Restaurant Week 2k12

Greetings!
Remember me? I know it's been awhile since my last post, but let's just say...i've been lazy busy..

So Restaurant week Jamaica started on Friday, November 9 and will end next Saturday, November 17...and usually, i'd be pretty exited about this...this year however, I have mixed feelings...I mean, why limit myself to a set menu where I will be forced to choose something that I don't necessarily want to eat just because it is "discounted", when I can just go to these same restaurants and choose something else that I do want, that costs the same price as that on the "discounted" menu?

For those of you reading, who are not in Jamaica, or even for those in Jamaica, who still don't get what all the fuss is about...the whole notion of restaurant week is to give persons a chance to go to a restaurant they have been dying to try out but due to overpriced menus financial constraints, they have not been able to do so...

So what happens during Restaurant Week is that participating restaurants are grouped in certain categories based on the type of food they serve and the ambiance as well. These restaurants create a set menu, which includes a three-course meal at a "heavily" discounted price. The prices are per person and does not include beverages, GCT and gratuities.

The categories include:

"Epicurean" (restaurants in this category are normally really expensive, but for a limited time (one wk, pre-selected meals will ONLY cost $3800 JMD per person),

"Delectable" (restuarants in this category are usually for persons feeling fancy/ for special occasions, pre-selected meals will only cost $3500)

"Savoury" (usually semi-affordable, and for this wk pre-selected meals will only cost $2200 )

"Tasty" (normally reasonably priced, for this wk, the price is $1600)

"Nyam and scram" ( good for take-out. This category offers a 30% discount on lunch combos)

My little problem with Restaurant Week is that I don't think the restaurants are prepared enough to deal with the crowd, and one would think they would be used to it by now (they have been doing it for years). When you go to dine at any of the participating restaurants during this week, the wait time is outrageous, in most cases, the food quality is not the greatest, and there is a great chance you may just receive the wrong order.

Also, I know that we are getting a discount, but the food portions that some restaurants dish out could not even fill a baby's stomach, even with the "three-course menu".

So why do I continue to support it? Well, because I use it as an occasion to dress up and have dinner with my friends. Why not make an event out of it? This year, however, I may just decide to choose one entre from the regular menu as opposed to the "three-course meal" that will leave my stomach growling from dissatisfaction.

For the epicurean, I'd suggest Strawberry Hill, simply because of the location, it may be less crowded than the others in that category. I have never been, but I have heard great reviews about the food...and if nothing else, the view is amazing.

For the delectable, I am recommending, for persons in and near to Montego Bay, The House Boat Grill. I have been there a couple times, and have never been disappointed with the food or the service. The setting is definitely very romantic as well. For persons in Kingston, I am recommending majestic, based solely on the reviews of my friends, and the location.

The savoury category was a bit more difficult for me to choose from, and not just because it had a lot more options, but because so many of my fav restaurants are in this category. I'm just going to make my suggestions...and just trust me on this one ok?
If you are in Montego Bay, I'm suggesting Robin's Prime Steakhouse,     Seahorse Grill and Napoli Ristorante.
For Ocho Rios, Evita's Italian, and for Kingston, Tamarind's Indian Cuisine.

In the tasty category, I'd recommend East Japanese, however, it may get a bit crowded, so if you're definitely looking for something Asian, you may try Fuji Express as well.

I also advise you to make reservations for the restaurant of your choice, asap, and definitely prepare to wait a good while to get served.

Cheap places to stay in Ocho Rios

SKY CASTLES

Ocho Rios' newest in luxury condominiums, Sky Castles is set amidst the lush tropical greenery of the hillside above the town. Its stunning location affords superb panoramic views of the bay with its beautiful white sandy beach and busy harbour and marina.

The Resort consists of 10 blocks of attractively designed condominiums, offering a high standard of accommodation in comfortable studios and one and three bedroom apartments. 

All guest accommodation is air-conditioned and have fully equipped kitchens with a gazebo-style patio or balcony with a view of the ocean. There is a large fresh water pool on site as well as a tennis court.

Sky Castles Condominium is situated on 4 1/2 acres of beautifully manicured grounds with lush tropical greenery on the hillside above the town. In walking distance there are Banks, Shopping Centers, Craft markets and Duty Free shops.

Columbus Heights
Ocho Rios
St. Ann, Jamaica, W.I.

Reservation Toll Free
1-888-790-5264
1-888-256-0160or please contact Vana Taylor,
Gabriele or Yanique
Tel: (876) 973 4809/10,
Fax: (876) 973 6171,
Fax: (876) 973 4528,

sunflowervi@cwjamaica.com

TURTLE BEACH TOWERS 

Turtle Beach Towers Hostel (TBT) Ocho Rios is a Beach front apartment complex of 4 towers, centrally located within short walking distance of many Jerk & Fast food centers,top Restuarants, Supermarkets, Duty Free malls, Craft markets, Night lifes, Bars, Pharmacies & movie Cinema. 

TBT Hostel features Free Car parking, Free Beach access, large Swimming pool,Water sports activity, A Day Spa, Restaurant, Convenience store, Laundromat, Children play area & 24/7 security. The brightly colored apartments include a private balcony overlooking the Ocho Rios Bay. They are equipped with cable TV and free Wi-Fi. The kitchenette is furnished with a refrigerator, microwave, stove & oven.

Turtle Beach, Ochio Rios, Tel: 876-974-2803, Email: psp7@cwjamaica.com

BROMLEY JAMAICA

Set in the cool of the hills above the resort town of Ocho Rios this charming two bedroom cottage is part of the historic Bromley estate. Breakfast on fresh fruits, home-made granola, eggs our special Bromley way and delicious Blue Mt. Coffee. Enjoy the views out over the hills and the chorus of the many birds that thrive in our lush gardens. Venture out to explore Jamaica guided by one the owners. Explore beaches, restaurants, off the beaten track excursions, and local attractions. A stay at Lignum Vitae is a rare and authentic rural experience.The innkeepers speak: Chinese, English, French and Spanish.

Contacts: alexandra.sale@gmail.com (US) or johnathanedwards@gmail.com (JA) http://www.bromleyjamaica.com/contact.htm

ROOMS OCHO RIOS

Located on the beach in Ocho Rios on Jamaica's north coast, just five minutes from the worlds famous Dunns River Falls and within walking distance of the best shopping and night life in Ocho Rios, Rooms serves travelers who only want a place to hang their hat (so long as it is beautifully furnished, with ultra-modern bath, and a pool and bar on site). Rooms is located within walking distance of duty free shops, boutiques, gift shops, food stores and the craft market.

http://www.roomsresorts.com/ocho-rios.asp

I will update as soon as I am able to find other cheap places to stay.

Cheap places to stay in Montego Bay

I am a member of couchsurfing.org, a site designed to help travelers who wish to spend little or no money on hotels, travelers who don't necessarily want to stay at all-inclusives and who want to go out on their own experience the culture of the place and meet with locals. Check the link for more info.  http://www.couchsurfing.org/

Since joining, I have received a lot of messages from persons wanting to visit Jamaica and need somewhere cheap and safe to stay, and I try my very best to give them as many tips as I can, but I really had no idea what some of the cheaper, safer hotels are. I decided to do some research and post some of my finding. Ill begin with Montego Bay since this is the tourism capital :)

The Bird's Nest

 is Jamaicas first and only sports orientated hostel, the best choice on the island for sports related travel. The Birds Nest is run by passionate kitesurfers who operate Jamaicas only IKO Kitesurf center app. 20 minutes from the hostel.


The hostel has a beautiful pool deck, overlooking the caribbean sea and is surrounded by a lush green garden.

Accommodation Information (Airport pickup- US$15, Breakfast US$5)

4 Bed Mixed Dorm Ensuite

2 Double Bed Rooms Ensuite
1 Bed Single Room Ensuite
Tax is not included in a price.

Location Information

Ironshore Resort Estate, Montego Bay, Jamaica. Only 10 minutes from the international airport. Airport transfers available!

contact info: 1876-583-2255/1876-505-0126
info@thebirdsnestjamaica.com
info@kitesurfingvilla.com

BETHEL COURT GUESTHOUSE

Address: 25 Bethel Court Mount Salem, Montego Bay, Montego Bay, Jamaica

Bethel Court is a nice friendly youth hostel with a brilliant atmosphere and generous hospitality. They offer the ideal place to meet new, young and exciting people with whom you can explore the Island with. Amenities include laundry, air conditioning, free wifi, kitchen access. Advise about arrival time. Check in time after 1pm. Check out time at 11 am. Pay cash on arrival . (prices start at 20USD)

Contact info: 1876-476-7239 (t) 1876-971-0134 (fax)

 email:sw14denzel2003@yahoo.com; 
http://www.bethelcourtguesthouse.com/bethel%20court%20guesthouse%202.htm

CEDAR RIDGE LODGE

Located no more than 10 minutes from Montego Bay's Hip Strip, Cedar Ridge could not be more ideal. A combination of beautiful scenery and ease of access makes this this a winner for all guests.No Unregistered guests are allowed inside the Cedar Ridge Lodge Premises. Balance of Payments should be made by cash only at this time. (rooms from 22USD)

Bookings can be made directly through:

the Cedar Ridge FB Page

Email: cedarridgeja@hotmail.com

Phone: 1 876 578 9314 or through Hostelworld.com

CARIBIC HOUSE

Caribic House is located in Montego Bay in the heart of the tourist centre affectionately known by the locals as 'The Hip Strip'. With Caribic House is located in Montego Bay in the heart of the tourist centre affectionately known by the locals as 'The Hip Strip'. With the airport just a five minute drive away, you don't have to waste any of your precious holiday time travelling to and from the hotel. The property consists of 17 air-conditioned rooms and is within very easy walking distance of a wide and varied selection of beaches, water sports and entertainment centres. Tours to many of Jamaica's best attractions can also be arranged from our front desk.the airport just a five minute drive away, you don't have to waste any of your precious holiday time travelling to and from the hotel.  


Bookings can be made through http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Caribic-House/Montego-Bay/7412

From Novice to Connoisseur: A Wine fanatic's Guide

Now if you've been reading my blog, or if you know me, you would know that I am a wine fanatic! Unfortunately, I'm more of a novice than a connoisseur, but I have every intention of changing that. I took a wine quiz, to see just how much little I really know about wine.. unsurprisingly, my score was a mere 4 out of 10 :(.  I decided to do some research immediately. Ill post some of the information I garnered...I'll try to make it interesting, informative and concise as I can :)

Due to the fact that I am trying to make this post as concise as I can, I wont delve into the history of wine, however, you may click on the link provided and read all about it at your own convenience.

Where do I begin? First of all, To really appreciate wine, you'll need to have some amount of knowledge on it,  for example, the type of wine, the type of grapes that were used to make it, where it was made, when it was made etc.

All types of wines fall into one of these categories: White wine, Red Wine, Rose Wine, Sparkling Wine (including Champagne, Dessert Wine, and Fortified Wine).

White Wine

Red Wine

 From what I read, the difference between a novice and a connoisseur is that the latter learns the story in the wine, meaning the type of varietal, when and where it was made. It makes no sense spending a lot of money buying expensive wine and not being able to appreciate/ taste its true quality. The flavour of a wine is determined by the specific grape varietal grown and how these grapes are treated during the wine making process.

Bergundy, France

In the United States, wines are referred to based on the type of grapes or the varietal grown to produce them for example, "Pinot Noir" or "Chardonnay"; while in Europe, wines are named after the area in which the grapes are grown, for example, Bergundy Wine from the region of "Bergundy" (Bourgogne) in France, and "Chianti" from Tuscany, Italy.



It is better to serve your red wine too cold than too warm. If served too warm it loses its freshness and many of its characteristic aromas and flavors.It’s more convenient to allow a wine to warm up in its glass than to put it back in the refrigerator or ice bucket. One easy way to warm up a glass of wine is to cup your hands around the glass while you swirl.


For white wines, the opposite may be true. It’s better to serve a white wine too warm than too cold. White wines served too cold (under 45°F) lose many of their flavors and aromas. However, you still want to serve your white wines colder than your red wines. Serving white wines at a lower temperature brings out their natural fruity, fresh, and sweet characteristics. Removing your white wine from the refrigerator 30-60 minutes before serving should bring them to about the right temperature. And, you can always warm the wine up by cupping your hands around the glass as you swirl.


See this chart for a list of some of the popular types of wine (red and white) and their aromas and flavours.

Rose Wine

Yellowtail Chardonnay

 Truth be told, I have not tasted/ experimented with a wide variety of wine. I  like and pretty much stick to what I've tried so far, my favourite being Yellowtail Chardonnay, I am a white wine kinda girl. I was recently introduced to Carlo Rossi Rose Wine and intend to make it apart of my wine diet!

Champagne

Whether you are a novice, like myself, or a connoisseur, whether u have wine for the sake of just sipping it, or you're an expert wine drinker, having a glass of wine is a truly divine experience :)

Carnival diet? umm...about that....

"...I'ts all about unity, togetherness, carnival time we love the jamming (dancing), all a we (all of us) collectively, in the bacchannal time to start the fete-ing....one thing about my country, everywhere we go, we love to party..." - Destra Garcia

These lyrics are part of one of my favourite soca songs from a Trinidadian songstress, and pretty much sums up what carnival means to me.

Carnival Revelers

Jamaica carnival is an event which takes place from February until the end of the Lenten season annually. Gym owners smile ear to ear as people flock their establishments trying to get the "perfect body" for road march.

The carnival season is always highly anticipated, because, well it is a very...liberating time for all who participate. It gives us an excuse to walk the streets half-naked, dressed in skimpy, colourful costumes, and drink all day while gyrating to the sounds of soca music blaring from trucks moving slowly along the selected carnival routes.

Now, if you've read my previous posts, or read the description of this blog, you're probably wondering why I'm writing about carnival and not about food...don't worry though, i'm getting to the food part...:)

As I mentioned earlier, many carnival enthusiasts hit the gym and go on diets to achieve their desired body mass so that they can show off their abs/ flat stomachs....and while they're busy doing this, I laugh at them and continue to stuff my face right up until carnival day...

I have never been to the gym, I thought about jogging once or twice to tone my legs, but not once did it cross my mind to watch what I eat. One of my greatest fears is that I will get diabetes or some other illness that will prevent me from eating ice cream and cake! I really hope I never do! *crosses fingers and toes*

Chicken Samosas

The grand finale to Jamaica carnival each year is the road march, which is usually held on on a Sunday. Unlike most of my friends who probably drank only green tea (yuck) and ate fruits on the days leading up to road march, I made sure I ate enough food to last me for days. I literally ate breakfast, lunch and dinner at around 4pm on Saturday:
(chicken samosas, nan, basmati rice, curry goat wrap and chicken tikka masala)....and then around 9 pm, I had chocolate cake and Carlo Rossi Rose wine for dessert! :). I was going to have some ice cream as well, but I didn't want to take anymore chances with my stomach the day before road march :).

Can u see the abs? lol

I am really grateful that I have a high metabolic rate though, because, best believe on road march day my six 2 pack abs were out in all their glory (ha ha) and were the envy of many! :)

Taco party!!

beef taco with salsa, cheese, lettuce and sour cream

I love tacos, but the only taco restaurant I know is in Kingston and I live in Montego Bay. My friend who recently moved to Montego Bay from Kingston had a taco craving the other day, (and since there isn't anywhere in Mobay where we can get ready made tacos), decided that we should make it ourselves, invite some friends over and have a taco party (yay!! fun! fun! fun! :).

Soft shell taco

We bought the taco shells (hard and soft), made our own salsa, and cooked our own mince meat. This was my first time making helping to make tacos (I must give my friend most of the credit and take the rest for myself because dicing up tomatoes and onions is no easy task...ha ha) and I cant wait to make them again! 

Hard shell tacos

We must have done a pretty good job with the tacos or they were starving, because within seconds (i kid you not) of placing the tacos and salsa on the table, our friends quickly ate them off. 

happy taco eater :)

"The art of cooking"

My original idea was for this to be a lifestyle blog...one that would include the various places I've been and what they had to offer, for example some of Jamaica's hidden treasures. However, it seems to be leaning more towards being just a food blog...I guess it makes sense though, since food is one my most favourite thing in the world...those who know me often wonder how it is that I'm not fat...(Thank God I have a high metabolic rate).

I took a break from blogging because I thought I didn't have anything to write about since I haven't been to any restaurants worthy of being mentioned recently. Now, everyone who knows me knows that I am in no way or form a great cook. I can "cook up a lil sumn sumn to survive", and if I cook for you, chances are, contrary to popular belief, you WILL live to tell others that i'm not thaaat bad  at cooking :).

Having said that, I am proud to announce that I have decided to take up cooking as a hobby in order to perfect the art of cooking. I have discovered the joy of experimenting with different recipes and after tasting the finished dish, realize that "hey, this is actually pretty good"! :) *pats self on shoulder*.

I am what one would call an experimental chef. I never follow the recipes I see online "down to a "T", instead substituting some of the ingredients with whatever I have available at home at the time.

Now remember I have just discovered the art of cooking, so don't be too surprised when I tell you that I have discovered the magic that can be created by adding white wine (another of my favourites) and cream cheese to my dishes. I'm addicted!!! I've now perfected cooking creamy chicken/ shrimp pasta.

Fillet snapper cooked in creamy sauce (wine & cream cheese incl), and mashed potatoes and carrots

Tonight I decided to try something different and I made fillet snapper in a creamy sauce, mashed potatoes and carrots...it was yummay!!! :). Not only was this meal easy to prepare, it is cheap too :).




I have included some pics of just a few of the dishes I've prepared. I intend to try out more complicated dishes as I get the hang of this "cooking thing", so look out for those :).

my curried shrimp :)

p.s. Nothing makes me happier than having a glass of white wine...or some ice cream after I've prepared dinner in the evenings :)