Story & Photos by Mark Rogers
It may seem strange to write about a restaurant where I never had a meal, but I just can’t help passing along some info about Miss Evelyn's Bar & Restaurant in Montego Bay. During a recent visit to Jamaica, when we were driving around the countryside, one of my travel companions said how much she enjoyed a meal at Miss Evelyn’s. We were intrigued by her description of it being an off-the-beaten path treasure and made a quick detour.
When we rolled up to Miss Evelyn’s, I regretted we already had solid plans for lunch. Miss Evelyn’s is the kind of down home single proprietor restaurant you don’t see much anymore. Walking through the front door, smelling the curry wafting from the kitchen, and taking in the simple and colorful décor, I could have happily settled in for a long and leisurely meal. While that wasn’t meant to be, we did meet Miss Evelyn (who seemed a little skeptical of visiting journalists), peeked into the kitchen where a smiling cook was hard at work, and scanned the menu, which looked to be a mix of Indian cooking and Jamaican ingredients. Choices ran the gamut from steamed snapper to curried goat. Some say her rotis are the best on the island.
Evelyn has been at this same location for 29 years, back when Sandals Montego Bay was still the BayRoc Hotel. Tourists may balk at ordering a meal in a place like Miss Evelyn’s, while travelers will feel right at home. I know I’ll be back the next time I find myself in Jamaica.
The easiest way to find Evelyn’s is to mark it in your mind as being on the beach just east of Sandals Montego Bay, at the end of the airport runway. The restaurant is open seven days a week and the phone number is 1-876-952-3280.
|
