Donette Prendergast- Owner/Manager
On a sunday afternoon, if you're caught in the sweltering heat of a Kingston summer, the place to head for is Hellshire beach. An hour's drive from most parts of town, Hellshire lies beyond Portmore, just west of Kingston.
Once no more than a fishing village, Hellshire has grown into a a community of ramshackle bars and restaurants, renowned for strong drink, great seafood and lyming.
On any typical weekend thousands of Kingstonians will be headed across the causeway to enjoy the beach, buy fish, imbibe and nyam; then often party late into the night or early morning.
Amongst the many choices arrayed over a mile of beach my favourite is Prendy's. Dark, smoky and revebrating with reggae Prendy's is the epitemy of all that makes Hellshire beach a destination. With a lively bar and long tables covered with oil skin clothes its a great place to escape the heat of the day and people watch. If you're as lucky as I was on my last visit there will be a Port Royal Rum promotion with vivacious young ladies dispensing rum Punch!
Once no more than a fishing village, Hellshire has grown into a a community of ramshackle bars and restaurants, renowned for strong drink, great seafood and lyming.
On any typical weekend thousands of Kingstonians will be headed across the causeway to enjoy the beach, buy fish, imbibe and nyam; then often party late into the night or early morning.
Amongst the many choices arrayed over a mile of beach my favourite is Prendy's. Dark, smoky and revebrating with reggae Prendy's is the epitemy of all that makes Hellshire beach a destination. With a lively bar and long tables covered with oil skin clothes its a great place to escape the heat of the day and people watch. If you're as lucky as I was on my last visit there will be a Port Royal Rum promotion with vivacious young ladies dispensing rum Punch!
Jamaican Rum Punch - the drink of choice if your not drinking Guinness!
There are many variations on this recipe but the combination is what matters the most (other than perhaps where you drink it and WHO you drink it with!)
Follow this ratio and you can't go wrong;
1 part Sour
2 part Sweet
3 part Strong
4 part Weak
In the tradiitonal way this would be the juice of a lime, simple syrup, over proof white rum and water. Of course you can substitute other more exotic ingredients for the water just don't mess with the rum ( and pick your company well!!)
There are many variations on this recipe but the combination is what matters the most (other than perhaps where you drink it and WHO you drink it with!)
Follow this ratio and you can't go wrong;
1 part Sour
2 part Sweet
3 part Strong
4 part Weak
In the tradiitonal way this would be the juice of a lime, simple syrup, over proof white rum and water. Of course you can substitute other more exotic ingredients for the water just don't mess with the rum ( and pick your company well!!)
Prendy's is known for fabulous seafood, steamed, roast or fried. Everything is cooked to order in the teeming kitchen made bright by the flaming fires of pimento wood. Great vats of oil and fish stock sit atop these primitive wood fired stoves and are tended by energetic cooks preparing each order individually.
Having made your selection and while you sip your rum punch, order a conch and crayfish
soup preferably with some delicious festival (recipes will follow in a later posting) as the preparation of your meal will take some time. Regardless I can assure you that you will not be bored as the restaurant is always alive with activity
Having made your selection and while you sip your rum punch, order a conch and crayfish
soup preferably with some delicious festival (recipes will follow in a later posting) as the preparation of your meal will take some time. Regardless I can assure you that you will not be bored as the restaurant is always alive with activity
Established as a bar, a restaurant and a fish market there is lots going on. Bonette Prendergast manges the chaos with cool aplume whilst her husband, a fisherman by trade, manages the retail business.
When asked how she got into the business Prendy replies " I married a fisherman so it just made sense" Regardless its a winning team and a road food destination not to be missed.
( more Hellshire pictures, tales and recipes to follow soon)
When asked how she got into the business Prendy replies " I married a fisherman so it just made sense" Regardless its a winning team and a road food destination not to be missed.
( more Hellshire pictures, tales and recipes to follow soon)
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