Wine & Wings? WHAT? OK, maybe not together, but if you like either wine OR wings, you have two great reasons to turn off the TV tonight and visit the best wine happy hour in The Cayman Islands at The Brick House! Wine Down Wednesday (WDW) is taking place tonight, September 1st, 2010 and every Wednesday night from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM.  It’s all about $5.00 wine, $5.00 appetizers, and 25 cent wings! Here are some tasty examples of the the wine & food pairings tonight:

Cono Sur Pinot Noir, Chile 2009 This voluptuous Pinot with rich aromas is recognized for strong cherry, plum and strawberry hints, finished with a subtle spiciness. Scallop and Shrimp Chimichurri Skewers are grilled and basted in a fragrant green Chimichurri sauce.

Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc, Chile 2009 Elegant and crisp, with refreshing citrus and gooseberry notes, this lovely wine will go well with the food pairing of Saffron Mussels: PEI mussels sauteed in a Paella-style seafood broth with onions and garlic.  

Come hang out in the lively and fun atmosphere, grab some excellent wings from 4:00-11:00 PM, and enjoy an ice cold beer. The Brick House is located at the back of Grand Harbour in Red Bay, always draws a good crowd for this happy hour. It’s worth getting out of the house for a glass of wine and a yummy appetizer. Grab a buddy, head out of the office NOW, and pop down for some mid week relaxation! Cheers!

The Brick House: 345-947-3456

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Agave Grill

An authentic Mexican Cantina does exist here in Grand Cayman. Tucked into Ed’s Plaza in Industrial Park is a perfectly delightful, self-proclaimed “hole-in-the-wall” serving delicious food called The Agave Grill. Every meal is prepared with the freshest and highest quality ingredients available. Most of the menu dishes feature meat (which is typical for traditional Mexican dishes) and the Agave Grill uses US “Choice” inside rounds, marinated with chilies for 24 hours, “mesquite smoked” and then oven braised for four hours. There are tasty chicken, vegetarian and locally caught seafood options to choose from as well.

You can order “to go”, or wander in and see what the daily specials are on the chalkboard. By all means, order yourself a famous house margarita, made with their signature prickly pear-infused tequila.

With Cayman temps reaching the 90s, and only dipping down the 80s at night, stay cool with the special Agave summer drinks. Check these out:

Infused Margaritas:Choose from Prickly Pear, Mango, Pineapple, Salty Grapefruit Chi Hua Hua and Jalapeno

Agave Michelada:Why drink a plain old beer when you can have a Michelada? 1 Pacifico, Spicy Old Bay salted rim, half a lime, drop of hot sauce, drop of Worcestershire sauce, a spoonful of Pico di Gallo, and fresh oyster (if available)

Mexican Beers:Pacifico. Negra & Coronas

Ceviche: Try the ceviche of the week.

Agave Grill   Ed’s Plaza          Industrial Park     345-947-5555

www.agave.ky

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Grand Old House

The Grand Old House is known for elegant dinners, the fantastic wine list, breathtaking sunsets, and a classic Carribean “Great House” venue. They are now “lightening up” considerably with a terrific and diverse Mix & Match salad menu that has proven to be very popular with the corporate crowd, the locals, and many visitors. Here’s how it works: you choose your base salad (like the “Chic to be Greek Salad”) and if you desire, you toss on a yummy protein (like New Zealand Lamb Chops). Some of the base salads are quite robust on their own and can stand up quite nicely without a thing added in, like the Caribbean Lobster Salad or the Thai Beef Salad.

BASE SALADS: Organic Salad with Cottage Cheese, Local Vine Ripened Tomatoes & Buffalo Mozzarella on Basil Gazpacho, Organic Vegan Salad, Grand Old House Caesar Salad, “Chic to be Greek” Salad, Caribbean Lobster Salad, or Thai Beef Salad

SALAD ADD-ONS: Free Range Chicken Breast, Mahi-Mahi, Snapper, Filet of Yellow Fin Tuna, New York Strip Loin 6 Oz, Black Tiger Shrimp, or New Zealand Lamb Chops

Open for lunch, Monday-Friday 11:45 AM to 2:00 PM, Open for Dinner, nightly 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

Telephone: 345-949-9333      www.grandoldhouse.com     info@grandoldhouse.com

Pop over soon and enjoy the great atmosphere, and leave without feeling stuffed! Grab a buddy, a date, or even dare to dine alone. You might spot me munching on the Organic Vegan Salad and taking in the sweeping views of the beautiful Caribbean Sea; I’m worth it!

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Italian Salad

For only CI $25.00, it’s possible to get an amazing gourmet meal at Casanova Restaurant, this weekend only. This price includes a fabulous meal, and a glass of wine to sip as you savor Casanova’s famous Italian food. It’s an extraordinary value, and a fabulous experience, at one of Grand Cayman’s finest restaurants. The locale could not be any more romantic; it’s perched by the Caribbean Sea. Come for the sunset and let the seabreezes soothe away the stresses of the week!

Check out what the chef has put together for you, June 25th-June 27th:

Appetizers (choose one):  

Soup of the Day

Fresco Con Vegetable-Garden Salad tossed with grilled veggies in basil-oregano dressing

Funghi Saltati Al Gorgonzola-Sauteed Mushrooms with gorgonzola cheese

Main Courses (Choose One):

Spaghetti Fradiavolo-Spaghetti sauteed with shrimp in a spicy marinara & basil sauce

Pollo Al Funghi-Chicken Breast sauteed in white wine, mushrooms and garlic laced with a touch of herb  cream sauce

Filetto Di Pesce Capri-fresh fish with a fresh diced mix of tomatillos, scallions, oregano, thyme & black olives in basil broth

Desserts: choose from Bread Pudding, Italian Tiramisu, Casanova’s Double Layer Chocolate Cake

Wine: Includes one glass of wine or one bottle of wine for 4 guests

Call NOW to reserve your spot! If you are dining alone, don’t be shy! Join the fun! 345-949-7633

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Tuna Tartar

Are you bored with the idea of another dinner at home? Are you staring into the fridge and wondering what to make? GO WEST! Don’t mind the rain; it’s cozy and nice inside the Cracked Conch’s lovely dining room, and the tempting new menu items are worth venturing out for! Chef Gilbert has a special touch with local, fresh seafood and herbs, and he knows exactly how to sear the seafood to bring out the flavors without overdoing it. He combines exquisite seafood, fresh-from-the-garden-veggies, a touch of flavorful sauces, a chutney, or a root puree to create the most amazing dishes. Check out these yummy new dishes at Cracked Conch:

Appetizers:

Honey Jerk Glazed Tuna Tartar (with Local Peppers & Cucumber Relish)

Fresh Goat Cheese (Garlic Crouton, Beetroot Chips & Puree)  

Main Courses:

Pan Seared Tuna (with Warm Potato Salad, Tartar Broth)

Butter Poached Mahi Mahi (with Pumpkin Puree, Crispy Veggies, Dark Rum Butter Sauce, Tomato Chutney)

Call for reservations! They are open for dinner 5:30-10:00PM. 345-945-5217

The Cracked Conch

www.crackedconch.com.ky

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Monday

It’s not a three day weekend, but you can make it feel like one with a luxurious dinner at The Brasserie. Tonight’s menu (Monday, March 15th, 2010) features fresh-from-the-garden tomato soup, beet risotto (how good does that sound?), local seared Mahi on a bed of seasoned Beluga lentils or a perfectly grilled pork chop, and a decadent dessert. The lovely meal is accompanied by Italian Riesling or a Merlot from Chile depending on what you are in the mood for.

CI $75.00 per couple plus tip. If you prefer, choose something from the a la carte menu, Either way, extend the weekend feeling a bit longer by indulging in a terrific meal at The Brasserie. The chefs continue to bring the best in organic produce and fresh caught fish to Cayman diners.

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Cayman Flag

Are you itching for some authentic Cayman food? Look no further than Guy Harvey’s Island Grill in downtown George Town. Every Sunday, from 11:00AM-3:00PM, you can enjoy local Caribbean food in a peaceful and friendly atmosphere, and let someone else do the cooking!

The lovely menu features Soup, Scrambled Eggs, Potato Salad, Coleslaw, Caprese Salad, Conch Fritters, Curried Goat, Jerl Chicken, Pork Chops, Cod Fish and Ackee, Fish Cayman Style, Fried Dumplings, Rice and Beans, White Rice, Callaloo, Plantains, Steamed Veggies, Key Lime Pie, Creme Brulee, Casava Pie, and Bread Pudding.

The Flavors of Cayman Brunch is only CI $25.00 per person. If that sounds like too much food, you can order off of the regular menu as well.

For more information:

Guy Harvey’s Island Grill        55 South Church Street   345-946-9000

http://www.guyharveysgrill.com/

Just a reminder, the 5k DOG JOG is Sunday, February 14th, 2010. Read more at http://caymangoddess.com/island-fitness/fitness-events/the-5k-dog-jog-on-february-14th.html/

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Portofino

Instead of slaving over the stove for your Cayman Christmas, why not try a different type of day? Sleep in, open your gifts, lounge around, sip coffee, go to church if you like, but instead of the usual potato peeling, ham glazing, turkey stuffing, and pie baking, just relax! The chefs at Portofino Italian and Local Restaurant are busy all week gathering up the most delicious things you can imagine for a lovely Christmas buffet. All you have to do is make reservations! Dine by the Caribbean sea, and enjoy a wide selection of delicacies prepared by some of Grand Cayman’s finest chefs. Portofino is located in the East End district of Grand Cayman. Yes, it’s a little bit of a drive, but there will be absolutely zero traffic on Christmas Day (everything is closed except the restaurants & hotels) and it’s a beautiful drive!

Check out the delish 2009 Christmas buffet menu:

Soup Course: Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Salads: Mixed Garden Salad, Avocado Salad, Chicken & Mango Salad, Gravlax of Norwegian Salmon, Mussels with Relish, Caprese Salad, Peel & Eat Shrimp

Carving Corner: Roast Rib Eye Steak with Gravy, Traditional Christmas Turkey with Cranberry Sauce

Hot Buffet: Seafood Lasagna, Turtle Stew, Chicken Tikki Masala, Curry Goat, Jerk Pork Ribs, Sauteed Snapper with Lemon Butter Sauce, Sauteed Veggies, Fried Potato Wedges, Saffron Rice, Rice & Beans

Desserts: Christmas Pudding, Fresh Fruit Salad, Yule Log, Ice Cream and Toppings

Adults: CI $26.95 + 15% Gratuity, Kids CI $14.95 + 15% Gratuity. The time frame is 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM, Christmas Day, December 25th, 2009.

Portofino 345-947-2700

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Gourmet Pepper Jelly

There’s one thing you can always find in my pantry: Gourmet Cayman Pepper Jelly. This delicious jelly is a blend of sweet, hot, and tangy flavors and if you pick up a jar, you’ll never want to be without it in your kitchen again!  It’s made by one special Cayman Islands lady, Carol Hay, who on weekends, manages to produce about 36 tasty batches a week of her magical, top-secret recipe and supply us Cayman folks with this delicacy. Her production size allows her to maintain her incredible devotion to quality control and consistency of flavour, colour and texture, all without dyes or preservatives. ( I can’t personally see the need for preservatives anyway; we gobble the jelly up in no time in our house!)

Crackers

The jelly is yummy eaten on Triscuits and with a good cheese. Pepper jelly fanatics swear by cream cheese, pepper jelly and crackers. It’s also lovely with Jamaican water crackers (a plain and very inexpensive biscuit-type cracker that can be found at any Cayman grocery store). My gang slathers it on toasted wheat bagels or Hardough bread (another yummy Caribbean treat-widely available in Cayman) and just about anything that looks cracker-like. It’s great on hot dogs, as a chutney, on pizza, or as a ham glaze. Try a dab on waffles with butter. Try it on rice cakes if you are watching calories. A little goes a long way!

Gourmet Pepper Jelly is a cook’s best friend. I use it frequently in many dishes. It’s great for sweet and sour sauces, dips, glazes, barbeque sauces, basting meatloaf, and all sorts of other uses. Some of my “famous” sauces owe quite a bit to Miss Carol’s secret mixture of locally grown Scotch Bonnet and special seasonings.

Carol Hay

Carol is purist when it comes to her product. She even grows her own Scotch Bonnet peppers, and has over 45 bushes of varying species. She keeps most of them in pots so she can pull them in to the safety of her garage during hurricane threats. The Scotch Bonnet is one of the hottest peppers in the world, and Carol wears a mask and snorkel when she makes the jellies. All this effort just so we can enjoy the best tasting jelly in all of the Caribbean!

In addition to having a jar around the house, Gourmet Pepper Jelly is the best possible welcome gift or departing gift for visitors to our lovely island. It’s 100% made in Cayman with tender loving care. Pick up your supply at Foster, Kirk’s or Hurley’s Supermarkets, all Cafe Del Sol locations, Pure Art Gallery, Pedro St. James, the Red Sail Sports Shop at Rum Point, The Bodden Town Art Shop, The National Trust Gift Shop,  all Jacques Scott locations and Guy Harvey’s Gallery.

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