Peppa’s Cool Spot is every foodie’s dream. In fact some fans of the five-year-old casual dining establishment, spearheaded by Bernard ‘Peppa’ Morrison and daughter Danielle Morrison-Hunter, say it serves up the best international cuisine in Montego Bay.
When LetsTravelCaribbean.com visited Peppa’s recently, we were greeted by friendly staff and a welcoming atmosphere.
We quickly learned that though the Jamaican steamed fish, served with okra and diced pumpkins, is very popular among regulars, foodies travel near and far to get a taste of the mouthwatering lobster thermador that’s also on the menu.
So of course we were eager to learn why the French dish is the talk of the town.
A polite waitress by the name of Shannay Shaw was quick to take our order and assured us that our meal would be ready in 20 minutes. To pass the time, she suggested that we try “the best drinks around town” made by Peppa’s bartender, Oraine Eccelston.
After much deliberation, we decided on the ‘Dirty Banana’ and the ‘Shark Bite’. The ‘Dirty Banana’ is a lip-smacking blend of locally grown bananas, Sangster’s Jamaica Rum Cream, J Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum and one of Peppa’s many secret ingredients while the equally delicious ‘Shark Bite’ has Blue Curacao, J Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum and other secret ingredients.
Before we could finish our drinks, the lobster thermador arrived, beautifully presented with a side of cole slaw garnished by a crunchy plantain chip. After just one bite, we were completely blown away. The lobster was perfectly cooked, and the subtle flavour of the accompanying creamy white wine sauce provided the perfect balance. Off to a splendid start, we once again consulted the menu — time for our second dish.
We sought advice from other diners and they did not steer us wrong.
The Mexican-inspired sizzling shrimp fajitas made quite an entrance on a stone skillet still hot from the fire. It was served with flour tortilla, sour cream, guacamole, cheese, tomato sauce and jalapeño peppers on the side.
Our visit to Peppa’s was full of surprises. The first one was when we were presented with the ‘bartender’s special’, hands down the best Tequila Sunrise we’ve ever had. Made to perfection with the right amount orange juice, mango mix and tequila, this was our favourite drink of the evening.
We weren’t the only ones impressed by the bartender’s skills. “Keep making drinks like that!” said one woman as she provided a generous tip.
The second surprise came just when we thought our afternoon at Peppa’s was complete. Our waitress brought another meal to our table – the customers’ favourite Jamaican steamed fish served with cooked okra, pumpkin and homemade breadfruit fries. We were told we couldn’t leave before eating the well-seasoned red snapper, and it was worth it.
Kudos to chefs Michael Brown and Anoy Gordon who did an exceptional job of preparing meals that made our taste buds super happy. We’ll be back!
Location: 9 Ramparts Close, Montego Bay
Opening Hours
Mon – Fri
11 am – 6 pm
Sat – Sun
8 am – 6 pm
Instagram @peppasja
