It’s an easy Sunday drive to Oswald’s Restaurant and Seafood Bar located at Alligator Pond smack on the border of St Elizabeth and Manchester. Contrary to the belief of many it is in the parish of Manchester and was

declared Parish Gem winner by our discerning attorney-at-law and Food Awards parish judge Camille Shields.

Calling ahead secures a cosy alcove with a view of the sea and an easy breeze.

We’ve not seen proprietor and chef Oswald Powell since the Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards in May, so we’re delighted to hear from him just how much his business has grown since copping the coveted award. It’s a big deal for a man who takes pride in offering exquisite fare “from the sea to the pot.”

“I’ve been a fisherman for over 20 years,” he explained, “until I opened my own establishment in 2006. The fish is caught daily, cooked to order with my special seasoning, and served.”

Piping-hot cups of seafood broth reduce the hunger pangs. We basically left Sunday lunch to Powell, who promised a little of this and a little of that. The seafood bounty that appeared could pass muster at any fine seafood establishment. How about the taste? Fresh from the sea, yes!! Would it taste this good? Never!

Camille Shields had warned us about Oswald’s sweet and spicy sauce, the grilling on the fire wood grill on pimento and logwood, and yes, the jerk fish basted with fish-infused oil as it is taken from the grill and then topped with freshly chopped herbs, onions and escallion…

The bounty, however, of curried octopus, curried lobster, garlic sauce lobster, jerked lobster, jerked fish, jerk crab, escoveitched fish with perfect sides of grilled bammy and festival made believers out of us all and certainly will of you.

Follow the advice of our parish judge Camille Shields: “It’s a 40-minute drive from Mandeville, so call ahead and order when you are turning off at Gutters towards Alligator Pond.

The incredible feast for 10 cost a little over $33k.

We brought our own igloo of iCool and a few bottles of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 2013 Marlborough, New Zealand.

We reckon, like Mayberry Investments chairman Chris Berry, who was hitting Alligator Pond for the first time, there’ll be quite a few return visits. Oswald Powell’s promise is to ensure consistently good food!

It’s a promise we are holding him to.

Oswald’s Restaurant and Seafood Bar

Alligator Pond

Manchester

Tel # 381 3535