Foodie Diary - Final Part!

Moving on to epicurean and delectable delights and you can walk into the Palm Court Restaurant at the Hilton Kingston Hotel, Strawberry Hill Hotel, Norma’s on the Terrace at The Devon House or Red Bones Blues Café. Any of these restaurants will treat you to fine dining and customer service as only Jamaicans can. If you can imagine it, they can find it. Anything and everything is on the menu, at a price! It is well worth the extra expense however because it is a food experience that you will find hard to top. From hand rolled sushi to fresh seafood dishes and the best steak tartare (The Palm Court Restaurant), topped with signature cheesecakes and fresh brewed Blue Mountain Coffee (with a dash of 125 year old VX Special, if you wish!).

Many classic dishes are done with a dash of island flavor to make them uniquely Jamaican; so tropical fruit flavours to complement steak Roquefort; sweet potato fries to replace the traditional savoury fries; mint, pineapple and mango flavours with pork and lamb served up with superb sunsets and breathtaking views of the Caribbean Sea are all on the menu.

Strawberry Hill Hotel or Boone Hall Oasis is a must do for Sunday Brunch if you are in Kingston. Perched 3100 ft above sea level in the Blue Mountains, the former will give you high mountain air, majestic views, extravagance and luxury. Their Seville Orange seared Duck Breast or Jerk Style Lamb Rack will give you an idea of that island flavor on the classics I mentioned earlier. As a favourite, I am partial to their Ceviche Martini with a vodka libation!

Boone Hall Oasis by comparison is a rustic, totally Jamaican experience by the river, however don’t be fooled by the location. Stephen and his team will whip up anything from an international buffet that will surprise and tantalize your palate and as you take off your shoes and wade into the river to sample your goodies on a rock, you will know the true meaning of a foodie’s paradise! Recommendations include their shrimp dish in a rum sauce (he won’t budge with the recipe!!) and this year for restaurant week they had a codfish bruschetta in an avocado shell (maybe they’ll make it for you if you ask really nicelyJ) and coconut ice cream served in a papaya boat, sprinkled with ortanique liquer, and there’s that island flavor again…

Moving on to the Palm Court Restaurant at the Hilton Kingston will take you into international cuisine as only an international hotel like the Hilton knows how to deliver. Anything and everything goes as Olivier and his team strive for perfection everyday and brings the best of Asia, Europe and North America to your table. Everything on the menu is fabulous and please never order your steak well done as this French Food & Beverage Director will remove it from your table and to the nearest bin…”It is simply a barbaric way to have a steak”! Tres desagreable (pardon my french if I messed that up!).

Alas! I have waxed poetic about food for long enough and need to move on. Check back tomorrow for more destination wedding news from 2009!