Mongoose Jamaica Restaurant & Lounge – Pt. 1

February 28, 2013

Ocho Rios, St. Ann, Jamaica W.I. – I had been longing to come back to Jamaica for a few years now. One of the places I wanted to try upon my return was a place called Mama Marley’s. When I arrived in Ocho Rios, I learned they had moved down the street near the Taj Mahal. In its place was a new restaurant called Mongoose Jamaica. I asked one of the hotel workers in the hotel where I was staying which place I should go to. Without hesitating, they said I should go to Mongoose. So here I am.

Mongoose Jamaica just opened in December of 2012; just in time to join the last of the yearlong celebration of Jamaica’s 50^th year of independence.

I approached the building and noticed the Dry-Erase board outside promoting their breakfast fare. There is also an empty chair and table with an empty glass on it. The scene practically speaks to you, enticing you to come inside. You enter through a short walkway. Through the doors you’ll find a hostess station to the right but you’ll usually be greeted before you reach it.

Inside, the walls are painted yellow. Flags of various nations such as South Africa, Mexico, France, Cuba, the US, and, of course, Jamaica, just to name a few, hang from the wooden ceiling. Out back is a bar (there is one inside, too), separated from the main dining area by a large tree. If you go turn right before you head outside to the bar, you’ll notice another larger section of the restaurant for groups and private parties. The main dining area is elevated so watch your step. Tables appear to be brushed aluminum with metal and red plastic chairs. Music is continually playing. I noticed two stuffed mongooses (mongeese?) near the entrance.

It was late afternoon when I walked in so the dinner crowd had not yet arrived. I was seated immediately at the table of my choosing. I opted for the patio. The patio is covered but the windows are open. A group of six plus another couple were there at the time, but as the afternoon turned to evening, more diners slowly trickled in.

The waitress was very friendly. We chatted for a bit about the restaurant and its beginnings. A few seconds later, another server came out and asked if I would like any water. Yes, please. She turned over the large wine glass that was upside-down on the table, and, using a tray and a napkin to support the pitcher, poured the ice water into the glass.

The menu has a large selection. It took me a long time to decide what to have since I was going to be having jerk chicken two days in a row and planning to have a steak over the weekend. I wanted to have something different this time.

The Jerk Chicken Spring Rolls (JA$650) sounded good for an appetizer. It is served on a white saucer. On the edge of the saucer, a dollop of Cole Slaw topped with a tomato wedge sits on a small, nouvelle cuisine-ish lettuce leaf. A ramekin of sweet and sour sauce is served with it. Small as it was, it was, however, fresh and crunchy, and just the perfect creaminess and spiciness.

Moving to the egg rolls themselves, they were surprisingly large. They looked more like miniature burritos. Served hot and fresh from the kitchen, they were almost too hot to heat when they arrived at my table. Just as you’d imagine, they tasted like an egg roll stuffed with jerk chicken. Not too spicy. Complimenting the rolls nicely was the sweet and sour sauce, muting a bit of the heat of the jerk spice.

For the main course I went with the curried chicken (JA$875). In all the times I’ve visited the island, I have never had curried chicken so this was a natural choice. It comes to you on a large plate. You get a choice of starch; garlic mashed potatoes or rice and peas. No question there; rice and peas. Vegetables round out the entrée.

Let’s discuss this side dish. It is served as a mound, likely formed by a cup then inverted onto the plate. A green onion stalk stands in the center of the mound. Sliced lengthwise at the top, it is tied in a decorative knot. Now, today I’m dealing with another stuffy nose but somehow the coconut aroma from the rice and peas found its way up to my olfactory sense. Putting the fork to them reveals that they were nice and fluffy. Yes! That’s what I’m talkin’ about! That’s how I like my rice and peas. (Didn’t expect to get so excited about just the rice and peas).

Vegetables today are green beans, and crinkle-cut carrots and zucchini. These were perfectly cooked, yet still crunchy. Even though they were seasoned with butter, pepper, garlic, and other spices, you can still taste the vegetables themselves. Delicious!

Another surprise was the curried chicken. It was served in a scalloped pastry bowl. The pastry was flaky but hollow, kind of like a pita pocket. The chicken was extremely tender. Must have been cooked low and slow. It had less of a curry flavor than I expected but don’t let the subtleness fool you. It still has enough of a kick to get your attention. Curry completely infused the chicken. Warning: watch out for the bones.

If you are anywhere near the Ocho Rios area while you’re in Jamaica, it is definitely worth stopping here. Different nights of the week feature a Salsa dancing workshop, live Reggae bands, DJs and dancing. Check out the Events page on their website.

Mongoose Jamaica Restaurant and Lounge – 4.5 forks. Highly recommended. Their motto “More than a restaurant, it’s an experience!” is just about right.