Lunch at Miss T's Kitchen

When you live on an island that has a diverse culture, food is always exciting. In Jamaica, it is no different. A wide range of International fast-food franchises can be found competing with local franchises and small cook-shops are more common than high-end restaurants. But, there are some spots that just stand out as they cater to all palettes and give you a true representation of island food.

Yes.....I have an obsession for food; good food that is and have friends who enjoy to eat, cook and enjoy a good bottle of spirits. In later installments of my blog, you will see what kind of food and liquor indulgence we get into on the regular. On this blog, I will post the food I like from restaurants I have been to. New recipes I have tried. Food exploits from my friends and honest reviews of liquors we have subjected ourselves too. So keep coming back to read more.

Lunch At Miss T's Kitchen

If you have been to or heard of Ocho Rios, you know it is a small coastal town that caters heavily to the thousands of tourists that visit every year. It's not only where Dunn's River Falls & Mystic Mountain attractions are located but tucked away on a side street two minutes walk from the town's center, you will find Miss T's Kitchen tucked away in a little garden.

Opened every day from noon until 11 p.m. this small restaurant feeds all comers, no matter the dietary needs. Did I mention they have a gorgeous wine bar on location that is almost like going to a different establishment all together? We will get into that later.

Sea Trout in a Garlic Coconut Milk sauce and served with Steamed Veggies.

The Decor

Once you drive into the small gravel-covered parking lot, you get more of a sense of going to a friends house rather than a restaurant that you have never met any of these people before. Fresh flowers are always on the tables and nostalgic items are turned into artistic focal points throughout the dining room. Even the bathroom signs are clearly Jamaican and comical. Even the table tops are a conversation piece of art. While you sit and wait for your food I have no doubt you will notice the freezer that is right beside the kitchen door that offers fresh cold 'Jelly Coconuts' if you have never had a fresh coconut...Please do, it is a different experience than having it from a can or bottle. Fresh is best. The servers are always pleasant and look quite snazzy in their uniforms.

Now To the Food

Everything on the menu is good and makes it hard to make a choice.

Whether you are a meat lover, pescatarian or vegan, there is something on the menu for you. A great thing to also note is the chef is willing to make adjustments for done to order items. I'm always grateful for a dish that has a cream sauce that doesn't break on my plate and seafood that is treated with the respect it deserves. This restaurant has gotten the formula right. Not to mention crisply blanched or steamed vegetables that still retain color and crunch. Who enjoys soggy veggies?......Nobody! When I'm in the mood for fish on my visits I always order the sea trout that is fried to seal in the moisture and flavor then married with either a garlic cream sauce or some yummy oleo. Rice & Peas with tossed veggies is a local favorite but don't sleep on having it with just plain steamed garden vegetables, either way, your tummy will be Happy.

Braised Oxtails with White Rice and Shredded Veggies

There is one dish that Miss T's Kitchen is renowned for and that 'Oxtails'. There is just something they do to this bony morsel of beef that will most likely result in the sucking of bones and fingers...simply magical. On the Apps section of the menu, there is the signature Oxtail Cocoa bread: which is tiny rounds of in house baked buttery good bread that is stuffed with de-boned oxtail meat. If you're a newbie to the oxtail life then ease into it with that slice of heaven. Now, for those of us who can remember large family gatherings were the only time the best cooks in the house would assault your senses for hours while the oxtails were being cooked, understand my next line of conversation. Picture... 'tender gummy meat that falls off the bone with the slightest tug. The thick brown gravy that is not oily but begs to be sopped up. Then there are the additions of the tiny dumplings and the perfectly soft butter beans that are infused with the aroma of thyme, rosemary and just a hint of heat from habanero pepper.' True oxtail lovers know that when it is cooked perfectly, just the gravy adds magic to a plain old fried chicken meal. Yes! we Jamaicans are obsessed with curry gravy & oxtail gravy on our fried chicken. With all that said the next time, you happen to want to dine for lunch or dinner in Ocho Rios take a detour to Miss T's Kitchen, its well worth it. they are on google maps, Instagram and you can lust at their menu online before you make your trip.

The Wine Bar

Uniquely named the 'Di Wine Yaad' is a wooden structure that totally ties in with the existing decor and offers outdoor and indoor seating. Light background music and an atmosphere that screams 'Tapas & Wine'. The selection of wine available suits any budget and the wine drinkers from introductory to the connoisseur. If you are lucky you might even get to share a glass of wine with the owner Miss T (Anna-Kay Tomlinson) who regularly entertains friends at the 'Di Wine Yaad'.

I do hope this encourages you to try something new or take a second look at the obscure places and hidden food joints in Jamaica. Until the next time, we do it..............

For The Love Of Food.