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Boyz go nuts over Jamaica ME Krazy
SEAN A WILLIAMS, Assistant Sports Editor
Thursday, September 20, 2007
The Reggae Boyz hurry into the Jamaican restaurant on their recent visit to Aruba.
Can you imagine the sense of relief one gets when suddenly the palates are delightfully stimulated by that which is once again familiar, after a week of uninspiring sights and tastes?
The relief was nothing short of heavenly. Almost like being taken to the pinnacle of sexual gratification...precious relief.
That was the consensus of Jamaica's Under-23 footballers and their managers after dinner at Aruba's top Jamaican restaurant - Jamaica ME Krazy.
Food had remained uppermost on the Reggae Boyz's minds since landing on the tiny southern Caribbean island two Fridays ago for a tournament which they won without fuss by defeating Antigua/Barbuda (6-1), Barbados (1-0) and hosts Aruba (5-0) to progress in the Olympic Games qualifiers.
Regrettably as their performance peaked, their culinary desires remained unfulfilled. The Boyz were literally being starved of anything remotely familiar and tasty.
And then it happened - the ministry of sport in the Dutch Kingdom offered to take the team to dinner after the Boyz's food plight was highlighted on the pages of this newspaper. The choice of eatery became a no-brainer - Jamaica ME Krazy.
The small restaurant and bar - owned by Jamaica's honorary consul on the island, Daniel Wilson - was adorned with a wide variety of Jamaican mementos and paraphernalia. Photographs of Bob Marley dominated the four walls. The reggae legend's eldest son, Ziggy, was on TV belting out a number of his late father's most popular hits.
When the Boyz entered the establishment about 8:00 pm, three sets of diners were scattered across the room, but they were soon engulfed by a sea of yellow and green as the 24-man group settled down to eat.
For openers we were served the very traditional Jamaican favourite, saltfish fritters, paired with a tasty, creamy dip (never had it with a dip before), but it was good.
The staff were, we suspect, fully briefed for service was excellent with very little wait in between courses. The entrée followed, disappearing almost as quickly as it came - all of it: jerk chicken, oxtail, roast pork, curried goat, rice and peas, festivals and fried plantains - done the authentic Jamaican way - were wiped off the plates and the Boyz drooled for more.
The oxtail was a clear favourite on the night, as more than half of the touring group ordered it. The serving was hefty. But the beauty of eating oxtail on this occasion came from the music that the symphony of sucking created as the juicy bones were milked of their spicy treasure and further reduced to a smooth powder.
The meal was washed down with sodas and icy-cold Red Stripe beer (the beers for the non-playing members of the contingent).
"This is the best food I have had since I've been here," exclaimed coach Wendell Downswell.
Head of delegation, Carlton Dennis, was in gourmet heaven when he simply added: "That's what I am talking about."
Our host, honorary consul Wilson, shared how much of a pleasure it was to have the team at his restaurant.
"I was very glad when I was contacted to see if I could entertain the Boyz and suggested a package that they (The Ministry Of Sports) couldn't refuse.
"It wasn't a matter of money, but rather the privilege of just having the team here," notes Wilson who has been living in Aruba since the early '70s.
Wilson, who reports to the Jamaican Embassy in Trinidad, said his immediate plans for Jamaica ME Krazy is to move into the high-rise tourist area and Palm Beach.
"We would want to go into those areas because we would be able to get the increased business from North American and European tourists," Wilson told Thursday Food.
The former accountant with the Sheraton Hotel chain said he hopes to lure more visitors to his eatery with his new jerk beef, which he claims "is all the rage in Aruba".
SEAN A WILLIAMS, Assistant Sports Editor
Thursday, September 20, 2007
The Reggae Boyz hurry into the Jamaican restaurant on their recent visit to Aruba.
Can you imagine the sense of relief one gets when suddenly the palates are delightfully stimulated by that which is once again familiar, after a week of uninspiring sights and tastes?
The relief was nothing short of heavenly. Almost like being taken to the pinnacle of sexual gratification...precious relief.
That was the consensus of Jamaica's Under-23 footballers and their managers after dinner at Aruba's top Jamaican restaurant - Jamaica ME Krazy.
Food had remained uppermost on the Reggae Boyz's minds since landing on the tiny southern Caribbean island two Fridays ago for a tournament which they won without fuss by defeating Antigua/Barbuda (6-1), Barbados (1-0) and hosts Aruba (5-0) to progress in the Olympic Games qualifiers.
Regrettably as their performance peaked, their culinary desires remained unfulfilled. The Boyz were literally being starved of anything remotely familiar and tasty.
And then it happened - the ministry of sport in the Dutch Kingdom offered to take the team to dinner after the Boyz's food plight was highlighted on the pages of this newspaper. The choice of eatery became a no-brainer - Jamaica ME Krazy.
The small restaurant and bar - owned by Jamaica's honorary consul on the island, Daniel Wilson - was adorned with a wide variety of Jamaican mementos and paraphernalia. Photographs of Bob Marley dominated the four walls. The reggae legend's eldest son, Ziggy, was on TV belting out a number of his late father's most popular hits.
When the Boyz entered the establishment about 8:00 pm, three sets of diners were scattered across the room, but they were soon engulfed by a sea of yellow and green as the 24-man group settled down to eat.
For openers we were served the very traditional Jamaican favourite, saltfish fritters, paired with a tasty, creamy dip (never had it with a dip before), but it was good.
The staff were, we suspect, fully briefed for service was excellent with very little wait in between courses. The entrée followed, disappearing almost as quickly as it came - all of it: jerk chicken, oxtail, roast pork, curried goat, rice and peas, festivals and fried plantains - done the authentic Jamaican way - were wiped off the plates and the Boyz drooled for more.
The oxtail was a clear favourite on the night, as more than half of the touring group ordered it. The serving was hefty. But the beauty of eating oxtail on this occasion came from the music that the symphony of sucking created as the juicy bones were milked of their spicy treasure and further reduced to a smooth powder.
The meal was washed down with sodas and icy-cold Red Stripe beer (the beers for the non-playing members of the contingent).
"This is the best food I have had since I've been here," exclaimed coach Wendell Downswell.
Head of delegation, Carlton Dennis, was in gourmet heaven when he simply added: "That's what I am talking about."
Our host, honorary consul Wilson, shared how much of a pleasure it was to have the team at his restaurant.
"I was very glad when I was contacted to see if I could entertain the Boyz and suggested a package that they (The Ministry Of Sports) couldn't refuse.
"It wasn't a matter of money, but rather the privilege of just having the team here," notes Wilson who has been living in Aruba since the early '70s.
Wilson, who reports to the Jamaican Embassy in Trinidad, said his immediate plans for Jamaica ME Krazy is to move into the high-rise tourist area and Palm Beach.
"We would want to go into those areas because we would be able to get the increased business from North American and European tourists," Wilson told Thursday Food.
The former accountant with the Sheraton Hotel chain said he hopes to lure more visitors to his eatery with his new jerk beef, which he claims "is all the rage in Aruba".
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