Craving smoked marlin yam balls from the Round Hill Hotel, Jamaica

Round Hill Lobby at Night

Eating with Cathy

Dining at the Round Hill in Montego Bay Jamaica is a pleasant surprise.  I didn't expect to find a place in the Caribbean so passionate about their food, but a conversation with Billy who proudly heads up the organic gardens is enlightening. His enthusiasm for the project is infectious.  The hotel sources as much as possible from its own gardens and maintains a special relationship with other organic farms on the island to supply the rest.  Salads are super-fresh and dressings are bright with herbs from the garden. 

Breakfast can be served on your private veranda or eaten on the terrace overlooking the sea.  All of the breads and pastries are made in-house.  The “akai and salt fish” is delicious.  Full of deep umami flavours, it harkens back to the beloved “fish and brews” of my childhood Newfoundland.

Smoked Marlin Yam Balls

The very best dinner was the farm-to-table menu on Thursday night.  The theme reminds guests of the hotel’s eat-local commitment.  The star dish is the very special smoked marlin and yam balls.  The grilled snapper from the regular menu is possibly the best I've  eaten; and the coconut rice and beans aren't to be missed.  Calaloo is a popular dish of bitter greens with onions and grated carrots that grows on you over time. (I can envision Jamaican mom’s fighting the good fight with their children over this spinach-like dish.)

If you are lucky enough to stay at the Round Hill Hotel in Jamaica, the food will be a pleasant part of your stay.