The seafood salads are attractively presented: ice-cold pink shrimps, mussels and smoke salad with cream cheese and capers. There's also squid, tuna and smoked marlin.

It's midday as we step up the cobbled path for brunch at Strawberry Hill. It is as we last remembered it - a charmed setting nestled on 26 acres in the picturesque Blue Mountains of Jamaica at 3,100 feet above sea level. It's a clear day affording a 360º view of Kingston to the west, Newcastle to the north, the Yallahs Mountains to the east and Bull Bay to the south.

Pleasantries exchanged (there are quite a few people to acknowledge), we sit on the terrace and admire the elegant vines in the courtyard below. Tall chilled flutes of Strawberry Bliss (this we're told is the new Strawberry Hill signature brunch drink, a subtle blend of Champagne, strawberry purée and a splash of orange juice) are offered, and we sit for a while enjoying the music of Floyd Folkes. The Mannish water gets rave reviews from the Byles family. It is in fact excellent. The seafood salads are attractively presented: ice-cold pink shrimps, mussels and smoke salad with cream cheese and capers. There's also squid, tuna and smoked marlin.

We tuck into the shrimps, salmon, spiced mango salad and pumpkin salad. The vegetable salads are a great option for those wishing to truly indulge healthily. For in addition to spiced mango and pumpkin, there's traditional potato salad, tossed salad, sweet potato salad, sweet corn salad and cucumber salad.

The mountains never fail to open the appetite, so after enjoying the salads, which are also moreish, it's time to head to the hot stations for starches: fried plantains, roasted fried breadfruit, fried bammy, festival, macaroni and cheese, as well as offerings of penne pasta and grilled vegetables. We forget the calorie count and contemplate walking back to Kingston as we head for the meats. It's all quite lethal: jerk leg of lamb, curried mutton, jerk pork, barbecue chicken, baked fillet of snapper, ackee and saltfish and steamed callaloo.

A glance over at the most decadent array of desserts is what forces us to limit the amount of food placed on the formidable 12" plates to callaloo, plantains and lamb. Dessert is an absolute must.

More guests arrive and the children draw smiles as they carefully carry plates back to their seats (under the watchful eyes of the wait staff). There's more attention to detail at Strawberry Hill. The service is also much improved. We suspect new general manager Carolle Fullerton (a stickler for detail) has a lot to do with this. The 12" plates are her idea and they certainly add elegance to Sunday brunch. Between Mario Machado (group operations director) and herself, we gather there are other plans to unveil lots more gourmet treats.
Dessert, the best part of any meal, especially when there's chocolate cake, is a veritable tribute to calories and we gladly indulge with each forkful of cherry cheesecake, chocolate cake, carrot cake, sweet potato pudding, Jamaican bread pudding, fruit trifle and plain cake.
Sunday Brunch commences at 11:00am and continues until 3:00pm. Our suggestion is to get up to the hills early and indulge in clean mountain air, truly great ambiance and good food. The cost, $2500 (inclusive).
The experience. priceless.

Trousers in Denim

Cream of the 'Crop'

Cheeky's World