Soothing jazz clefs punctuate the musty air as we step gingerly (the bulb has blown) along the stone pavement and into the all-too-familiar embracing, nocturnal charm of Red Bones, The Blues Café.

It’s a busy Wednesday evening with only a few tables unoccupied on the restaurant’s verandah. We make our way to the bar for pre-dinner drinks and to mingle with hosts Suzanne Lee and Bruce Taylor of Novelty Trading Company and their guest of honour Essence Blackboard and New York Times best-selling author Eric Jerome Dickey.

Dickey seems pretty comfortable and loves the inside/outside appeal of the bar. Almost every square inch of the walls is covered with celebrity pictures and, of course, the Evan Williams collection of vinyl 45s: Red Bones still remains the place to charm any visitor to our shores.

Additional lights and chairs in a semi-circle indicate that there’s a show this evening. Other guests arrive, and with Justine Henzell now in the mix one might be forgiven for thinking that Calabash (Literary Festival, Treasure Beach, St Elizabeth) has returned and so soon. In fact, she is now a Kingston resident.

Celebrated shrink Aggrey Irons soon dispels that notion as we segue into discussions on relationships, not the ’emotional’ ones but those between the new generation of children and the perception of some mothers that they have perhaps failed in their attempt to render them self-reliant.

But enough Prozac-induced talk (albeit with consultation fees waived). It’s getting late and we’re famished. There’s a feeling of being cheated as we enter one of the cosy private dining rooms (will we lose the energy of Red Bones’ al fresco appeal?) Yes and no.

There’s little time to deliberate as the delicious smell of garlic bread awakens the taste buds and provides sufficient distraction. The special, we are told, is lobster, but in addition, there is a pretty comprehensive menu to peruse.

I opt for a long-time favourite, notably callaloo strudel, while the others request smoked marlin, Greek salad, the small garden salad and the seafood bisque.

Conversation is now directed at the guest of honour, distracting him momentarily from his excellent smoked marlin. There is no comment when asked about the origin of the name ‘Dickey.’

Did the name appear before or after the penning of those steamy love scenes? Amid chuckles we raise our glasses in a toast to the written word and to Dickey’s first visit to the Caribbean. He leaves Jamaica for Barbados and then Trinidad and Tobago.

Suzanne Lee is given the task of selecting a wine to perfectly complement the myriad of main courses: seafood trio of shrimp, mussels and salmon, grilled and poached salmon, grilled New Zealand baby lamb chops and linguine with julienne of chicken and shrimp.

Sunday Cuisine seizes this opportunity to put the Yellow Tail Shiraz to the test. We actually call it the ‘wonder’ wine (its berry and vanilla oak aromas and subdued earthy tones with soft ripe sweetness we think has the ability to work with everything).

The service thus far has been as non-imposing as the restaurant itself, and in between notes we look around the room and take in the powerful black and white images of jazz legend Billy Holiday and Louis Armstrong and of course our own reggae great Robert Nesta Marley.

Water glasses are topped up as needed, additional baskets of bread replace empty ones and there is constant communication. The orders are memorised so there is smooth sailing – two thumbs up for the impeccable service.

Regrettably, the grilled New Zealand baby lamb chops are tough (this could be because they were prepared ahead of time and sat), and although it’s described as being glazed with guava in a spicy Jamaican sauce, there is more heat than spice and so I’m forced to gulp down water.

Disappointing, but certainly not a disaster since the callaloo strudel – phyllo dough filled with sauteed callaloo leaves, onions, red peppers and cream cheese in a mornay sauce – was as perfect as the first time I had it some five years ago.

The others also seemed pretty satisfied. The Shiraz, by the way, passes with flying colours, proving to be a truly great Aussie red.

Our super-attentive server, Athol Duncan (who, by the way, served all 17 of us and remained even-tempered and charming as we made our choices), allowed us sufficient pause before, not asking, but suggesting dessert, coffee or grog (freshly squeezed lime juice, spiced rum with hot water and honey).

After listening to his seductive descriptions of the apple bread pudding, old-fashioned Jamaican rum cake, sweet potato pudding, coffee banana pudding and tiramisu, there really is naught else to do save yield to even more late-night temptations and follow the bewitching language of drummer M’bala and await Athol’s return.

The sweet plates do not disappoint, and within 10 minutes of total silence the plates are clean, save for my lone cherry looking a bit sad in a small puddle of rum sauce. Food for thought for the next Eric Jerome Dickey novel? Time alone will tell.

Red Bones, The Blues Café, located at 21 Braemar Avenue, opens Monday-Friday noon-11:00 pm for lunch and dinner and at 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays for dinner only.

Reservations are recommended for large tables and especially on show nights.

Telephone: 978-8262.

Prices range (appetisers and salads) from $480 to $1,050 for crab backs. Entrees $1,100 – $2,200 for the Red Bones blues steak.

All prices are inclusive of GCT but a 12.5% service charge will be added to your bill.