By Michelle Barrett, Staff Reporter
Shrimp stuffed with Yucca (similar to cassava). - Michael Sloley /Freelance Photographer
HOPPING OUT of the car as it stopped along Knutsford Boulevard, our bodies were suddenly illuminated by the bright lights of the signs hanging above the fast food establishments and night clubs located on this popular New Kingston 'hip strip'.
As the cars whizzed by us, it was evident that the strip was slowly stirring to life on that Wednesday night. Our steps quickened as a Lexus van veered toward us and we had to make a dash for the sidewalk to avoid being hit.
On going through the doors of Epiphany Too, we climbed three flight of stairs which led us to Up on the Roof Restaurant. Reaching the top of the stairs we soon realised that our climb was well worth the effort with the fragrance of curry chicken wafting in the air and a soothing atmosphere enhanced with the soft glow from the Home Sweet Home lamps on each table. This was a true oasis in the bustling Knutsford Boulevard.
WELCOMING CARIBBEAN FEEL
The restaurant's decor is distinctly Caribbean and welcoming as it gives one the feeling of entering a good friend's home. The walls are painted in bright colours, while the roof was fringed with latticed fretwork. The wrought iron tables are also elegantly decorated with bright floral tablecloths and potted plants are placed strategically around the open-air venue, keeping in sync with the tropical island theme.
To refresh ourselves and whet our appetite, the proprietor and our hostess for the night, Johanna Thwaites, invited us to have a glass of mojito - a rum-based drink from Cuba garnished with mint leaves. Our thirst fully quenched, we were handed a menu that took us on a trip through some of our Jamaican parishes and touched down on a few Caribbean islands. There was Bahamas style stew conch; Cuban style Loin of Pork with garlic and onion sauce; St. Maarten's Fish of the Day; Antiguan Bacalao (saltfish) cooked in a spicy creole sauce; Bajan Flying Fish and CouCou (turned cornmeal or turned breadfruit with okra) and Trinidad Curry Chicken with roti and dahl.
The menu also includes sumptuous traditional Jamaican dishes such as Westmoreland Oxtail, Clarendon Curry Goat, Boston Bay Jerk Pork Chops, Linstead Ackee and Shrimp and St. Andrew Stew Peas. According to Miss Thwaites, the restaurant was designed specifically to integrate the Caribbean culture.
PORK TO DIE FOR
For the appetiser, we had a small bowl of lentil soup accompanied by warm garlic bread, which adequately prepared us for the main course.
Die-hard pork lover that I am, I chose the Cuban-style pork served with green plantain fufu (similar to a paste), black bean salsa, garnished with a vegetable salad. It was divine, to say the least. I relished each morsel of pork.
Half way through my meal I was full but I left just enough space for dessert. The variety of dessert offered were simply heavenly treats for those with a sweet tooth. The collection includes delights such as bread pudding with rum sauce, Bombay mangoes with coconut cream, Jamaican rum cake with rum sauce and carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. With each bite all thoughts of dieting exited my mind. I just had to dig in.
Open daily for lunch and dinner, prices for Up on the Roof go from about $300 to $800. It's worth it. If you're seeking fine dining in an elegant setting with a Caribbean flair, this is it.
