Food Awards judge Kadean Vendryes popped into the Pegasus hotel last week Friday…

There are two main bars at the Jamaica Pegasus: the Blend Bar and the Pool Bar. There is also an eatery: the 24 Seven Café.

Blend Bar is located on the ground floor of the hotel, close to the entrance, affording easy access, and is open daily from 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm. On Wednesdays, there is live piano music from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm, otherwise background music is provided via surround sound. The dress code is casual to business, with the only restriction being no tank tops. If you’re looking for a quiet and discreet meeting place for a drink and meal, this is the place to be, especially with its subdued lighting.

The 24 Seven Café is also located on the ground floor, almost behind the Blend Bar and is highly visible upon entering the hotel. As the name suggests, this café never closes and offers cold and hot beverages, sandwiches, delectable cakes and desserts. It’s also well-lit, offers a view of the poolside depending on where you are seated, and is always buzzing with guests catching up or on their laptops having at least a cup of coffee or tea.

The highlight of my recent visit, however, was the Pool Bar. This was a delightful surprise as it was recently transformed and expanded to include a covered open-concept full-service bar and lounge.

The Pool Bar is located downstairs and is open daily from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm. Tuesdays are for ‘Grilling and Live Music’ from 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm, while on Fridays there is ‘Let’s Lyme’ with a live disc jockey weekly.

On console duties last week was DJ Troy Finzi, who played international tunes to rock the night away. The service at the bar was impeccable, with two operations managers, Alrick Sucki and Daviot Pryce, on location to ensure that the weekly Friday evening event ran smoothly. I was extremely impressed with Sucki, who asked me and my guest to allow him to sanitise our bar table and stools prior to being seated, which he did himself, smartly dressed in a gentleman’s suit. Sucki proudly introduced us to a couple of his bartenders and assigned us Dwight, who was very attentive through the evening and never failed to deliver the drinks or meals ordered with a smile.

I must refer to the high service standards and experience at the Pool Bar, where I spent the greater portion of time, and also at the Blend Bar, where I interacted briefly with bartender Cyan: the service is first-class! The Pegasus got it right! Perhaps one of the reasons for this is that the hotel recognises and celebrates its team members, one such act was in fact a luncheon held Friday last, for the fathers, in an early celebration of Father’s Day.

The signature items on the bar menu at the Pool Bar include original, barbecue and spicy wings, the Pegasus Burger with mushrooms, firecracker chicken balls, teriyaki pork or shrimp kebab, and breaded crab cake. Both the Blend and Pool bars offer full menus, with the option to choose between something light or heavy; for example, the chicken sandwich, which is definitely heavy and shareable for two persons.

At the Pool Bar, the menu boasts a ‘Swill’, ‘Sip and Swig’ theme and guests are invited to interact with the bartenders to freely to mix their own drink. Favourite cocktails amongst the ladies are coconut rum and the ‘Lychetini’.

The two bars and 24 Seven Café at the Pegasus are absolute must-visits for business or pleasure, locals and visitors, and best of all, you will get value for your money with great prices and a wide selection of food and beverages.