Bush and Water goes live
Published:Thursday | July 25, 2019 | 12:00 AMJessica Harrison/Gleaner Writer
Have you ever had an entire main course that never met with fire? How about pastries cooked under the bright summer sun? Come waltz down live food street, as we explore the wonders of ditching cooking gas and Volcano matches with the Bush and Water Restaurant family. Now, if you’re not familiar with the term ‘live food’, it is pretty much raw foods that have not been cooked in anyway, and by virtue, still have all the natural enzymes that plants need to grow when presented on your plate. In other words, a pinata of goodies straight from mother nature.
The one-year-old restaurant is located in Portmore’s version of a red-light district; 16 Port Henderson Road, just by the sea. When you first walk on to the compound, the first thing you’ll notice is its beautifully painted bamboo structure. The open floor plan dining room boasts dark brown, evenly varnished rum barrel dining furniture with sights into the kitchen and a view of a stage used for various live music events. The bar is where all the natural liquid goodies by the ‘Juice Chemist’, Kenrick Baimbridge, are prepared. Tasty smoothies, punches, green juices and even iced teas are done to order on any given day. As you explore to grounds and make your way to the back of the rustic structure, the work life of the local fishermen on the sea can be seen.
Feed Me Please
Tuesday’s menu was made up of three dishes to make up the main course: sunflower cheese broccoli, curried mushrooms and coconut pumpkin rice. For dessert: live banana pie and a live double-decker carrot cake. To wash it all down, Food was served a sweet potato punch and a pineapple lemongrass lemonade.
When we first heard the menu, as avid meat eaters, we were a bit apprehensive but, as we watched chef of nine years, Curtis ‘Concrete’ Marshall, carefully prepare each dish with precision, our fears were quieted. Ladies and gentlemen, Bush and Water managed to give us a bellyful with flavours bursting at the seams of gastronomy. If this isn’t your arena, when you take the first bite, it will be a strange experience, but as you work your way in, you won’t notice that you’re missing the meat until after you’ve cleared your plate. The textures were perfect and we cannot stress flavour enough because when one hears the term ‘vegan/live foods’, our minds automatically think of a very bland plate of grass with maybe some kind of natural oil dressing.
The deserts were the most interesting part. The crust of the live banana pie and the carrot cake were baked in the sun for about seven hours. The carrot cake had a delicious filling, and as for it’s frosting, well, that was made with coconut jelly and cashew nuts. Food was bowled over. Not too sweet with the right kind of chewiness are some ways to describe the decadent treats.
“We are a creative bunch so we find replacements for the food we like to eat. We are on a journey and we get bored so our menu changes on a regular basis,” said owner, Ilesha ‘Illy’ Williams.
Bush and Water can also be found at the Kingston Ujima Natural Farmers’ Market on Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at 2 Barbican road. There, you can find various live deserts, and live main courses such as: Jerked Jackfruit Salad, Walnut Coconut Rice, Pineapple Curry Okra Salad, and a variety of smoothies.
Follow them on instagram @bushandwater for updates and and menu options or call (876) 841‑0258 for details.
Happy Live Food Transition!