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Monday, February 28, 2011

The Twisted Kilt


 
"The Twisted Kilt" Penne Pasta


I am actually really excited to share this post with you because "The Twisted Kilt" is one of my favourite bar/restaurant/liming spot in Montego Bay. Overlooking the beach on "The Hip Strip", this 
"Jamaicanized" Irish Sports bar/restaurant has arguable some of the best finger-licking Bar-b-q wings i have ever tasted...(as I'm writing this post i'm salivating and craving some). I had the pleasure of tasting their Specialty Pasta yesterday and even now, the taste still lingers in my mouth (that may be due to the fact that I had the leftovers for lunch today though), but it was really good...I had "The Twisted Kilt" pasta, made with penne pasta, green and red peppers, grilled chicken and ham!! Yummmayyyy!!!


Some Friends and I having Jager Bombs
Another reason I frequent there is because of their drinks!! I have gotten drunk  imbibed enough alcohol here to last me a lifetime...lol..this is the place I broke my jager bomb (cocktail made with jagermeister liqueur and red bull) virginity, so you can understand why I hold this place dear to my stomach heart. They always have a special on alcoholic beverages here, for example, Ladies drink 2-4-1 Martinis on Fridays from 8-9 p.m; men get 2-4-1 deals whenever there is a big game going on which is pretty much every week.



If you are like me and enjoy watching sports with lots of people, this is definitely the place to come. This place is always packed with sports enthusiasts from all over the world (keep in mind that Tourists "live" on Mobay's hip-strip) and before long you will be hugging your new friends..well that depends on if your team won...

The customer service here is always very good...the bar tenders are very friendly and attentive... don't be surprised if they address you by your name on your second visit...(ok, maybe not your second visit, but you know what I mean...)
Richie, one of the really good bartenders

Kilt beach
If you want to "live the good life" and sip pina coladas on the beach, you may also do that there, as The Kilt has its own beach, and there is a waiter there who will take your orders, you dont even have to move...

There is so much more I could write, but all this reminiscing is making me hungry... If you ever visit Mobay, you should definitely check out the Twisted Kilt!! *two thumbs up*

Sunday, February 20, 2011

"The House"


My friends had been telling me about "The House", Kingston's newest hot-spot for some weeks now and I decided I had to see this place for myself.


Last Saturday a group of us decided to venture there. We got there at around 11:30 pm to a completely packed venue... now I was even more curious to see what this place had to offer. I couldn't wait to "rub shoulders"(literally) with the "privileged" bunch who managed to get seats before us. We waited in the "living room", oh yea, so The House is set up like a real house, with a living room, a regular bedroom, a private bedroom (which has to be booked) and a backyard- needless to say we felt like "unwanted guests" as we stood around for about half hour (or longer) waiting to be seated. We were eventually acknowledged, but between the fight like bitches to secure a table, and the scurry for stools to sit on, I can't figure which was more welcoming. Finally we were all seated and ready to order.


My Sangria after a taking couple sips
By the time we placed our requests, our waitress informed us that the kitchen was already closed, but we could still order...yay! (5 points for The House). Having an easy flowing conversation proved difficult due to the blaring music, but we did not let that stop our communication flow...then started the BBM fest, and those who weren't busy bb-ing simply shouted in order to hear each other, while we waited on our food and drinks... I must admit the drink prices were pretty good...one glass of Sangria cost $JMD400, which is pretty good compared to most of the other places I frequent, the martinis were $JMD300.

"Quarter Burger"
The food...well that is a different story, when my friends received their burgers ($JMD700), the first thing that came out of my mouth was " This is it?"...to me, it looked like something a three-year-old had made...we joked that one friend received a half of a burger and the other, a quarter... they were the tiniest burgers I have seen in a loooong time...another friend ordered a beef wrap, and while it wasn't the biggest wrap we have ever seen, she admitted that it was tasty.
"Beef Wrap"








Ok, so after all that, here is my take on "The House"- the concept of the place is really good, however, the venue is a bit tight, and as such, not a good spot for a large group of friends to sit and dine. The loud music in the "Living Room" (which is where we sat) is definitely not conducive to a conversation type setting. The drinks are good, the food..(despite the serving size) is tasty...just make sure you are not starving when you go there...Overall, It is a good spot to hang out just before a party ( the dress code is a notch above casual). 

Thursday, February 10, 2011

"V" Day


Ok, so I'm still trying to get a hang of this "blog thing", so this means trying to come up with a new post to capture and keep your attention. For about a week now I have been contemplating what my next post should be about. I haven't been anywhere recently worthy of a spot in my blog so I was stuck...stuck until I had a conversation with a good friend of mine who recently started a new relationship. "Soooo...", I asked him, "what are your plans for Valentine's Day?"...He told me he was cheap broke so he wouldn't be doing much. Then he said "I dunno, maybe dinner or a movie or both". This is when I decided what my next post should be about!... Restaurants! Valentine's Day is approaching, and most couples I know are planning to go to dinner.

Photo courtesy of The HouseBoat Grill's Website
The first restaurant on my list is  "The HouseBoat Grill" located in the Freeport area in Montego Bay. It offers a unique setting for an intimate dining experience. This restaurant is docked away from the pier, so you have to be transported to it. You may dine downstairs, but upstairs has a better view. The food is excellent (constantly evolving fusion menu, Jamaican-Mediterranean cuisine), the staff was really friendly, and the ambiance was quite delightful. Men, if you are looking to impress a woman, this is the place to take her. Dress code is casually elegant.  It is one of those fancyshmancy  sophisticated restaurants so it is best to make reservations before you go.

Possibly my favourite restaurant in Montego Bay is the Sea Horse Grill at the Montego Bay Yacht Club. This is also located in the Freeport area, a little way down from The HouseBoat Grill.
Photo of Sea Horse Grill Courtesy of their website
I've been here a couple times and every time I go, I fall more in love with the place.

Let your hair down, close your eyes and fall in love with the saxophonist and his music while you wait to receive your meal. Or, you could keep your eyes open and stare at the Montego Bay "night-lights". The food! oh!em!gee! The food, Try their juicy tenderloin beef steak or their mouth-watering baby back ribs! yummmy!!!!  You don't usually need to make reservations for dinner, but they should be packed this Valentine's day, so make reservations before you go.                                        









 Pic is blurry, but it was the only one I could find of the setting
Journey with me as we go to Gaucho's Grill located on South Avenue in Kingston. Enjoy a nice casual poolside dining experience here. Actually, the first time I went to Gaucho's was for a Valentine's dinner some years ago, and I fell in love with the atmosphere. Since then, I've taken close friends of mine here and they've all enjoyed it. I'm a ribs kinda girl!! looove me some tender juicy ribs, and I think this is what has kept me coming back to Gaucho's. Their ribs are to die for!!!! and the prices are actually good too! Their pastas seem to be really popular among my friends as well.

The last restaurant on my list .....does not have "Grill" as part of its name...haha...I just realized that the trend with the previous restaurants...this was not intentional though....Jewel of India is my favourite Indian restaurant and perhaps the best in Jamaica...(yes, I am a little biased..sue me). It is located at Market Place, on Constant Spring Road in Kingston.
Our food
The prices are a little steep, BUT it is worth it!!! The servings meant for one person may be shared for two, yes, you get a lottttt of food! If you don't know what to order, the waiters/waitresses are always around to explain what the dishes are and to offer you suggestions.

Garlic Nan
 Some of my favourite on the menu are: Chicken Tikka Masala (spicy), Chicken Goan (Curry chicken), Rogan Josh (Mutton). These dishes are served with basmati rice or Nan (I looove the garlic and butter nans)...it may take a while to receive your main course, so order some samosas while you wait!




Friends and I outside Jewel of India
















You may dine inside/outside, I usually dine indoors if I go there with a large group. If you are as fascinated by "pretty lights" as I am, then I suggest you dine outside. Dress code is casual elegance/semi-formal. (Definitely make reservations)











P.S. Men, If you do decide to take your other half out to dinner, Don't forget the flowers! (Yes, I am an old-fashioned kinda girl) 

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Welcome to the Good Life: Villa Viviana


Sunset at Villa Viviana
I got my first "premier" villa experience at the Villa Viviana at The Tryall Club in Hanover, Jamaica, and I must say, it was everything I imagined and more!
"The Tryall Club, Jamaica's premier private club, offers memebers and discerning guests the luxury and hospitality of a true villa lifestyle. Set amid 2,200 lush acres, The Tryall Club provides all the ingredients necessary for an exquisite experience: world- renowned gold, private beachfront, exceptional cuisine and the best views in Jamaica". (http://www.tryallclub.com).


        
Dressed in jeans and my shades, I felt like a real "celeb", and not even the grey skies or the light rainfall could dampen my spirits when I arrived at The Tryall Club on that eventful Friday afternoon. After checking in at the front desk, we were "shuttled" to our villa.
         Upon arrival at Villa Viviana, we were greeted by the staff who had their signature “Viviana Drink” and a cool towel awaiting us. This was something I could definitely see myself getting used to. They introduced themselves and told us their positions and encouraged us to relax.
View of a part of the villa and the pool
         Sheldon, the Butler offered to take us (myself and my co-workers) on a tour of the villa, after which we were left to decide among ourselves who was going to stay in which of the six bedrooms. We were all awed by the beauty of the villa. It was also very spacious and inviting…and I felt right at home…if only… 


        By the time the tour was completed, we were told that lunch would be served in a few minutes. We all gathered around the large dining table, chatting excitedly while we waited to be served. I must admit that I was expecting sandwiches or something really light for lunch; however, I was pleasantly surprised when I realized we were having escoveitch fish, bammies and festival, served with sorrel or fruit punch. 

     The staff was very accommodating, and checked on us to make sure we were satisfied at all times! 




Sheldon making sure we were satisfied (even in the jacuzzi)


After lunch we decided to lounge around a bit, we were too full to do anything else anyway. During our time of lazing around, we were visited by Anthea, a member of the Guest Services department who came to orientate us, as we were first timers, and told us about the various amenities the club had to offer.
Our first tennis lesson
At about 4 o clock, we left the villa dressed in all white attires to head to the tennis courts to receive our first tennis lesson (for most of us anyway). The instructors were very helpful and very patient, and we had a lot of fun.

Dinner! yumm!
 Dinner was served at 7:30 pm, and once again, our taste buds and eyes were not disappointed when we saw the grilled chicken served with potatoes and vegetables on our plates.

Saturday morning saw us getting up from as early as 8 am to do yoga. Naturally, we were all groggy, but by the time we were halfway through it, we forgot we were even sleepy, and listened intently to our yogi and followed ATTEMPTED to follow her instructions as best as was physically possible.




  I cannot stop talking about the food!!! Just reminiscing about it is making my mouth water; breakfast was fruits, French toast, omelet, waffles, bacon and a glass of orange juice. I said it before, but I feel the need to reiterate, I could definitely get used to this royal treatment!
French Toast, Waffles, omelette, bacon






After breakfast, we went to the golf course where we received golf lessons, this was also a first for the majority of us. Once again, the staff was very patient with us, and made it a wonderful experience for us
Golf lessons

The sun was scorching that Saturday morning, and it is a very good thing that we had sailing directly after golf. Raul from watersports took us sailing, and this cooled us down a lot. He chatted easily with us, and for those of us who were nervous, our fears quickly disappeared. When we got back to land, we washed tried to wash the salt away off us, but there were no towels to dry us off, I was having way too much fun to let this bother me though.


  Sunday came way too soon! We were not ready to take our leave; we were thoroughly spoiled by Sheldon, the chef and the rest of the villa staff. But, as the saying goes, all good tings must come to an end :(
I definitely intend to be rich!





Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Welcome!

*Mic check* *Ahem* HELLO IS THIS THING ON? It is? good! 
I've been trying to come up with a "cool" and "witty" description to write, but to no avail, so I'm just going to write whatever it is that my brain tells my fingers to type.


Hello there, My name is Roxy, and here'are ten things I want you to know about me:
1. I am Jamaican
2. I love food
3. I am always up for an adventure (especially with my crazy friends)
4. I love to read
5. A glass of wine and some ice cream (not together of course) makes my world go round :)
6. I'm still not sure what I want to be when I "grow" up.
7. I am a very random individual
8. I am very indecisive
9.I love to write, but i'm not sure if i'm good at it
10. i'm fun-sized :)


Hopefully, my posts will be entertaining and well...informative...