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Not Really a Trip Report - MoFromMonroe - 05-06-2014
BUT MORE OF A FOODIE REPORT
We don’t do a whole lot in Negril other than walk the beach, sit on the beach, float in the sea, eat, drink and repeat. It’s amazing how time flies doing the same thing every day.
First a little background since I was mostly a lurker who recently came out of lurkdom. Our first trip to Negril was November 2006. We did the all inclusive at Couples Negril. Loved it and continued to go that route twice a year for a total of 10 times. We only swayed once to Isla Holbox, Mexico. That was a big mistake and the worst vacation of our lives. We have been to other islands St. Lucia, Bermuda, Aruba, Cancun but once we found Negril we don’t feel the need to go elsewhere
On our tenth trip to Couples Negril we finally realized that we were spending lots of money on the stuff we didn’t do (snorkeling, scuba, glass bottom boats, catamaran) so we make the jump to non-AI. After much research we settled on Coco La Palm and it has been our home now for about 5 trips (twice a year).
Our April trip was no different than the others. We continue to see old friends and meet many new ones.
Here are the restaurants we went to this trip with a brief review. I should photograph the food but I never think of it.
DINNERS:
Kuyaba- all I can say is “Peppa Shrimp”. Although not cheap; $15 for an appetizer I think I could eat this every day. Shrimp with a salad would fill you up. I also love their snapper with coconut sauce. I am always on the lookout for a decent glass of pinot grigio and they serve it here. Definitely my favorite restaurant. We went here twice.
Charela-love their pasta dishes served with olive oil and garlic. I usually just get the veggie one. It comes with bread & a salad for a decent price. The escargot appetizer is really good too. They serve a good savignon blanc. I only drink white wine and don’t like chardonnay at all.
LTU-Love the breaded snapper or chicken stuffed with calaloo and cheese and got to share with a friend so I had both. This was the only trip to the cliffs.
Idle Awhile- I had the seafood paella and was hard pressed to find any seafood in it. This is the 3[sup]rd[/sup] time at this restaurant and although everybody raves about it I don’t think I will be back. Expensive for what you get in my opinion.
Best In The West- only went once but you can’t beat their chicken with rice and peas. Two dinners and a couple of beers for $30. Last trip we got dinners to go quite often. This time we ate there. They have a nice little area for dinner. And of course don’t forget the story I posted in another thread about Kareen, the honest waitress.
Kenny’s Italian Café- first time there. We loved their pizza so much we went back a second time. Just don’t buy a bottle of wine. It was $38 for a $10 bottle of wine. The pizzas are reasonable. I love the thin crust. Lots of toppings offered. Relatively quick service too.
LUNCHES:
Rondel-we go here to visit with Donovan, the bartender who use to work at Coco and Xtabi before that. I love the open faced grilled cheese with calaloo sandwich and home made potato salad.
Alfred’s- We go to Alfred’s for lunch at least once every trip for the fish and chips. This time I thought they were a little greasy but still good. The couple we went with only had US$ and the bills came in JA$. I told them to leave $100 to $1 and they would be ok including tip. As we were leaving the waiter said “you know what the exchange rate is right?” I said yes about $107 to $1. He said “no I mean our exchange rate which is $95 to $1. We told him there was enough money there and take it out of his tip. Sorry that was just wrong.
Cosmo’s-I love Cosmo’s conch soup and $4 margarita’s. What a combination but I get it every time. I love the oldies but goodies playing and the quietness here. This is a lunch stop for us. It is difficult to get a good margarita in Jamaica. I know I know I should be drinking rum and red stripe but I am not a huge fan of rum and can only drink a beer or two and I’m done.
Coco La Palm-Most days lunch consisted either of a patty or something from the grill at Coco which is pretty reasonable. When O’Neil is working I drink margaritas. He makes a great one. We don’t normally eat dinner at Coco. It’s expensive and not so good. I don’t know how they will support the indoor restaurant they are building when the one they have is always empty. Maybe some changes will be happening. Some nights there were no people dining and other nights I never saw more than 1 or 2 tables. That being said they do have a great happy hour from 5-7PM that is buy one, get one every night except Monday which is the managers cocktail party for guests which is hors d’oeuvres and wine & beer. This happy hour is the reason we do not venture out more to the cliffs. We are content to get dinner close by and end the night early since our day starts with a walk on the beach at 7AM.
Sorry to bore you all but I know I am always looking to see where you all ate so I can follow behind. One thing I won’t do is go to lunch and wait 2 hrs for my food. I would rather be floating in the sea. A few people mentioned how good the food was at Janette’s on the beach but everything is cooked to order. Soup took 2 hrs. Sorry I don’t have the patience for that.
RE: Not Really a Trip Report - jitterbug - 05-06-2014
sounds like a great trip . . .
RE: Not Really a Trip Report - Sharleen - 05-07-2014
No mentions of any breakfast reports - I highly recommend that you go to breakfast at the Tree House's all you can eat buffet breakfast, it's really really great. A great selection of food for a good price.
RE: Not Really a Trip Report - oldtimer - 05-07-2014
Since I usually stat at Cottontree Place I eat brekkie at Juicy J's. Now that will be changing since they have moved way out on the beach.Probably will be MiYard now. Can't beat the prices or the food at The Corner Bar. Up the cliffs there are so many great places to eat ,it's hard to go wrong. Chicken Lavish...all I can say is YUMMY !!!!!!! for anything I ever had there. Alfred's ...best fish 'n chips south of Nova Scotia.Good food is everywhere but I also wouldn't wait 2 hours for a meal. Almost forgot lobster pizza at Tamboo.
RE: Not Really a Trip Report - Coconut - 05-07-2014
Peppa shrimp??? Mo - tell us more! Do you think we could make it at home?
I don't know how they do it, but the food in Negril is the BEST anywhere. I crave it... Great! Now I'm craving it!
Sips and Bites has my heart.
RE: Not Really a Trip Report - Kiknback - 05-07-2014
Thanks for sharing! I love a good foodie report!
Been meaning to try Italian Cafe... several of the others made me hungry.
RE: Not Really a Trip Report - MoFromMonroe - 05-07-2014
Peppa shrimp are not like shrimp we have at home in NY. If I understand correctly they are fresh water shrimp from the Black River. They cut them in half lengthwise and are about 3 inches long. I think they grill them. They are sort of like a tiny lobster. The spices they use are what makes them special. You can get them hot or mild.
Coco includes a continental breakfast but we upgrade to a full breakfast for about $12 to $15 for 2 of us. How much is the breakfast at the Treehouse. May be worth the walk once in awhile for something different. Not sure how different breakfast can be though.
No lobster pizza for us. It was out of season and we abide by the law. Lobster guy was still walking the beach every day with cooked lobster. Plenty of people were buying it.
RE: Not Really a Trip Report - kaycee - 05-08-2014
Very nice! Thanks for sharing!
RE: Not Really a Trip Report - rastagirl777 - 05-09-2014
Mo, next time you go take a day trip to Middle Quarters for "real" Pepper Shrimp.
They are not grilled. They are fresh water shrimp harvested from the creeks and rivers in that area (they are probably brought into Negril from there). The preparation is simple - they throw the shrimp in a pot (live) and dump in a bunch of mottled Scotch Bonnet peppers and some salt. Twenty minutes on the fire - perfect deliciousness!
My late friend Brenda (a chef) enjoyed them in Middle Quarters but also really enjoyed them at Push Cart - said they were a very close "second" to the "real deal". Anything food - I trust(ed) Bren.
As far as the rate at Alfreds, well - this is what happens when someone uses USD in Jamaican establishments. Any establishment - bar, restaurant, store - can exchange the US dollar at any rate they choose. I'm sorry but that's not the server's fault, that's the policy and has been since forever - something to remember in your future travels to the island. Sadly, the server in this case suffered financially for no reason.
Sounds like you had a great time with some great meals. Thanks for sharing.
RE: Not Really a Trip Report - MoFromMonroe - 05-09-2014
We come to Negril for the beach and have no interest in traveling around and losing a day at the beach. Our closest beach to home is the NJ shore which is about 3 hrs away. Water is too cold, too dirty and waves to high for me. Can't get enough of the beach in Negril. As to the shrimp I don't like "hot" so I am pretty sure I wouldn't like them from Middle Quarters. I have heard they are really hot. Kuyaba's are perfect for me. I will definitely tell my husband about the ones at Push Cart. That is one of our go to places although not this time. I don't remember seeing them on the menu.
Also the waiter did not suffer at Alfreds. My husband and I did pay in Ja$ so the difference was minimal. It was lunch not dinner. We are all good tippers. Probably better than most.