Savouring the South coast at The Cracked Conch in Belmont

The rave reviews about the Cracked Conch Restaurant and Bar located in Belmont, Westmoreland, were circulating in conversations at the JAPEX tourism expo in Montego Bay. As a passionate enthusiast of exciting food excursions, the alerts caught my attention and I decided to journey to Belmont, a stone’s throw from Sandals Whitehouse, to see what the fuss was all about.

With a new highway that significantly cuts the travel time from Montego Bay to Ferris Cross near Belmont, I quickly arrived at Luna By The Sea, a boutique inn where the restaurant is located. I declined to order specific starters and main courses, preferring to be guided by recommendations from the cooks and the chef who know the dream dishes inside out.

The evening’s dinner was set on tables draped in white linen placed on a beautifully manicured lawn at the edge of the Caribbean Sea with a spectacular sunset forming the backdrop. The meal opened with a delicious pumpkin soup, a blend of coconut cream and local pumpkin.

SKILLED IN INNOVATION

The very innovative restaurant manager, Colin Bruce (who doubles as chef, purchasing manager, food stylist and event planner) pointed out that the farm-to-table epicurean experience at Cracked Conch really begins on Sunday mornings when he travels to the long-established farmers’ market in Newmarket in St Elizabeth.

There, he purchases fresh ground provisions, fruits, vegetables and seasonings for the week. And I later saw seafood being purchased by Bruce waving a hand and shouting at passing fishermen, checking to see if they had fresh catch for sale.

But back to dinner. My mouthwatering meal continued with callaloo bundles, the green vegetable steamed to perfection, wrapped in pastry then deep-fried, served with marinara sauce. A very tasty and most unusual crab cake was to follow. Chunks of crab meat seasoned with Belmont spices and slow baked on a bed of mashed potatoes. Then it was on to the much anticipated main courses. I opted for the fried lobster simply because of the way it looked. Picture-perfect mouth-watering chunks of meat immersed in gold-coloured lobster shells that were glowing in the evening sunset.

Unbelievably delicious! But I also had to taste the guava jerk chicken breast, a boneless cut, slow grilled, then lovingly kissed with a guava-based blend of secret spices, served with fresh vegetables and fried plantain. Our palates were enjoying every moment of this heaven-by-the-sea gastronomic fantasy.

I bravely abstained for the equally alluring steamed snapper served with rice and peas and tropical vegetables, just so I could sample dessert, among them, bread and sweet potato puddings. Food prices are very reasonable but the space is modest in size so reservations are recommended, especially on weekends. This past weekend, one of the visitors there included the newly appointed American ambassador to Jamaica, Donald Ray Tapia.

The cocktails at the bar at Cracked Conch are inspired by reggae stars and reggae colours. And foodies who are also interested in culture can combine the trip to this extraordinary eatery with a visit to the Peter Tosh Memorial Garden that is a four-minute walk across the street.