In the heart of Manchester is the home of Mandeville’s favourite cheesecake, found at Voilà by Lilee, a charming little restaurant located on Caledonia Road. The restaurant is a manifestation of the dream of Lian Timoll, who began baking and selling brownies in high school to continue the Chinese tradition of “turning passions into transactions”. As a professional chef trained in Canada, Timoll is no stranger to the food industry with her family owned brand Country Fresh operating in the heart of Spaldings, St Ann. The business grew from catering at home in Jamaica to opening her restaurant in 2016.

The ambiance at Voilà by Lilee is nothing short of magical with the value proposition of “eat well, live happily and love life!” The chic rainforest décor encapsulates the landscape of the cool hills of Mandeville with its dim lighting and greenery. The family-friendly atmosphere offers both indoor and outdoor dining options. On my visit, Timoll could be seen walking in the indoor dining area interacting with the guests sharing her plans for expansion and adding more gourmet menu items.

The breakfast menu features a B.E.T.A Toast and Voila Break-My-Fast wrap which are crowd favourites and the traditional Jamaican breakfast for those looking for a more at-home local way to break their fast. Chicken Alfredo and Philly Cheese Steak are the preferred options from the lunch and dinner menu which are all served with a piece of ripe plantain. I mean, who doesn’t love a piece of ripe plantain on the side! This evening, I started with the soup du jour Fish Tea and decadent Crab Cakes which were crusted to perfection! For my main course I chose Chicken Florentine — grilled chicken breasts in a housemade creamy Tuscan sauce with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes served with mashed potatoes, sautéed veggies and, of course, fried ripe plantain! The chicken was deliciously tender and the sauce full of flavour. I paired my meal with a refreshing lemon iced tea and ended with a slice of the famous Lilee’s Strawberry Cheesecake. This cheesecake is worth the claim to fame with its firmness, decadence and subtle sweetness. A cup of ginger lemon tea with honey was all I needed afterwards to help me gear up for my journey back to Kingston. My entire meal cost $8,000 which solidifies Lillee’s value proposition of affordability.

The friendliness of the attentive servers and the short kitchen turnaround time made my dining experience very comfortable and surpassed all my expectations. Voilà by Lilee is definitely a modern “Insta-worthy” dining experience.

Voilà by Lilee

Address: 52 Caledonia Road, Mandeville

Opening Hours: Mondays to Thursdays 8:00 am to 8:00 pm,

Fridays and Saturdays (8:00 am to 9:30 pm)

www.voilabylilee.com

Voilà by Lilee, 52 Caledonia Road, Mandeville