MUNCHIES (RASTA TACO X ROLLY POLLY X KAYA INC.)
Greetings massive!
The ORIGINAL #DownDiRoad is finally back & squad returns to you with Episode 9 in Season 2! #DownDiRoad has morphed right before our eyes & we've added #downdiroadLIVE as well as #chippinDownDiRoad, but fret not we haven't forgotten our roots. We have some new experiences to share with you today! #DownDiRoad - EP09 - MUNCHIES is here!
Watch the new episode right here but scroll down for some more info!
So boom! In this adventure we head out to Ochi town & we are featuring three very interesting establishments, all poised for greatness.
Stop 1 - Rasta Taco
Stop one lead us to Island Village Plaza, where we checked out "Jamaica's first taco joint," Rasta Taco. The idea for Rasta Taco was created by founder Mario "Maji" Melendez in November 2006 while on vacation in Jamaica. Mario who is Mexican was surprised that there were no tacos at any of the local jerk spots. He went home and worked on his idea, later founding Rasta Taco, Inc. & shortly after he opened his first Rasta Taco which is located in Laguna Beach, Orange County, California.
Fast forward a few years, Mario finally has a branch in Jamaica. Speaking with Assistant Manager Nazma Muller, I found out that ideally the aim is to infuse more Jamaican and "ital" ingredients in their menu items. The menu items are standard Mexican street food, tacos, quesadillas, burritos and taquitos just to name a few. The prices range from $600JMD - $1500 JMD, which I think is not bad at all.
If you're ever in Island Village check out Rasta Taco, the ambience is great, the vibe is nice and the food is very good. For more information check out the Rasta Taco website ---> rastatacojamaica.com <---
Stop 2 - Rolly Polly
For the next stop, we didn't have to go too far, and we made a walk to another section of Island Village heading to Rolly Polly for some desert. The concept behind Rolly Polly, is to offer a more playful way of providing you frozen treats. What it is called is Stir-fried ice cream and it originated in Thailand. It's rolled ice cream that is hand made with milk poured on an iced grill, mixed with fruit or different ingredients on the ice-pan. Rolly Polly is infusing Jamaican flavours, so you decide which flavour you's like and it's prepared on the iced grill right before your eyes.
Rolly Polly is the first of it's kind in Jamaica and only have one location currently, but I hope they open one in Kingston really soon. Personally, I am not an ice cream fan but I really enjoyed this ice cream format and it's something I would try again and again. The rolls have a firmer consistency than regular ice cream, and the incorporation of special flavours (like the Dragon Stout one we had) is a golden concept! Rolls start at $400JMD upwards. For more information check out the Rolly Polly on Facebook ---> Rolly Polly <---
Stop 3 - Kaya Inc.
The last stop for the day was Kaya Inc. Kaya Inc. is the mother company of Kaya Farms, which has multiple brands like; Kaya Farms, Kaya Spa, Kaya Tours, Kaya Café, Kaya Herbhouse & Kaya Extracts. The property is located in Drax Hall, St. Ann and we started with Kaya Café. The café is fully stocked with the Marley Blue Mountain coffee brand, and has a wide range of caffeinated beverages and pastries. The dispensary or 'Herbhouse' was an interesting experience. Being the first of it's kind in Jamaica, they are really working on complying with the strict regulations of the Cannibis Licensing Authority (CLA). Being that marijuana can only be purchased legally for medicinal purchases, only holders of a prescription or medical license can purchase herb from the dispensary. Security is also top notch, and we weren't allowed much room to document the herb house aspect. We later got the opportunity to head out on the tour of the farm and greenhouse, which was also very interesting. Kaya's infrastucture is set up in a way where growth of the plant and post-production go hand in hand. The farm is a stone's throw away from the dispensary, and they have a structured set up for production. I think they are poised for success, and I hope it will benefit our economy as much as it has benefited others. For more information check out the Kaya website ---> growkaya.com <--- Overall it was a fun day, and a great new experience for me & the team. As always, I implore you to go out & experience your country. Load up the car & take a drive down di road with your friends! Let me know if you have tried any of these places & how you found the experience. Until the next one! Peace!
- Doofy Duane
