Spencer Williams, Gleaner Writer
I still await the wine list. No, I did not ask for one, nor did I request another cocktail after my first. I expected the servers, at this supposedly classy restaurant, to be at a customer's beck and call (within reason of course). Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it part of a waiter's role to offer aperitifs, wine, water, etcetera?
Terra Nova Hotel is the home of what I thought was one of the better restaurants in St. Andrew.
Embarrassingly for me, I blundered, and the overall experience was well ... below par. Was it just an off night? Possibly, but at those prices, there shouldn't be a sour second!
When people don't know I'm in the restaurant, I can catch them off guard. Contrary to popular belief, food critics don't announce their presence.
It's the fairest way to judge whether a place has consistent good quality. It takes discipline and hard work to keep standards high. One gets lazy and can produce rubbish. If however, staff knew that an article would be written about them, they'd ensure that they were at their best. But they should always be at their best. This is what separates the finest from the flops.
Can't fault the fish
Let's start with the Caribbean smoked marlin with tropical fruit salsa. I can't fault the fish at all, but I was looking for the salsa on the plate when I wondered whether the chef forgot to mix the ingredients. There was a pile of pineapple and one of papaya, both evenly diced; a scatter of onions and capers often expected with this dish; and large dollop of pepper jelly and tartar sauce.
I can understand why no effort was taken to make one's own jelly, but there is no excuse for the tartar sauce. Dreadful! Honestly, it's simple to make, and if you don't have a cookbook which contains a recipe for it, try www.google.com - you'll find enough methods to compile your own hardback!
Not that any of this would compose a fruit salsa. Aren't you meant to actually mix the pineapple and papaya, perhaps with some chopped onions, herbs and lemon juice?
Hardly better
The shrimp martini with fiery vodka jalapeno sauce was hardly better. A little hot sauce mixed in with Hellman's mayonnaise was it? Four measly shrimp peering over the side of a martini glass, which was filled with shredded lettuce and topped with this: 'I'm trying to be different to shrimp cocktail, but am failing miserably, sauce.'
True flavour hidden
I'll give the criticism a rest for a minute. The ackee quiche topped with cheese was 'homely' delicious - a piping-hot filling with perfectly crisp pastry. The true flavour of our national fruit is hidden when teamed up with salt fish, so I'd like to see the culinary artists of Jamaica proudly experimenting with it more often.
As for the blue cheese filet mignon with sautéed fresh mushrooms? Aside from the missing fungi, the sauce went superbly with my 'bleu' steak, which had a generously melting blob of fromage bleu seeping out of the juicy meat as I sliced through the middle. I especially relished cleaning my plate with chunks of yummy roasted potatoes and vegetables!
STONE COLD
This was all too good to be true. The roasted rack of lamb, tastily seasoned with rosemary and garlic, arrived at the table stone cold. I kid you not. The rich demi-glaze (gravy) took it down another notch, and the bright green mint jelly reminded me of wine gums!
Barely scurrying out of the earth into which the chef had fallen, he managed to produce a deeply rich chocolate mousse, and creamy vanilla bean crème brulée with caramelised rum topping. My grumble is our waiter made a half-hearted attempt to 'fire' the sugar coating to a brittle crust.
Therefore, I cannot apologise for my terra-bly disappointing review.
Terra Nova All Suite Hotel, 17 Waterloo Road, Kingston 10.
Opening hours: 6:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. (for restaurant).
Look to spend: $3,500-$4,000 for three courses.
'The roasted rack of lamb, tastily seasoned with rosemary and garlic, arrived at the table stone cold. I kid you not.'
