A Gastronomic Travel to Jamaica's Restaurants: Ambrosia

A Gastronomic Travel to Jamaica's Restaurants

I certainly believe that a restaurant experience is made of quality food, quality ingredients, ambiance and service. Who does not enjoy a meal better when your palate is spoiled with the most delicious flavours, the freshness of the ingredients used in the preparation and, first and foremost, the service provided by the staff that works at that place? I am sure that you will be nodding a yes to this question... it is true! A culinary experience is COMPLETE only when those factors converge. Otherwise, there is something missing.

The idea behind this Blog is to start on a blank slate... let me say that I want to give a new opportunity to Jamaica's gastronomic scene... and I want to try it because it has grown and I am happy to see how new places appear and old place get a facelift!

However, this is not a one man's show... I want the help and recommendations of readers who, like me, enjoy the eating out experience. I'll be reporting on what I taste, smell, see and, particularly, on the way I am treated as a paying customer... we cannot forget that we are talking about money and we want QUALITY.

2008/09/24

Ambrosia Restaurant at the Loshusan Shopping Centre

I have tried this place twice and I am not still convinced that it works.

There is something about that background noise of slot machines and roulettes that is really a deterrent.

When it first opened, I was glad to see a new place on that busy corner of the Loshusan Supermarket. But my first attempt was not very memorable.

Nonetheless, I decided to give it another chance and invited some friends to accompany me to the noisy restaurant. I do not want to sound repetitive, but those machines are exactly that... a constant REPETITION of blares and blooms and dins… strident NOISE!

We ate and let me tell you that their food was terrible. Apart from their appetizers, the rest of the food was really despicable.

I asked for a Jambalaya and it was like frozen paella that had been sitting on the kitchen counter for at least three days. I’d kill for a good Jambalaya, but their version of this dish from New Orleans was completely different from what I know.

I tried it though… BAD!

I saw my acolytes’ faces and it was not a pretty picture. Just imagine, they could not even finish their dishes.

Service was good, but our experience was completely marred by the BAD quality of the food.

They need to revisit the restaurant idea… serve just appetizers… call the TAPAS. Escape from the erroneous formula of CASINO and FINE DINING RESTAURANT that you are trying to pull off.

It’s not working.

So, my dear BLOG readers…. When in the mood for a nice dining experience at Ambrosia, you’d better try the CASINO!

Think it twice!

Keep on eating… and BETTING!