By Rosemary Parkinson, Freelance Writer
Enjoy a huge whole snapper, covered in okra, carrots, onions, allspice and finely chopped country pepper. The fish is served with fried bammy, plantain and rice and peas. - Photo By Rosemary Parkinson
Valeries
Sandy Bay, Hanover
Phone: 953-5048
Open: 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Steamed Fish prices according to size. Prices begin at J$350 a lb. Pre-ordering is advised. Take-out available.
FIRST OF all I must apologise for all these weeks of no review and thanks for all the phone calls of concern. I am fine and was always fine but that man, that man in a hard raincoat (my
computer) decided yet again to
be upset and give up on me all because I bought a new toy
a camera that he just could not deal with.
After three weeks of hard work trying to fix his problems with the hope of saving our union of two years, guess what I did? Like any woman with some common sense, I just finally changed 'the bloody man' for a brand new one. I had totally had it with his mother boards, hard drives, memory, modes, inserts, home, sisters, cousins, his whatever.
From now on this is my warning to all if you do not perform you are out. Simple. And thanks to Julian of Executive Printers in Negril for your patience, response to my screams on your cell phone and the irate messages left with your office. Great thanks to my understanding friend Xavier Chin for organising a new man in my life knowing that he has his future cut out for him - a new man for Rosemary whenever that call comes through. No more nonsense here. Just change it baby!
Returning to Negril after some shopping in Montego Bay, I stopped at Valeries' in Sandy Bay. During the Bell Caribbean Tennis Tournament at Tryall a good few weeks ago, I had been invited by friends who had come for some of the finals to have lunch at Valeries. As time would have it, when I got there they had come and gone and I had too much to do in Montego Bay to stop anyhow. So as mentioned above on the return, hungry as a beast I did.
Just a simple but cute little bar/restaurant, Valeries certainly lights up at night so you just cannot miss it. It's on your left hand side on the way to Negril just before leaving Sandy Bay, a sleepy little village on the north coast highway. It seems that from the time the doors open at Valeries, there is a constant flow of people stopping for a bite. Waiting for your food is a trip as a result and wait we did. Dishes like curry goat, stew or curry conch, chicken and red pea soup seem to be the order of the day and easy to purchase but we would naturally ask for the steamed fish and that is another story. However, like all good things that come to those who wait, it was well worth it.
THE FISH WAS DELICIOUS
TO THE BONE
A huge whole snapper arrived steaming hot, placed neatly right across a colourful oval platter, covered in okra, carrots, onions and sprinkled with whole allspice and finely chopped country pepper. Served with fried bammy and plantain, by request, and rice and peas naturally, this fish had to be the best I have ever, ever tasted. It was delicious to the bone. I can tell you I did not finish my dinner until each and every one of them was sucked clean (the head included) and those eyes crunched and swallowed. Yep! I eat the eyes. My father always told us as children that eating the eyes increased your brain power, so those are the first I go for when I am served whole fish particularly now at my age when a few more brain cells are welcomed.
Simone was our waitress and appeared to be the only one too (hence I guess the reason we were not able to grab her attention too often). Valerie Hutton has been the owner of this little place for some eight years. My fish was prepared by chef Sandrine - she has been there for some four months. I later discovered that Sandrine worked at the Half Moon Royal Villas and knows many of the staff I met while staying there with the tennis tournaments mentioned above.
Valeries is definitely a must for Steamed Snapper but, hello, waiting is the game here so prepare yourself. Once you have the time, and I am going to say it quite categorically, Sandrine is the chef that day, staring into space for almost an hour before digging in is indeed worth it. There's a bar, of course, if you want to while away the hour with drinks
but sit close to it for service. Actually, the best advice take
a book, settle yourself, capture
the sea breeze that comes off the Bay and when the food comes, enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
Rosemary Parkinson is Spring Breaking in Negril, allowing Appleton of all ages and colours to take her to greater heights. Bongs, Thongs, Nudity, and Parties. It's all too much for this white lady!
