By Kinisha O'Neill, Staff Reporter
11 Devon Road (off Hope Road), St. Andrew
Telephone: 906-3574
Hours: Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner
Price: Meals start at $300 and go up to about $600
THERE'S A little secret I'd like to let you in on -- you can eat vegetarian and never, ever miss meat.
Honestly.
Don't believe me? Feel up to the challenge? I dare you to have a meal at Velisa's, a recently-opened vegetarian restaurant at 11 Devon Road (in the vicinity of Devon House), St. Andrew. If you go, I promise you'll with leave with adjectives like mouth-watering, scrumptious and delectable, paired with others like healthy, nutritious and wholesome, spilling from your lips.
THE WORLD ON YOUR PLATE
Food recently tested Velisa's vegetarian fare and left feeling satisfied and refreshed.
The ambience is romantic, whimsical, artsy, rustic, quaint. The restaurant is set in an older residential home, the outside of which is draped in greenery -- perfect for outdoors dining. Guests also have the option of patio dining or sitting indoors among the array of artwork swallowing the walls of the restaurant.
Velisa's is an artist's den -- literally and otherwise. Owner Betty Delfosse is an artist who also owns and operates an engineering company. She explains that the restaurant's unique decor is a reflection of herself as a "frustrated artist. My artistry comes out in the food too," she adds.
In addition to her artistry, Delfosse also brings out tasty vegetarian flavours from around the world in her menu. A globe trotter and a vegetarian for 25 years, Delfosse says that during her treks around the world she has sought to sample the best of each destination's meatless dishes. Consequentially, Velisa's boasts "an eclectic mix of foods from all over the world -- Iranian, Thai, Japanese, generally Asian and, of course, Jamaican. You could probably experience a mix of all these cultures on one plate."
A TASTE SO DIVINE
That's wonderful, theoretically, but you may be wondering how it tastes. Delfosse sums
it up best: "Delightful dishes from all over the world that
are delicious."
Delicious indeed! I ordered ackee bammy rounds for my appetiser; fettuccini tossed in Portobello triple cheese and cilantro soy cream sauce as the main dish; and whole wheat garlic pesto bread, as a side. I also had pineapple/orange juice and fresh yoghurt with exotic fruits for dessert.
My verdict: Tantalising, scrumptious, tasty, divine and, oh, absolutely filling. I couldn't breathe after all of that and had to take a long rest before re-entering the world outside. What a pleasing feeling!
The service: Friendly and attentive, but relaxed (which seems to be one of the restaurant's central themes). It offers that little bit of extra attention that is common abroad but is often lacking here. It must be yet another consequence of Delfosse's globe trotting. It was refreshing.
There you have it, ambience, food and service all get an A+ in my book.
THERE'S MORE
The menu includes soups, salads, sandwiches, fruit juices, shakes, smoothies, shots and a variety of desserts. For those who are fanatically health conscious, there are also raw food dishes.
If you are a diehard meat lover, there are dishes that taste less...well... vegetarian than others -- for instance the Fettuccini tossed in Portobello triple cheese and cilantro soy cream that I had. You definitely won't miss meat with this one.
If you have a sweet tooth, there are more heart-healthy choices at Velisa's than at most mainstream restaurants. The No Sugar Apple Swirl and Oreo Cheesecake are worth a try. I must also say that my fresh yoghurt with exotic fruits was the best dessert I have ever had -- no exaggeration.
Or you can just go there, hang out around the juice bar and enjoy juices, smoothies and shakes made from 100 per cent juice.
"In the final analysis you are what you eat, and there is a direct connection between the food you eat and what you think," reminds Delfosse. "Vegetarianism is the most elegant and sophisticated way to eat. This is the diet of the 21st century."
Hmmm. Food for thought.
