Montego Bay welcomes new dining experience downtown

WESTERN BUREAU:

Downtown Montego Bay is getting a taste of upscale dining with the recent opening of The Red Door Experience by restaurateur Sidonie McLeod, who aims to introduce a more intimate setting to the city’s commercial district.

Tucked away on Lot 3, on historic Corner Lane, a short walk from Sam Sharpe Square, the new restaurant occupies the upper floor of Crimson Delight, inside a Georgian-style building once home to one of western Jamaica’s distinguished medical practitioners, Dr Herbert Eldemire.

For McLeod, the decision to establish an upscale dining space in the centre of town was deliberate.

While Montego Bay boasts an impressive collection of restaurants along its tourism corridor and in commercial developments outside the traditional town centre, she believes downtown has been largely overlooked by entrepreneurs offering a more leisurely dining experience.

“I always wanted to open something in the town,” McLeod told Food, explaining that she wanted to create an atmosphere where people could sit comfortably, enjoy a meal, hold a meeting or simply spend time without feeling hurried.

She observed that much of downtown’s food landscape is dominated by fast-food establishments and traditional cook shops, leaving fewer options for customers seeking a different kind of experience.

Her answer is The Red Door Experience, a reservation-only restaurant with seating for 32 diners: 20 seats in the main dining room and another 12 on a balcony.

The concept is designed to appeal to business professionals, couples, families, and small groups celebrating special occasions, while providing an alternative for those who would otherwise travel outside the city centre for an upscale meal.

The Red Door Experience is an extension of Crimson Delight, which opened its doors at the Corner Lane location on September 7, offering café dining and takeout services on the ground floor. Upstairs, McLeod introduced a different menu, combining international cuisine with familiar Jamaican ingredients presented in unexpected ways.

Among the dishes are pimento-crusted rack of lamb served with rosemary breadfruit purée, rum-and-tamarind-glazed ribs, and jerk-spiced chicken supreme accompanied by sweet plantain purée. “We’re using Jamaican stuff that persons wouldn’t normally use,” she explained, describing how breadfruit, traditionally roasted, fried or boiled, is transformed into a smooth accompaniment for the lamb. It is this marriage of local ingredients and international culinary techniques that McLeod hopes will distinguish The Red Door Experience.

CRIMSON DELIGHT

Downstairs, meanwhile, Crimson Delight has already been attracting customers with a menu that ventures beyond the conventional. One of its popular offerings is a breadless sandwich, where pressed green plantains replace bread, enclosing grilled chicken breast or fish fillet, with avocado, cucumber, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and onions.

Another favourite is the loaded fries bowl, topped with chicken, cheese, vegetables and a special sauce, with bacon available as an addition.

There are also oxtail and curry goat pastas, alongside chicken and shrimp varieties, while breakfast customers can choose from croissant and bagel sandwiches, omelettes, French toast, and pancakes.

For customers navigating downtown Montego Bay’s traffic, McLeod has even introduced curbside pickup, allowing patrons to telephone their orders and collect their meals without having to park.

Interestingly, the inspiration for the restaurant came from a visit to the Dominican Republic.

McLeod recalled being fascinated by historic buildings that appeared unassuming from the outside but housed beautifully appointed restaurants within.

The contrast between old architecture and contemporary dining left a lasting impression.

When she encountered the Corner Lane property, she immediately recognised an opportunity to recreate that experience in Montego Bay.

The building’s age and architectural character were not deterrents. They were part of its attraction, and the history is particularly fascinating.

According to property owner Junior Thorpe, the Georgian-style building was originally the family residence of Dr Eldemire, whose name remains associated with Montego Bay’s medical service.

“That’s where his kids were born,” Thorpe recalled, explaining that Eldemire’s son attended Cornwall College while his daughters also travelled to school from the family home.

Thorpe believes the property was constructed around 1934 or 1935.

The building was constructed using traditional wattle-and-daub techniques, alongside brickwork and timber, reflecting building practices of an earlier era.

Over the decades, the property has served several purposes, including housing Val’s Travel Service, before taking on its newest identity as a restaurant.

For McLeod, it offered precisely the character she wanted, an opportunity to create something modern without losing the charm of old Montego Bay.

Although The Red Door Experience is new, McLeod is no stranger to the restaurant business.

Her journey began in restaurant management in 2016 when an employer challenged her to understand the kitchen operations of the establishment she was managing.

She remembers being handed an apron and instructed to enter the kitchen, an encounter that reignited her interest in cooking.

That experience eventually helped shape her decision to establish Crimson Delight in 2020.

The business subsequently expanded to Montego Bay, operating from a small production kitchen at 34 Union Street, where McLeod converted part of her office into a modest takeout area.

The limited space did little to discourage customers, who responded to her selection of pastas, wraps, and other dishes that departed from the traditional lunchtime offerings.

Alongside the restaurant, she developed a catering business serving weddings, funerals, corporate functions, and business process outsourcing companies.

Her experience also includes operating food concessions within the BPO sector, including five years at itel.

Now, with an executive chef and culinary team supporting her vision, McLeod is taking the business in a new direction.

And while The Red Door Experience will operate on a reservations-only basis for lunch and dinner, the downstairs café will continue catering to customers seeking breakfast, takeout, and casual dining.

The investment comes at a time when downtown Montego Bay’s future, its commercial appeal, and the preservation of its historic buildings are increasingly important subjects of discussion.

For McLeod, however, the proposition is refreshingly simple: people should not have to leave the centre of Montego Bay to enjoy a memorable dining experience.

And behind the Red Door on Corner Lane, she intends to give them a reason to stay.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com