The name Lala’s Nutmeg resonates. “That’s a good thing,” shares the restaurant’s affable principal Lauren Tomlinson. “ Lala’s Nutmeg is named, she informs Thursday Food , “after a nutmeg tree that stands over cottages both me and my mum [noted restaurateur Anna- k ay Tomlinson] dream of renovating. Plus, I’m affectionately known as Lala, so that’s the story of how the two names came together”. It’s a story as sweet, and as pragmatic, as the owner, a graduate of the prestigious Les Roches, International School of Hotel Management in Switzerland, who, after much conceptualising and indeed dreaming, opened the cosy, yet chic 14×14′ space on Friday, June 25.

There have been a few sleepless nights in-between, but her enthusiasm remains, as too the raison d’etre behind the menu options. “My mission is for people to realise that vegan food can be enjoyable! I felt the urge to open a vegan space because I found that, generally, people hold the misconception that plant-based food is boring, didn’t taste good, and was very limited; so my mission is to shut down that misconception and provide thrilling dishes that would make people ask: ‘Is this really vegan?’”

Tomlinson does not eat meat or its by-products. Eschew all thoughts, however, of a vegan-only sign! Lala’s Nutmeg caters to all and welcomes everyone with an open heart and mind in a space — a joint mother-and-daughter design effort — that showcases the prowess of local artisans like Exquisite Wicker and Bug Art. The woodwork is by an Ochi carpenter.

Add Lala’s Nutmeg to your next Ochi stop. Order as many menu options as you wish, and give your feedback to Tomlinson, who envisages “More people [are] opening up to vegan cuisine and integrating more of it into their lifestyle, as we’ve all become a bit more health conscious since the pandemic. In hospitality school, I was given a project to create a restaurant concept based on trends, and I remember my classmates being a bit confused by my vegan restaurant concept. My lecturer, however, spoke to research proving that there is a greater demand for vegan food and that it will only continue to increase.”

Thursday Food concurs that there’ll be a rise in vegan eateries. What’s important is that the food is consistent in flavour profile and attractively presented.

Lala’s Nutmeg

Address: 65 Main Street,

Ocho Rios, St Ann

Opening hours: Tuesday – Saturday

11:00 am – 6:00 pm