YO partners with eateries for ‘Dine & Vibe’ restaurant tour
Published:Thursday | November 30, 2023 | 12:11 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
Once I heard the words ‘YO Dine and Vibe’, I was immediately intrigued by the hope of a delectably divine experience. Nothing, however, could have prepared me for the artistry, creativity, and eruption of flavours evident in these dishes.
The YO brand teamed up with three restaurants – Loaded Food Truck, Tacbar, and Press Cafe – to collaborate showing the versatility of its products, sour cream and cream cheese. The terrific three accepted the challenge, and my mission, which I graciously accepted, was to embark on this thrilling restaurant tour adventure.
The first stop was the Loaded Food Truck. The presentation was met with scores of people running out of their office buildings due to the recent earthquake. While we could not relate because we hadn’t felt anything, we were certainly moved by the festive taste of the featured dishes. The teriyaki salmon burger delivered sweet and savoury notes in every bite, and the waffle fries were a hot and tasty complement.
The show-stopping moment came with the menu’s newcomer: the carne asada loaded fries. The steak with fries, topped with diced tomatoes, onion, sweet pepper, cheese sauce, YO sour cream and guacamole, tantalised and tingled the taste buds in a most delightful way.
The ‘feastivities’ continued at Tacbar, where we were presented with chicken taquitos with an avocado crema. If you know anything about taquitos, then you will appreciate the crunch in every single bite. I added sriracha and pepper sauce for a greater kick, along with the avocado crema.
The grilled jalapeño with corn dip, served with chips, touched on a comforting sweetness. The crunchiness after each scoop kept bringing the merriment back into play.
Then, at the third and final stop, Press Cafe, we warmly received the sensational sushi rolls (cooked) as well as the strawberry bliss, a panini that presented the perfect blend of savoury, sweet, and creamy sandwiched together. As a bonus, we were introduced to the expresso bliss, a mix of expresso, Bailey’s and Vodka, drizzled with chocolate syrup and elevated by cream cheese.
According to senior manager, business development at Dairy Industries Jamaica Limited, Karis-Ann Rhoden Gordon, the tour was inspired by an opportunity to collaborate, representing the island’s ‘melting pot’ culture and bringing good food to the masses.
“We wanted to partner with some everyday eateries to offer some value-added menu options featuring YO Cream Cheese Spreads and Sour Cream to showcase the versatility of the products and creativity of our local chefs,” she told Food.
Versatility, creativity
She continued by stating, “Approaching the festive season, it was an opportune time to display the versatility of the products whilst inspiring consumers to unleash their own creativity with YO, making their best even better.”
The YO brand is the newest addition to the Dairy Industries Jamaica portfolio, which is also home to Tastee Cheese and the locally made ‘This is Really Great Yogurt’.
“With our inaugural launch in 2021, we offer dairy-based products such as Sour Cream and Cream Cheese Spreads. Although these product categories are predominantly imported, crafting world-class products locally not only fuels our economy, but instils a profound sense of pride in our capability to create excellence within our own borders,” she added.
The brand hand-picked three restaurants that are popular for their creativity. Embracing the challenge, the feedback, so far, has been phenomenal.
“Each eatery curated meals that would appeal to their customers’ preferences. The diversity of what YO created ranged from smoothies and sandwiches to sensational sushi rolls,” Rhoden Gordon said.
The aim of the tour, she revealed, is to showcase the versatility, richness, and quality of YO products while delivering unique culinary experiences through the restaurants, “We also wanted to be the spark that ignites culinary imagination, encouraging chefs at the partnering restaurants to continually innovate, crafting new and inspired meal options for their valued patrons.”
YO Dine & Vibe Restaurant Tour runs until Sunday, December 10.