Recommended Restaurants in Port Antonio

When you've had your fill of Jamaica's bustling resorts like Montego Bay and Ocho Rios, there's a sure antidote to the tourist scene: Port Antonio. This quiet niche is located on Jamaica's east end about a two hour drive from Ocho Rios and is favored by those looking to get away from it all. Don't look for mixology classes or limbo dances here; this end of Jamaica is quiet and relaxed and fun is usually found outdoors, followed by a fine meal that evening.

The drive from Ocho Rios to Port Antonio is an attraction in itself. The distance is not that long but budget at least two hours for the journey (without stops) because of the slow, windy roads. You might think the road is bumpy but rest assured that it was once much worse...what you now bounce along is the new and improved road. Potholes still speckle the drive so hang on.

Along the road from Ocho Rios to Port Antonio, watch for small, wooden stands covered with shiny silver pots. These cast iron pots are a favorite with locals. Called dutchies (Dutch ovens), these pots are used in both the oven and on the stovetop to prepare soups and stews. The pots are first formed in clay then done in cast iron, often crafted by Rastafarians.

This stretch of road is also notable for its innumerable produce stands. Like a drive-through grocery, every bend brings another charming stand overflowing with picturesque displays of colorful fruits and vegetables. The offerings vary by time of year but expect to see bunches of carrots, pineapples, coconuts, yams, bananas, plantains, and the large jackfruit, an odorous fruit with a staining juice that can be sliced and served, stewed, or curried.

Banana plantations, notably the massive St. Mary Banana Estate, stretch for miles along this road. Trespassers are not tolerated in the plantations, take your photos from the roadside and tread no further. One interesting thing to note are the "blue dresses" worn by the banana stalks. To protect the growing bananas from insects, blue plastic bags are slipped over each stalk, creating a blue and green landscape for miles.

Port Antonio first came to the attention of the travel world thanks to resident Errol Flynn. The rambunctious actor had a home on Navy Island, just off the coast of Port Antonio and entertained many celebrities in his verdant hideaway.

In the 1950s Errol Flynn started what has become one of Jamaica's top tourist activities. Noting the banana farmers taking their produce down to market on long bamboo rafts on the Rio Grande, he one day asked for a ride. Soon the notorious lover was floating women down the expansive river, naming one section that winds between two boulders Lovers Lane.

Before long, tourists were floating down the river two by two on the rafts poled by expert raftsmen. The activity has spread to several other rivers in Jamaica but the Rio Grande remains the largest operation of its kind.

Errol Flynn wasn't the only celebrity figure to grace Port Antonio. Poet Ella Willa Wilcox called this "the most exquisite spot on earth." Robin Moore came to the area to pen The French Connection. And one historic house stands as a tribute to lost love. The ruins of "Folly," built by a wealthy American for a sweetheart who would not come to Port Antonio, can still be seen near the main road. Why is this home now in ruins? Sea water instead of fresh water was used in making the cement and the castle crumbled.

In more recent years, many other celebrities have frequented this site and Port Antonio has found its way into the movies.

One star-studded site is the Blue Lagoon. The beautiful swimming hole that's been termed "bottomless" because of its uncanny blue hue is actually a lagoon about 180-feet deep. Take a walk through the restaurant to see the many celebrities who have visited.Nearby, Boston Beach is the place to go on the island for jerk, slow cooked in pits.

RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS

Blue Lagoon, $$-$$$
Fairy Hill
876/993-8491
Dress code: casual
Reservations: no

This casual eatery, located right beside the lagoon itself, serves up authentic Jamaican dishes. Choose from jerk chicken or jerk sausage, vegetarian pizza, fresh lobster, and more. Live entertainment keeps the place lively on weekends. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Devon House's I Scream, $
West Street
Port Antonio
Dress code: casual
Reservations: no

The ever-popular Kingston ice cream parlor also has a location in tiny Port Antonio (a clue to the popularity of this seaside getaway with Kingstonians). Cool off with a scoop of one of the many tropical flavors.

Mille Fleurs, $$$
Hotel Mocking Bird Hill
876/993 7267 or 993 -7134
Dress Code : evenings : casually elegant
Reservations: requested.

This restaurant overlooking Port Antonio and the Caribbean Sea is a romantic favorite. Sit on the terrace surrounded by tropical vegetation and enjoy the sunset (manager Shireen Aga recommends that guests arrive by 6 p.m. to enjoy cocktails and a sunset view). The restaurant, which has been recommended by Gourmet magazine, offers an a la carte menu that changes daily. Lunch is served from noon to 2; dinner is served starting at 7 p.m. with the last order taken at 9:30. Start with an appetizer of smoked marlin on honeydew melon with mustard sauce, ackee souffle, carpaccio of paw-paw, otaheiti apple and cho cho or the plantain fritters with black bean dip. Soups include selections such as coconut and garlic soup and tomato and sweet potato soup but save room for the excellent array of entrees. Chicken in June Plum sauce, Grilled Fish with spicy Mango-shrimp sauce, Spiced Fish with tamarind and coconut sauce, Roast lamb with balsamic vinaigrette sauce, Jerked rabbit, Vegetables in groundnut sauce and Callaloo and goat cheese quiche are favorite offerings. As with the entrees, desserts often feature local and seasonal produce with selections such as Orange custard with orange liqueur, Rum parfait with passion fruit sauce and Flambeed bananas. No canned produce is used.

Trident Villas and Hotel, $$$$
876/993-2602
Dress code: dressy, jackets required
Reservations: required
This elegant eatery is the fanciest in Port Antonio. Dine by candlelight on either continental or Jamaican fare. Open daily for dinner.