Food and Drinks
Our resort is an all inclusive resort. Food, drinks and snacks 22 1/2 hours a day! The only complaint we had the entire week was with the food and service at the 3 a la cartes we made it to. I'm picky, but managed to put meals together. Mike had a harder time trying to satisfy his palate. There are 7 a la carte (theme) restaurants, including 3 buffets. The comments reflect our personal experiences only. Friends we'd made from the UK had different and similar experiences. What can I say? We chose to eat out on the terraces at each restaurant. It felt right, eating in the evening air.
Chez Bubba's grill house. I had an acceptable grilled lobster tail and Mike had a rib eye steak (in theory). I'd seen photos online of Caribbean lobsters that were HUGE! This wasn't, but it was really tasty. I found out after we returned home that Lobster season ended the same week we were there so they may have had to bring in frozen lobsters from somewhere else to cover the menu. Apparently the lobsters in August were huge. Mike's ribeye steak was gross! He'd asked for med-well. It came med-rare, but he didn't know that until he tried to cut it, which was a fight. He did try a piece, but was chewing it forever. He should have sent it back, but after waiting just over an hour for it, wasn't interested. He said it didn't taste very good anyway. We spoke to our friends Sharyn and Wayne who ate here 2 nights later and they had a totally different experience. Their steaks apparently melted in their mouths. I'm guessing it depended on who was grilling the night you went. Who knows. I was avoiding carbs where possible and the waitress couldn't grasp the concept of "I don't want any potatoes please, just vegetables on the side." She said "I'll have to ask the Chef if I can do that - you're sure?" Really? It was delivered as I'd asked and I enjoyed it though I would have liked some more veggies and I still don't know what that brown spread was on my plate lol.
El Agave Mexican restaurant. This place had the most uncomfortable chairs ever. I think it went downhill from there. I ordered a shrimp cocktail, chicken fajita and a ginger ale. Mike ordered 2 nacho plates to share because our waiter said they were small, a burrito and a beer. Our waiter took our order, checked with the table next to us and got our drinks and nacho plates which looked like slop on chips. I ate a chip and it tasted like paste and the ground beef was non-existent and the sour cream and guacamole pooled in the middle. It all looked and tasted disgusting on the first and only bite. We hit the nacho station and shrimp bar in their side buffet. A shrimp cocktail consisted of 3 little shrimp in a shot glass full of seafood sauce. There was a theater style nacho station so we got a plate of nachos and cheese. More than an hour later we left, having not received our entree. We had not seen our waiter since he delivered our drinks and his tables were all left with dirty dishes. That was just bad coverage by any one of several servers standing around. One couple walked out 10 mins before we did and another, followed right behind us. I was hungry and the shrimp was good. I left 15 shot glasses on the table with 2 untouched nacho plates that had sat on our table the entire time. We even went to the "wait" bar for a second drink, spoke to the hostess and still nobody came to check this guy's tables and assist his guests.
Lotus House Asian Restaurant. We'd wanted to try the Teriyaki Chicken since we first checked out their menu on a photo walk. I decided on another grilled lobster tail instead. We both ordered an appetizer of Teriyaki shrimp, knowing Mike might only eat one, leaving the rest for me. Mike doesn't eat seafood unless it's battered and deep fried lol Mike chose sweet and sour pork with fried rice. I enjoyed the shrimp and yes, Mike did try one. Our wait wasn't as long this time. About 1/2 hour after the appetizers. Mike's pork was served cold and his rice looked like it had been sitting in a pan for hours. It was dry and overcooked. I questioned whether it was even rice lol My lobster was not what I ordered. I wanted a grilled lobster tail like I'd had previously. It may have been grilled, but the meat was removed and some mixed with runny, fishy tasting mashed potatoes and a few small pieces of overcooked mixed vegetables. This was put along the bottom of the shell and the remaining meat sitting on top of it. It reminded me of a soupy Coquilles St. Jacques. It just wasn't a great texture or taste. I told the waitress it wasn't what I ordered and I wasn't going to eat it. She tried to tell me it was grilled and I very clearly told her I wanted a grilled lobster tail with garlic butter and veggies on the side. No potatoes. The poor girl looked flustered and said she would get the Chef. He came to my table and I explained what I had before and thought that's what I would be receiving again. He told me that the different restaurants do certain dishes different ways and he said he'd be happy to prepare another for me. It arrived about 20 minutes later and was again, a tasty lobster tail. Mike just sat back nursing his drink and watching me eat my lobster. He'd eaten a couple of pieces of pork and forks of rice and pushed his plate aside.
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We were now 0 for 3 on our culinary journey. When we left we went to the Negril buffet so he could fill his belly ;) We decided we would just stick with the Buffet restaurants for our remaining meals. I was good with that. We both managed to eat fairly well at them and the food was pretty good with a decent selection.
I was told the Resort doesn't include lobster or jumbo shrimp in the all inclusive menu. I never found jumbo shrimp on any menu and they charged US$30 for lobster. We were given a $50 coupon in our welcome package to be used at the Spa or the restaurants. I used ours for 2 lobster dinners so we had a $10 charge when we checked out. In no way were the lobsters worth US$30. So very glad we got that voucher.
We ate breakfast at all 3 of the Buffets, The Mo'Bay Buffet Restaurant, the Negril Buffet Restaurant (our favourite) and the Blue Lagoon Buffet Pool Restaurant. The Blue Lagoon is open air and overlooks the Infinity Pool. We ate well and made choices we both enjoyed. For breakfast, Mike loved the fresh omelettes or French toast and meat sides and home fries and I was able to eat a balance to satisfy my diabetes. I had yogurt, poached eggs on whole wheat toast, 2 sausages, fresh fruit and pineapple juice most mornings. I found the bacon too salty so avoided it after the first time, but the sausages were delish. One thing I missed was grapefruit. They didn't have it or juice at the resort.
Mike loved the Jamaican coffee and he loved it even more when he discovered Jamaican Rum Cream IN his coffee. Me, not so much. I don't like strong coffee and I've never liked alcohol in mine, but I changed my tune when we got home and I tried the coconut rum cream in mine. I've only drank decaf for years. After my first cup of coffee one morning, I didn't drink any more. I was dying to have one as soon as we got off the plane, but waited until we got home.
I have to tell you about one of our young waitresses. I'm upset that I can't remember her name so I can let the hotel know how super she was. I thought I'd try the coffee again. I asked her if there was decaf. She said yes so I ordered one "with cream". She came back and said they don't have any cream, but she would run to the next restaurant to get some for me. She said "what my customers want, I'll make sure my customers get." She came back with a decaf latte with frothed "cream". I couldn't drink it because it was too strong and I didn't want to leave it there after what she did to get it for me so Mike drank most of it. I left her a large tip :)
We ate all our lunches at either the Buffet Restaurants that were open that day or at the Jerk Hut by the Infinity Pool and any remaining dinners at the Buffets as well. I ended more than one meal by getting an ice-cream cone from the Ice-Cream Bar and enjoyed it as we walked around the pool or Resort halls after dinner.
Mike and I thought the buffets had the best bread and rolls we've ever eaten. It almost lured me into overeating a lot of carbs, but I had pretty good control lol
Though Mike grew up with a variety of food with Caribbean or Indian flavours, he doesn't eat it as a rule. He was, however, all over the Jerk. I'm a boring eater. I grew up with a mild and bland meat and potato diet and the spices used in our family home were salt, pepper and maybe a little Italian seasoning when Mum made spaghetti and meatballs. I never acquired a taste for foreign foods like most of my friends. We are definitely NOT foodies lol I'm not a fan of heat or curry or most tropical fruits. I'd promised myself that I would try some new things and things I'd tried at home and didn't care for. I did and it only confirmed I still don't like most of those things. You still won't get me to eat avocados or asparagus. I found a few new things I'll enjoy on occasion. I liked a couple of new fruits and vegetables I tried, but for the life of me, I can't remember what the names are.
We went to Poseidon's for breakfast one morning and had a disgustingly sweet waffle with a couple of small pieces of fruit. It was sopping with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. We should have sent it back, but didn't. We left and didn't go back. I don't think they offered the seafood binge I was looking for anyway. Sad! Again, Mike doesn't eat seafood so it was no big deal.
We didn't get to the Arte & Cuccina Italian Restaurant. It seemed to be closed both nights we were looking to go there. That didn't bother me. I didn't want to be disappointed at another of their restaurants. We had spaghetti the night after we got home lol We aren't into Indian food at all so the Bhogali Indian Restaurant wasn't even a plan. Neither of us wanted to go to the Xaymaica Creole Restaurant. We looked at all the menus at these places and there were just too many items we wouldn't have liked. We are definitely not foodies lol
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We survived! and now I'm home, I'm seriously missing the luxury of not shopping, cooking and cleaning.
Drinks
What can I say? We don't drink, but we did drink here, and will drink again the next time we go. We tried several drinks before we were able to pick favourites. Jamaica is sun, fun and rum, in no particular order. Once it started, it just didn't seem to stop lol We didn't feel it, though as evidenced in a personal video I shared with friends, I sure looked it. My friends haven't seen me like that in a very, very long time. It's good to know I can still have a little fun with alcohol. [Apr. 15 - Mike and I were going over this section for about 1/2 hour recalling drinking episodes. I needed him to fill in some blanks. hahaha, I guess the rum was more fun than I remember.]
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Our first drink was in the Infinity Pool the day after we arrived. It was a Bob Marley and it was pretty darned tasty (at first). They didn't taste as good after 3 or 4 and we switched to something else. We didn't sit and drink at the swim-up bar. We'd get our drinks and stand at the pool's dividing wall or sit in the little columned enclosures in the pool and take it all in.
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We had a short wait to get seated at Bubbas so we got a drink at the bar and waited for our table call. I'm so glad we did. I asked the bartender to make me something fruity. I got distracted and took a drink the bartender set down. Thing was, it wasn't my drink lol It incited some comical banter at the bar. It was the best pina colada I've had in my life. So good in fact, I had 2. The coconut rum appeared to have coconut shavings in it so the drink had a slight texture and amazing flavours. Delish!!!
We had a solid pool day and discovered something called a Miami Vice (Mike's fave). Some bartenders omitted the red layer, but they tasted the same (I think lol) On our 3rd or 4th round of them I went to the pool bar beside the Jerk Hut, sans Mike, and proceeded to order 2 Don Johnsons. I'm sure you can imagine the playful bartenders taking that and running with it.
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I've always wanted to try a Mojito. I tried a frozen Mojito and it was pretty tasty for the first couple of sips. After the ice melted it looked like one of those cleansing swamp drinks people rave about and didn't taste so good. Never again lol
Mike discovered a drink (my fave) the day before we went home, called an Orange Rumsicle. Where had these been all week?
Firm slushie ice and rum poured around the outsides of the ice. Then orange pop over the ice.
I couldn't taste the rum (because I hadn't stirred my drink) and I'd tell the bartenders "don't be shy with the rum". Their solution was to put a straw down into the middle of the ice and pour an additional shot of rum into the straw. It tasted like a Creamsicle. Yummmmmmmmm!
Otherwise, Mike drank a few Red Stripe beers and I stayed with the pretty and tasty drinks. We tried a couple of other standards, a Strawberry Daquiry and a Margarita, but always went back to our chosen favourites. If I wasn't drinking rum, I was drinking ginger ale or Vitamin Water I'd brought from home or a local orange pop called BIGGA. Wasn't anywhere as sweet as our soft drinks and had a nice orange flavour. I think it's what they used in our Rumsicles. I rounded it out with a few late night cups of tea on the balcony watching the incredible moon over the Caribbean. "Sigh", but I digress lol Suffice it to say, we had a blast and much of it was attributed to some delicious and creative rum concoctions. Cheers!
Some had more red than others. Both were great.