Scotchies - Montego Bay

[Fifi Larue]

I've heard that Scotchies is a good, authentic place to eat in Montego Bay. How far is it from Margaritaville? Is it in walking distance? Is it a safe walk?

[Lkozinko]

I would also like to know about Scotchie's how far is it from the cruise terminal?

[russandcheryl]

we were just there last week Feb. 6 - we had a private driver .... it is not close to the terminal... about 20-30 min drive... traffic is very conjested and so it takes a while ... Very good Jerk Chicken and Pork ... best to have someone take you there ...

[daliflor]

I've heard that Scotchies is a good, authentic place to eat in Montego Bay.

 

How far is it from Margaritaville? Is it in walking distance? Is it a safe walk?

 

NOT a walking distance place from the Pier or from Margaritaville; rather a taxi ride.

 

We stopped by for lunch last year after leaving Falmouth behind

(before returning to Mo-Bay Pier for the Sail-away celebration).

 

From our trip journal:

 

 

 

 

We left St. Peter's Anglican Church in Falmouth Parish Church, Jamaica to then stop for lunch at a place

that didn't look much from outside but it was highly recommended by our driver for delicious, local food:

 

 

 

Note that the prices on the menu are listed on the local currency but they did

take USD and made the conversion on the spot

 

(i.e. We paid almost $15.00 USD for 2 "Red Stripe" beers, 1/2 chicken,

1/2 pork and 2 sides of rice'n peas aka rice'n beans)

 

 

 

 

"SCOTCHIES" menu - Jamaica, September 26th 2012

 

 

 

 

The restaurant's staff was friendly and they accomodate all four of us immediately; food was ready fairly quickly.

 

 

 

 

LUNCH at "SCOTCHIES" - Jamaica, September 26th 2012

 

 

[daliflor]

"Scotchies" has 3 locations in Jamaica and it's famous for it's authentic jerk food -

"Best Jerk Chicken in Jamaica."

 

 

 

At first, truth being told, we did question whether this was a true local favourite and really

"the best Jerk Chicken in Jamaica," or just the most popular.

 

 

 

Well, after a DELICIOUS LUNCH at "Scotchies" on a hot-hot-hot day, the verdict is in: EXCELLENT Jerk Chicken

(and Jerk Pork too) !

 

 

NOTE that authentic Jamaican Jerk Chicken is grilled over sweetwood and pimento wood logs.

 

Therefore, authentic Jamaican jerk chicken is challenging to get anywhere else

because the “grill” is literally made and grown in their natural environment.

 

 

 

 

You could smell the smoke and spices of the Jerk chicken (and pork too) grilling!

 

If this does not spark your hunger, then you must be vegetarian! : - ))

 

 

 

 

And what's better than a COLD "Red Stripe" beer on a hot Jamaican day, so CHEERS!

 

 

It was a very, very good LUNCH (spicy too)!

And for $15.00 USD (for 2 people), it was also a bargain!

 

When possible, we like to mingle and eat with the locals, so this was a good call in Jamaica!

 

For comparison, take a look (and a listen) to a similar lunch experience in the streets of St. Kitts:

 

VIDEO (delicious lunch in St. Kitts):

 

 

 

Footnote - Any person that enjoys real “Indian people hot” or “Thai people hot” you’ve met your match with

Scotchies' house made Scotch Bonner Pepper Hot Sauce!

 

I found a perfect description of the hot sauce by a blogger that eat at this place

(different location but same great food!):

 

 

"The dangerous thing about this sauce is that it’s addicting, but it almost hurts.

 

To stop the spiciness of the sauce, you almost have to have more of it.

 

- The initial flavour of the sauce is sweet, a bit tangy and then immediately you’re hit with

the powerful spice of roasted Scotch Bonnet peppers!

 

- It gets gradually spicier and the heat lingers long after you finish your bite and it’s followed by a faint bitterness.

 

- It’s a very full peppery spice, not like a chili spice, and it’s the kind of spice that makes your saliva glands go.

 

- When the tongue is on fire it needs to cool down and changing the flavour profile helps,

so having something sweet makes it go away temporarily.

 

That’s why you just want more and more of this sauce because the first 2 seconds of it is sweet.

 

- This sauce was excellent, but 1 spoonful of this with a 1/4 chicken would have my eyes watering and my nose running.

 

If you bite into the seeds… I feel bad for you. Eat the starches if you do… or drink milk! Never water!"

 

 

Same blogger mentions the wonderful "rice and peas" served at Jamaica's Scotchies:

 

"This is typical Jamaican rice cooked in coconut milk and it was at every lunch and dinner.

 

It’s not actually peas, but red kidney beans that they call “peas”.

 

This was really good with the Scotch Bonnet pepper hot sauce, and the beans helped cut the heat."