Chef Shea’s birthday ‘pallet’
WHAT DO you get when Chef Shea combines his birthday party with the unveiling of his new restaurant? A vibe like no other and a palatable experience out of this world!
The two-for-one celebration went down last Saturday night as foodies arrived in fashionable numbers to the new location on North Avenue in Kingston. They escaped into the rustic tropical oasis known as The Pallet, where they were invited to take in the sweet aromas in the open air as they dined under the stars.
But why the name Pallet? According to Chef Shea, Pallet is a play on words. “First, in the culinary world, the word ‘palate’ refers to one’s ability to differentiate or detect different flavours. Additionally, for our restaurant, we actually used shipping pallets in order to build the furniture. So the name ‘Pallet’ works perfectly on both fronts,” he explained.
For Saturday’s unveiling, he and business partner Ricardo Barrett opted for a simple menu of tapas pastas and chef’s specials in between, “The tapas-inspiration came about because most times when I go out with friends, we don’t necessarily want a heavy meal, but would prefer to sample different dishes. I wanted to introduce that concept to Jamaica, which is already very popular in Europe. As it relates to the pastas, our aim is to serve quality pastas with a twist. Our pastas are home-made, which means everything is made from scratch, and our sauces are anything but traditional.”
Once the restaurant officially opens, they plan to offer menu options that boast an eclectic representation of food from across the globe, including a wider variety of tapas, and a few “on tray” specials, served on wooden planks. They also hope to host a series of activities, including live cooking demos and brunch in the immediate future. “We want to contribute to Kingston’s cultural scene by establishing a vibrant space complete with good food, good entertainment and a good ambiance with The Pallet,” Barrett said.
Patrons can expect a truly unique culinary experience complete with tasty food chock-full of flavours and textures. So, say goodbye to Countryside Club and say hello to The Pallet.
For more information, follow them on Instagram @palletja.