lobster season in Jamacia
 

I am an admitted lobster addict and am thinking of going to Negril in July. Have heard about 3 Dives and checked out their website. Apparently they have the great lobster deal when it is "in season". Anyone know when that is?

Yes, it closes the end of April & will be open again when you go in July. We ate at 3 Dives on our trip & got the 2 lobster dinner. It was great. Couldn't beat the price, the grilled lobster was good & they served it with garlic butter to dip in. Be aware that it takes a while to grill so don't come starving! It is not fast food but the sunset from there is excellent.

April 1 - June 30, no lobster.

Wow, thanks for your very quick and informative responses. If we go, it will be around July 10th, so looks like I will be in luck. I'll plan having drinks and enjoying the sunset while we wait for our delicious lobster!
Just to clarify, I said on a recent post that St John was my next trip (later this year).This one might be the quick trip in between to keep me sane.

At the end of closed/spawning season, spiny lobster will come back -- but the flesh will be like 'pounders' in New England in Jan -- not the firmest nor the sweetest. Substitute bongo/monkey/seacrab -- the big deepsea ones which when cleaned yield about 1.5 lbs.of meat -- for a bettet treat for shellfish lovers.

Can you translate bongo/monkey/seacrab? I don't care for lobster as much when it has that softer texture that you speak of.

Don't know the species name/but think a junior version of the UNfrozen giant Alaskan seacrab with the meat mainly in the body. Just ask for sea crab (rather than blue crab or land crab -- 2 totally other species). Depending on what parish you're in, it's also variously called 'bongo crab' or 'monkey crab' on island.

tivertonhouse
Thanks for clarifying that point. I wasn't sure if that was another kind of lobster or what. Seacrab should have been a dead giveaway, however I have never heard of it. Wondering if it is similar to soft shell crab which I have never eaten either and is usually fried? Thanks for the suggestion. I will definitely give it a try if I come across it. Do you know any restaurants in Negril that have it? Sounds like a new eating experience. We don't get much variety of shellfish in the midwest except the basics.

Try going to www.negril.com & ask there on the message board about the food. I know several local restaurant people post there quite often. They will who has what in the seafood line for sure. Everything we ate there was excellent. Must have been just being in Negril that made the difference!

Ask ahead of time, wherever you're staying when you arrive so they'll be able to source sea crab for you at a place like 3 Dives, casual, informal. More upscale places like
Norma's might be worth checking in on, too. As well as local fishers and captains. Sea crab is reddish brown shelled, a thick and solid brute. It's generally boiled with maybe a couple of pimento leaves thrown in the pot, cleaned (takes hours) and served with lime -- simple and sweet.
If you get down Whitehouse way, we hear and will be trying what's called a little gem of a place smack dab in the middle of the working waterfront with just a sheet of glass to keep the harbour wind at bay. No signs. Called Jimmy's. Right off the main to the market, right again at sea, park. Ask directions. Clamber over plankwalks thru a boatyard. Great fish, we're told.
Will let you know ...

You can get bluecrab/a match to that of the Chesapeake down in Black River where they pot for it. There's a simple shack upriver called SISTER LOU'S to check for it. Landcrab might also be about, though more generally in May, when you'll see kids out with flashlights searching for it;it's generally curried and breaded and served in shell. Near Belmont/Bluefields Bay is a metal roof/concrete floor Butler-style building called Oceanside Pub/Dorrit's
right on the main where it's her specialty. Fancier seafood like smoked marlin (like lox but pale pink) is worth searching out in Negril at places like Norma's.

Having been to Negril 10+ times and being that I live in New England, I'd say going to Jamaica for lobster is a waste of money.

Nothing compares with a lobster from the cold waters of New England or Down East Canada. Lobsters without claws are like a T-bone steak. Good but not a Porterhouse!

Go to Negril for lots of reasons (beach, jerk, fresh fish, music, ganja) but not for lobster.

mm

P.S.
Even shoe leather tastes good with garlic butter!

mm,
You might be right about the garlic butter but the lobster was good because of 2 things..
1- we were in Jamaica watching the sunset
2- it was better than what we get at home

We live in Louisiana which has excellent seafood but it's hard to find decent cooked lobster here. Guess I need to make a road trip up your way. You are blessed by being in an area that excels in lobster.
I was VERY diasppointed when I had Dungeness crab at Fisherman's Wharf in SF. Being used to warm crabs that are well spiced I was thrilled to see this huge crab come out. I was disappointed to find it was bland & served cold. First time I ever had to use cocktail sauce on crab to give it flavor. Guess it's all what you're used to.

The largest US/Canadian lobster exporter in the world was one of my ad clients, so lobster's in my blood. Caribbean spiny lobster can't compare to New England lobster, especially those from the southern edge of Boston down to Hummarock area for sweetness -- follow the effluent and find the best lobster is the rule -- not just the
'crisp, cool waters of Maine' for those who aren't particularly squeamish). And a good 60% of 'New England/North Atlantic' lobster is from Nova Scotia. No claws on the Caribbean species or the Indian Ocean ones like slipper lobster, also sweet and tasty. But grilled (nah garlic butta fi mi), with a squirt of lime or jerked or curried, it's good stuff. But nothing like that bongo crab....

I agree that the cold water lobster is tastier, but when in Rome... I really don't mind the warm water lobster and don't have the luxury of living in New England to enjoy cold water lobster on a regular basis.

tivertonhouse,

If we go, I will be taking your excellent and respected advice and check out 3 Dives and Normas. Trip right now is still in the thinking process. This is one of my spur of the moment ideas. We have a little over a week off in the summer. Have to work on DH a little more. Funny thing is, if he has his way, he will probably eat jerk chicken EVERY single day we are there. Think caribbeansoul mentioned a great jerk chicken shack near Coco La Palm. We are looking at Idle Awile and Coco La Palm right now for accomodations.

Think I had a lesson in lobster and crab 101 today!

Your first stop,just a few minutes outside the airport is a classic little place called The Pork Pit. Instead of rushing off the plane into a taxi, hire a private driver in advance and stop here for your first sample of good jerk, fresh orange juice. It's a sweet breather between airport and island.

Hello benj,

I'm sorry if I was misunderstood. Even if it's not from Maine lobster in Negril is fantastic for the very reasons you mentioned.

I used to love the indulgence of buying a lobster from the guy selling cooked one from a cardboard box on the beach. You are right in that atmosphere adds a lot to a meal.

mm

3 Dives has excellent jerk chicken too. We usually get an order of lobster (which is 2-3 tails with sides) and an order of jerk chicken and make ourselves a Jamaican surf-n-turf ;)

Cost is about US$25, add a few red stripes and you're still out the door for under $20pp.