Patrons at the opening of Christopher's, Knutsford Boulevard, New Kingston. - Contributed CHRISTOPHER'S CAFÉ rests easily on the ground floor of The Quad, Trinidad Terrace, New Kingston. The jazz club brings the lighter side of entertainment to the four-level entertainment complex, which is just off New Kingston's hip-strip.
As soon as one steps in, it is easy to see the kind of space that the club is striving to be. With the use of rich, sumptuous colours and flowing lines Christopher's feels warm and inviting. Even an artistic interpretation of the curvaceous Appleton VX bottle which graces the wall attempts to defy being labelled mere commercialisation.
Christopher's seats 80 and is arranged in three segments. The entrance area features a lounge, which sports comfortable furniture in darkwood, telling stories of swirling smoke and clinking glasses. In the far corner is the dining area. The bar straddles the space between the two.
Unlike the rest of The Quad, Christopher's is open for six days of the week, from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 a.m. The restaurant offers a lunch menu when it opens which changes to a grill menu at 4:00 p.m.
TWO SUPERVISING CHEFS
At the opening of the club towards the dusk of 2004, the hors d'oeuvres served were an exquisite temptation which begged the palate to hurry back for a full course. The club has two supervising chefs, Lascelles McIntosh and Moses McKenzie, both of whom were snatched from kitchens on the north coast. The supervisors are a part of a 41 staff complement.
The club's general manager, Erika Hinds, shares Jamaican and Canadian heritage. She has been living on Jamaican soil for the past six years. She is confident of the club's success, and says that the crowd support for the venue so far lends credence to her confidence.
Hopefully, Christopher's will bring more than the look of a jazz bar to the local entertainment scene. Hinds reveals that that is among the plans for the space.
She says the club plans to engage the live jazz scene in two ways. The first is through the use of the baby grande piano that sits proudly near the bar. While there is a regular pianist, Hinds said that guests are welcome to strut their stuff on the ivories if they feel the urge.
"We won't chastise you or have security throw you out," says Hinds when asked about what will become of the less skilled musicians who are moved by music's muse.
Also at the local level, Hinds says that students just of the school of music are welcome to test their skills and show off their work to the club's patrons.
"There is really no competition to Christopher's," says Hinds.Time will surely tell.
