Ashanti - the vegetarian oasis

As cheerful as its name suggests, Ashanti Oasis Restaurant is proof that diners can eat healthily and happily. Touted as one of the longest-serving vegetarian restaurants in Jamaica, a sea of non-meat delights awaits diners at this eatery.

Having been opened for more than 30 years, proprietor Yvonne Hope stated that she decided to come on board in order to gain the much-needed exposure.

"We thought it was a good venture in terms of getting our name out there. We were previously at Hope Gardens and the Puls8 Complex, then we moved here two years ago. We thought it would be a good idea to come on board in the dinner category."

In preparation for the Do Us a Flavour theme, Chef Shawn Hoo chose the delicious Vegi Ball and Lentil Rice, served with a tasty sweet and sour sauce, as the feature presentation.

"Vegi balls is our signature dish because it is the most requested. We also will be serving a delicious ital ackee wrap. Our ackee wrap has also been another outstanding item. People tend to get tired of rice and peas so they tend to ask for alternatives such as the ackee wrap or the ackee pasta," Hoo said.

From the tasty vegi balls to the savoury ackee wrap, Ashanti Oasis will also be offering mouth-watering stuffed tofu, baked with vegetables inside and served with a pineapple salsa, a delectable ackee pasta and a special West African dish called jollof.

"We are 100 per cent natural - no preservatives, no modified foods. We don't even use processed coconut milk. We also don't use black pepper or any other powdered seasoning. We use 100 per cent all-natural ingredients. We are also 100 per cent natural in terms of our cooking techniques. These dishes are guaranteed to excite and arouse your taste buds," Hoo said.

In addition to the tantalising dishes, Hoo promises the perfect ambiance.

"It's a lovely location with great customer service. When you dine here, you feel like family. You will definitely be satisfied."

Ashanti Oasis is located at 12 Braemar Avenue, Kingston 5. Telephone: 289-2633. They can also be found on Facebook.

- Davina Henry