethics and Values, Friendship, Secrecy, Effort, Joie de Vivre (The joy of living), Heritage and Magic.

Here is the breakdown of the concept:

– Hosts usually include a who’s who of influencers in various spheres. There will also be volunteers.

– Hosts and volunteers invite their friends and family to the picnic, then any space that’s left goes to those on the waiting list

– Organizers and volunteers are informed of the location only hours prior to the dinner, but other attendees would not know until they arrive via transportation provided by Dîner en Blanc

– The location should be an amazing place. For instance, a Dîner en Blanc has occurred at the Eiffel Tower

– The event has no limitation in terms of culture or age

– ~1000 persons carry tables and chairs, gourmet food and wine

– Persons arrive dressed in all white and are guided to pre-assigned seating by table leaders

– Persons set up their white tables, chairs and tablecloths; as well as china and silverware

– Persons wave their white dinner napkins and begin to eat

– Persons drink only wine or champagne and socialize

– Persons light sparklers once dinner is complete to light up the night and to open the dance floor for the party

– Persons party and dance the night away

– Persons will clean up, pack up, then head out

It has also been observed that persons become quite comfortable talking with each other, carry personal fans and intricate table arrangements or decor.

See the video below:

Le Dîner en Blanc International – English Version: http://youtu.be/9D6Uv1Vcvus

Of course, Jamaicans love to copy everything. But in this case, why not? It is an excellent concept. Stay tuned for ‘What is Le Dîner en Blanc – Part 2’ as Suga Lifestyle breaks down Jamaica’s good and not so good plans, credit card fiascos and more.

Recipe found with Cookpad (http://cookpad.com/en) by mistyler, cover by clabbergirl; Original url: http://www.allthecooks.com/shrimp-scampi-2.html

Whip up some Shrimp Scampi for your Valentine!

by Recipes
Recipe found with Cookpad (http://cookpad.com/en) by mistyler, cover by clabbergirl; Original url: http://www.allthecooks.com/shrimp-scampi-2.html
Recipe found with Cookpad (http://cookpad.com/en) by mistyler, cover by clabbergirl;
Original url: http://www.allthecooks.com/shrimp-scampi-2.html

INGREDIENTS

1 pound – Shrimp

1 tablespoon – Pure Olive Oil

2 tablespoon – Finely Chopped Garlic

1 1/2 cup – White Wine

1/2 Fresh Lemon (Juice Only)

1 teaspoon – Italian Seasoning Blend

1/2 cup – Butter

1 tablespoon – Fresh Parsley (Chopped Fine)

1 Salt and Pepper (To Taste)

1/2 cup – Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese

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DIRECTIONS

1. Heat heavy bottomed skillet and add oil. Do not allow oil to smoke.

2. Add shrimp, cook until tender and no longer translucent.

3. Remove shrimp from pan and reduce heat slightly.

4. Add garlic and cook 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to brown garlic as this will produce a slightly bitter flavor.

5. When garlic is cooked, add white wine.

6. Squeeze juice from lemon in pan, and reduce wine by half.

7. After it is reduced, add Italian seasoning blend.

8. Reduce heat to low, and slowly add butter, 1 Tbsp at a time. The butter should slowly melt into the sauce and create a nice creamy texture. If the pan is too hot the butter will separate.

9. Once butter is fully incorporated, add shrimp back into sauce, add parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

10. Serve with garnish of fresh cheese if desired. Scampi is great accompanied by fresh pasta.

Good choices of sides to go with this delicious dish could be Garlic bread or Baked potato. Enjoy!

Top 7 Restaurants to Wine and Dine Tomorrow in Kingston, Ja

by Restaurant Reviews & Ratings

Expensive (~$4000-$5000JMD per person)

1. Rojo at Spanish Court Hotel

2. Strawberry Hill

3. Terra Nova All Suite Hotel (The Terrace)

Mid-range (~$2500-$3500JMD per person)

4. Majestic Sushi and Grill, Villa Ronai

5. The Blue Window at The Jamaica Pegasus

Affordable (~$1500-$2800JMD per person)

6. South Avenue Grill

7. EITS Cafe at Mount Edge Guesthouse, Newcastle

*Considering at least 2 courses, not including beverages

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: ★★★☆☆

Psari Sharas (Left); Gourounopoulo (Right)

OPA Greek Restaurant and Lounge

by Restaurant Reviews & Ratings
Psari Sharas (Left); Gourounopoulo (Right)
Psari Sharas (Left); Gourounopoulo (Right)

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.