Blogger Bus 2019 | Select Brands Cocktail Train

1 Bus … 3 Cocktails …4 Restaurants! Sounds like a plan for a good time to me! Select Brands Cocktail Train this year was all about good food, great food and this year, great Cocktails!

If you are a little confused about what “Blogger Bus” is… It’s a great concept where a brand (Select Brands) partner with Restaurant Week and invite a few Bloggers and Influencers to go to a few Restaurants to try items on a pre-select menu and post it on Social Media! In this case, Select Brands select a few of their brands to pair with the meal so we can have an idea of that specif product and its versatility. It seems simple enough, right? That’s because it is!

medianet_width = “728”;
medianet_height = “90”;
medianet_crid = “185308422”;
medianet_versionId = “111299”;
(function() {
var isSSL = ‘https:’ == document.location.protocol;
var mnSrc = (isSSL ? ‘https:’ : ‘http:’) + ‘//contextual.media.net/nmedianet.js?cid=8CU3G4D0M’ + (isSSL ? ‘&https=1’ : ”);
document.write(”);
})();

The Bloggers + Influencers met up with the Select Brands team and their special guest this year from Angostura at 100 Hope Road in Kingston! Here we were introduced to the cocktails of the night which were: Plantation Paradise ft Plantation Xaymaca Rum & Fever-Tree Ginger Ale with a squeeze of Lime, Diamond Delight ft Diamond White Overproof Rum & Angostura Lemon Lime Bitters & Mint with a squeeze of lime and Absolut Fever ft Absolut Vodka + Fever-Tree Tonic Water Dash of Angostura Bitters and a squeeze of lime.

After a light-hearted conversation, we were soon on our way to the 1st stop at Tracks and Records! On the menu was Plantation Rum Cocktails & Swims Galore! When they said “galore” they meant it! These were deemed as appetizers but the portions were so large they could easily be the main course. We started with CHEESE QUESADILLA: Flour tortilla filled with shrimp, pepper jack cheese and scallion and pineapple. Up next is one of Jamaica’s most known appetizers… Saltfish fritters which were served with a remoulade dipping sauce which went as soon as they were placed on the table — these were complemented with pressed green plantains which were also a favorite of the night! The star of this stop was, of course, the “Swims Galore” that included: Jerk Shrimp and Coconut & cassava crusted shrimp with pineapple ginger sweet & sour sauce. With taste buds tantalized and bellies half-way full, we were on our way to the second stop!

Our 2nd stop was JoJo’s Jerk Pit which was a quick 5-minute drive where we arrived just in time for Karaoke Night! No, there was no singing as the focus was on the food and on the menu here was Absolut Cocktails & Quakie Tacos! Interestingly enough the Tacos were made from Duck meat and topped with a cranberry sauce which added a nice sweet taste to the gamey taste of the duck! It was my first time having the duck and it definitely won’t be my last! I decided to also try the vegetarian option which was the Quinoa Salad which had fresh local vegetables + olives which were also surprisingly good! The Absolut Cocktails got everyone in high spirits as the conversations + laughter at the table became more fun + cheerful and slightly louder!

We were soon on our way to our 3rd stop which was Sora Japanese Sky Cuisine. We climbed what felt like a hundred steps to the roof where we were seated “under the stars” (outdoor). Here we had the Diamond Rum Cocktails which were deemed as the best of the night as they had a really nice bitter yet sweet taste which complimented our meal very well! On the menu were Fyah Turner Rolls which were a selection of cooked sushi which were another favorite! Everyone loves Sushi so this was a definite win for the Bloggers + Influencers! It was soon time for the Tour to end so we made our way to our 4th and final stop of the night.

The final stop of the night was 100 Hope Road — yes we made our way back to our first stop where we had Absolut Flavoured Cocktails & Tortuga Guilt Trip! I must admit I was a bit full from the previous meals, but there is always room for dessert! I’m quite familiar with Tortuga Cakes as it’s deemed “The World’s Best Rum Cake” but I’ve never actually had it! It was served with a Caramel sauce, whipped cream and a cherry on top and it was divine! It was the right amount of sweet and the flavor of the rum complimented the whipped cream and the almonds on top of the cake added a nice texture and crunch! This was the great end to a night of gastronomical delights and great people!

Blogger Bus 2019 was a success and I’m already looking forward to 2020. What was your favorite meal for Restaurant Week this year from a Restaurant you visited? Comment below!

We have a small favor to ask. People are reading the Haute Lifestyle than ever since our recent placement in the South Florida Blogger Awards but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. We do not have investors and everything Blog related is funded out of pocket– we want to keep our journalism as fun and open as we can. So you can see why we need to ask for your help. Our article takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we believe our perspective and voices matter – because it might well be your perspective, too.