Rosemary Parkinson, Freelance Writer
Wild Orange Duckling, Escargots in Garlic, and The Waldorf Salad. - PHOTOS BY ROSEMARY PARKINSON
Trinidad Terrace, New Kingston
Phone: 960-6328
Hours: Mondays to Saturdays 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Closed on Sundays
Reservations recommended
"MAC'S IS oh sooo New York. A breath of fresh air for the capital. The place to be if you're anybodee."
The news reached me fast and furious. At last, another great restaurant in Kingston.
Whoopee!
Now, I have not been to New York for a number of years but if simplicity is the new look, Mac's has it. A glance around as we entered also showed we were indeed dining with the who's who of Jamaica. All seemed well. Mi reach, as the saying goes. So with a proud smile on my face I settled myself on the plush banquette with some friends to celebrate.
Then I had to open my own napkin. Mi forget the last time mi opened mi own napkin in a restaurant but, goodeh, maybe dis ah new New York stylee.
Then I saw the size of the napkin mi wonder if is dolly napkin dis? Ah, Rosie, remember you just said is a long time you visit di Big Apple, maybe dis a new, new New York fashionette.
Then, di couple next to us was so close, mi feel dem right in mi water glass. Bwoy, New York get friendly dese last couple ah years eeh?
BLINDING LIGHTS: IS THIS NEW YORK OR HOLLYWOOD?
And den mi eye start to squint under the overly bright lights. Hello, dis is not New York, dis is Hollywood - any minute a director could fly out from behind a pillar and shout, 'Take one. Roll camera.'
No call for lights required here, no sah, dem in place already.
Sorry. New York or not, bright lights and tables on top of one another make me a tad uncomfortable, not because I have anything to hide - apart from wrinkles. I would prefer if the world did not have to notice my mini-napkin sliding off my rather large lap at five-second intervals.
Hello, Rosemary, did you not say you were here to celebrate and be with friends? And did you not read somewhere from those whose culinary experience range from Dakar, Senegal, to Paris, that the accessibility of vision 'to see clearly now' who eating with whom (paying special mind to their haute or not so haute couture), who ordering what, and who paying the bill is to be considered a most appealing attraction?
Maybe Kingston reach Hollywood and New York all in one. So stop. Go with the flow, mi dear, said I chatting quite happily to myself (first sign of madness, they say, but so be it).
I was kindly offered a cocktail before dinner by a distinctively good looking young waiter. "May we see your cocktail list?" asked I, assuming that this was de rigueur in the Big Apple and the Land of Stars. But I guess not of eating in such places of high esteem makes me vulnerable to stupid questions.
"Well, if you do not have a cocktail list, could you give us some advice as to what your bar might offer? Something delicious, something that will start our celebratory mood with a bang," said I.
There was a blank look, a glance towards the bar and then the reply of replies: "Well, we have red wine, white wine and rum and coke."
Now I know the lights have changed on Broadway. Now I know Hollywood not di same and Kingston, in order to keep up with the times in New York, has cocktails with a California, Italian, French and St. Elizabeth Appleton Estate touched by a Coca-Cola twist.
Nonplussed, my gentleman friend ordered a 'Dewars' and us other two just threw out Apple Martinis into the air - made with vodka, that is. One Apple Martini Sour for one madam that is - and one plain Apple Martini for di next Madame, that is.
The Apple Martini Sour came with a plump olive dunked
right in that Sour. That was
definitely innovative and
different. Maybe Greek?
A young gentleman, as
pleasant as could be, attired in full dark New York/Paris/ Hollywood suit rushed to the table and changed the martini sour, removing the confused olive with many apologies.
'MAWGA' ESCARGOT
Two of us ordered Escargots in Garlic - half a dozen plump, juicy (as described on the menu) escargots nestled in mushroom caps and glazed with hot melted butter. The lady, the Waldorf Salad - classic blend of celery, apples, grapes, walnuts and mayonnaise, served on fresh greens.
If there is one thing I am an expert on is those fine plump divine little ones doused in
garlic, having had the pleasure, on many memorable occasions, to dine at the home of escargots - Paris, no less. But, plump
these were not - that had been relegated to the olive in the
martini. However, nestled they were - so nestled mi nuh coulda find them within the mushroom.
The sauce was not as 'garlicky' as I would have liked
but the menu did say hot melted butter and I did get that. Both my male companion and I were far too busy soaking up same with the very exquisite bread to notice some mumblings about "if an ingredient not available, I should be told" coming from our friend who was commenting on her Waldorf Salad.
Truth be told, by then, we were into our first bottle of Moet & Chandon (sorry to be so crass but the Dom was US$200 and what with the imminent hurricane, we thought it better to save that extra US$100 for corned beef rations) and, in any case, our companion was too far away for good hearing, too covered in myriads of wine glasses never removed from the table. Was that because they were Baccarat and required New York notice 'though not in use?
Next were two Filet Mignon, 10 ounce - a centre cut Prime Filet steak grilled to your specifications, says the menu. I ordered the Wild Orange Duckling. Tender young duckling crisply roasted and served with a Jamaican wild orange sauce, according to the menu. One filet arrived medium to rare as ordered, the other rare as not ordered. I took umbrage, complained and had same re-singed and returned. The steaks were indeed now divine. My duckling was delicious - very tender - but there was nothing crispy about that bird. The asparagus, creamed and garlic spinach were perfect.
Things were picking up in the fun and good company department. Miss Evelyn, Emily, Merlyn, Cindy, Myrtle or
whoever was lurking out there, churning up our seas, bothered us not at this point. We forfeited corned beef for sardines so as to enable another bottle of Moet - really actually required to keep the celebratory mood for there had been nothing too triumphant or commemorative about the evening so far, so why not more bubbly eehh?
BURNT ORANGE CREME BRULEE
And now for the piece de resistance. Burnt Orange Crème Brulee. Now, how easy is this, eh? All three diners, same dessert. Get ready. Not.
The Brulee arrived and was immediately sent back for someone in the-state-of-the-art-kitchen to 'torch' the gold gobs of sugar over the crème. Returned to the table, lo and behold, 'twould the French to now bemoan the fracas that could invite a United Nations meeting. One Brulee was like custard, another like porridge, one tasty and edible but both still without glassy caramelised crust. Management was duly unhappy and the cremes ceremoniously removed from the bill - and I bless whoever made those French mistakes for our evening among the rich and famous of Kingston cost US$500. I have been
relegated to eating mackerel and will be for the next 10 years.
I do understand that the full complement of the Mac's Chop House Machado family was not on the premises for personal
reasons. Running a restaurant is not sugar water, that's why I strongly advocate training for one and all for no man is an island.
To be blunt - I do not care from what echelon of society you come - if one puts out
hard-earned money to enjoy
an evening out in what has
been described by the owners themselves as a fine dining
and high class restaurant, then that is what should be provided for the Manleys - or in this case the Almighty US dollar for
nothing on the menu is quoted
in Jah money. And, by the way,
I also resent that the menu with the prices was handed to the
gentleman at the table. Who
seh in today's day and age, a woman cannot see di bill and
pay for it too?
There is just no excuse for all this. Sorry.
Please guys, Kingston needs you. Just get it right. We really want you to succeed.
For pleasing to succeed, it helps to be correct.
- I Ching. The Book of Change.
