Noel Thompson, Gleaner Writer

Best friends Andrea Stanley (left), Andrea Howard (centre), owners of ASAP Custom Photo Framing in Montego Bay and Sara Dippon, toast a fun-filled evening at a wine and dinner treat held at the Wine With Me Restaurant. - Photos by Noel Thompson

WESTERN BUREAU:

On Thursday, October 2, just after 7 p.m., a handful of specially invited guests arrived at Wine With Me Restaurant, located at the Altamont West Hotel on Gloucester Avenue, Montego Bay, for an amazing dining experience.

The tables were draped with brown linen and place settings featured delicate rose pink paper mats. All indicators suggested it would be an evening well spent. The majority of the guests, however, did not show up until after 9 p.m.

At the dinner hour, owner Cecile Levee formally welcomed her guests, shed the formal persona and began making jokes with them.

Five types of meals

Guest chef Sara Mair took over telling everyone, "Tonight we are going to serve five types of meals, which I believe you are going to love."

The menu included stuffed calamari with cilantro sauce and roasted pumpkin; potato gnocchi, with pulled oxtail and a cognac créme, caramenzola soufflé, with a raw market vegetable salad; roulade of lamb. Desert was crépes stuffed with macerated grapes complemented by other delectable stuffing.

Wine consultant, Chris Reckord, co-founder of DeVine Wine Services in Kingston, told guests which wine complemented each course.

He did an excellent job with a wine list of Pimot Grigio; Ruffimo Chianti; Zomim Moscato, among others.

Levee said her wine and dinner events began six months ago and are held once per month, usually on a Saturday.

Cecile Levee, owner/operator of Wine With Me Restaurant, holds a glass of red wine aloft, as she chats with specially invited guests at a wine and dinner treat.

Wine consultant Chris Reckord (left) has the attention of Cecile Levee (centre), owner/operator of Wine With Me Restaurant, and guest chef Sara Mair, as he explains the various types and tastes of fine wines complementing different types of meals at a wine and dinner event, held at the restaurant located at the Altamont West Hotel on Gloucester Avenue in Montego Bay, recently. Guests were treated to five different types of wines and a five course meal.