It's been seven months but the new management at The Reef Seafood Restaurant and Bar, located at 124 Old Hope Road in St Andrew is holding its own in a fragile economy. From as early as October last year, popular eateries in New York had been feeling the bite taken out of their customers' dollars.

But managing director Carol Chin who has over 30 years experience in the restaurant trade, says her strategy is to keep her doors open even if it means taking a smaller margin of profits. That strategy includes the involvement and grooming of her three children to whom she eventually intends to turn over the business.

Fast-food section

The bar area is spacious and has ample seating for persons who just want to chill and watch the flat-screen television set strategically located there.

The Reef Seafood Restaurant and Bar is also hoping to add a fast-food section out front to offer a menu of affordable Jamaican favourites for lunch. This, Chin says, will not affect core business. Fish meals start at $900 per pound with any side order.

Right now, Chin works seven days a week and is still fine-tuning the restaurant's plate of offerings that for now include the delectable Friday night all-you-can-eat seafood buffet. The experience is more than worth the $2,300 inclusive of tax; live music by Warm and Easy and the pleasure of indoor or outdoor dining.

The Friday night menu includes a seafood pasta, salmon salad, shrimp kebabs, curried lobster, grilled mussels, lobster in garlic sauce, cold smoked marlin pasta, as well as sides of festival, bammy, parsleyed potatoes, okra salad and a variety of desserts.

Wednesdays are crab nights when the clawed crustacean is prepared in a variety of ways. Customers who like the ambience of a bar, can linger there to watch the wide-screen television and indulge in bar-talk to their hearts' content. The other theme night is karaoke and crab on Saturday nights and management has coined the name 'crabaoke' for this night. Plans are in the works for an oldies night.

The Reef currently employs 14 persons on two shifts starting 6:30 a.m. daily and ending Mondays to Thursdays at 9 p.m.; Fridays 10 p.m. and Saturdays at 11 p.m. "We have to constantly think outside the box with the recession on," Chin said.

Parking is available next door at St Peter and Paul Church.

barbara.ellington@gleanerjm.com

Left: A traditional steamed fish with bammies and vegetables provides a complete meal. Right: A perfectly grilled slice of salmon from The Reef Seafood Restaurant and Bar is accompanied by rice and peas, sweat potato fries, French fries or mashed potatoes.- photos by Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer

Left: Experience the cool and pleasant ambience of the formal dining area indoors at The Reef Seafood Restaurant and Bar, 124 Old Hope Road, St Andrew. Right: Shrimp rundown from The Reef lends itself well to sweet potato fries, steam vegetables, baked green plantains or ripe plantains.

Left: Curried lobster is prepared on all-you-can-eat seafood nights. Right: Seafood pasta is made on the spot too.