A family legacy brought full circle

Hearty flavours of her Nana’s home-cooked fare still vividly flicker in attorney-at-law Tanya Golaub’s memory bank.

Thirty-two years since her passing, the adoring granddaughter can easily conjure up the taste of Ena Louise Atkinson’s “amazing oxtail, tender old-time pot roasted beef, and stew peas” as if it were just yesterday.

“She never allowed anybody in the kitchen, and was the only person that did the cooking,” Golaub fondly told Food.

Fittingly, Golaub honoured her family matriarch when her long-gestating desire to open an eatery in The Second City became a reality. Ena Jamaica Restaurant, named in Atkinson’s memory, debuted on February 28 with a soft launch at its 5 Delisser Drive home, to rave reviews.

It’s a full-circle family moment for Golaub, as her Nana, in the prime of her life, also ran her own restaurant, Viking, on Long Lane in Montego Bay, where ships once frequently docked in the harbour.

Viking shuttered in 1976. “Her husband had died, and [she was unable to] sustain it any longer, so Nana retired from having her restaurant,” Golaub divulged during an interview last week.

All-natural and Jamaican-sourced are the bedrock of the business model Golaub formulated almost a decade ago, and organic is not some trend she was merely looking to jump on the bandwagon for. “That’s how I have always eaten. It’s how I grew up,” the legal eagle shared.

The reflective convo unfolds on the grassy patch of Ena’s tiered dining area with reclining metal seating that’s designed to simulate rocking chairs. The elevated space, with panoramic views of both the Sangster International Airport runway and coastline, is dotted with artisanal wooden benches and fireside tables for diners. There is a sunken bar with wraparound seating for those looking for cocktail or mocktail sips. Clear zinc roofing with wicker-cocooned lighting installations is overhead.

“As a child, I remember Nana would go to the Mobay market early on Saturday mornings by herself. She had her suppliers for goat milk, for produce, every fresh fruit, everything was always fresh.”

The entrepreneur has adopted the same principles for Ena Jamaica. Chickens are never store-bought. They are purchased from staff members who raise home-reared poultry. Similarly, she disclosed that “I have my local fishing sanctuary in Lilliput where I get all my crabs, fish and lobster.

“I have invested the time [in] going out and meeting every single supplier. So, from the farms to the butcheries, everything is sourced locally. No imports.”

The all-things-fresh credo is a throughline that involves the entire Team Ena. “We are creating a culture where it’s a whole microsystem designed where people here have a vested interest in food and appreciate the fact that it’s fresh. I get all our sour oranges, plantains and bananas from our guest concierge, Samantha.”

Ena 876, nearing its first month of full-scale operation, opens from Wednesdays to Saturdays.

THEMED SIGNATURE MEALS

Its proprietor tells Food each day is themed to reflect the eclectic offerings whipped up by her capable team in the open-concept kitchen, where grilled cooking is being angled as their signature.

Brick Oven Wednesdays at Ena features a barbecue-focused fare and is headlined by Lambs River suckling pig that’s done on site. For this, Golaub wanted the authenticity of the well-known oven-cooked red meat prepared in Seaforth Town, Westmoreland, which for generations she would trek to buy on Saturdays.

“I thought, ‘Why do I have to go all the way to Seaforth for the pig when I can probably do it here?’” she explained. To remedy the situation, she built her oven and negotiated with lechonero Orel ‘Kool Kat’ Clarke, whose familial ties with Lambs River pork dates back decades to travel from Westmoreland weekly to deliver his magic touch.

Seafood Thursdays spotlight fresh catches of the day, in a variety of cooking options, while Curry Fridays – with Tanya’s father Viv Golaub’s secret signature curry recipe infused in the dishes – delivers savoury Jamaican curry goat, fish and crawfish. Then, there are Surprise Saturdays.

“You will not know what is on the Saturday menu,” Golaub explains. “We are thinking of doing things that are inspired by foreign ethnic cultures, but with a Jamaican twist.”

Gung-ho for leaving impressions on taste buds, Executive Chef Jordan White says, “My vision is to create a dining experience that blends Caribbean flavours with a mix of international techniques.”

“I want the food to be very bold and exciting and memorable while still being approachable for guests,” continues the 29-year-old, who, before Ena, was employed as lead cook at Jewel Grande.

A keen focus in the kitchen for him in his new role is preparing components from scratch. “Things like sauces, marinades, vinaigrettes, and mayonnaise and different elements that bring an extra depth of flavour to all of the dishes. I enjoy working with fire and grill. We have an open fire concept, so guests will see a lot of beautiful grilled meats, rich sauces and vibrant sauces on the menu.”

Golaub is an advocate of sustainability and uses mason jars for all Ena 876’s served soups and salads. Also served in reusable branded long glass bottles are cold-pressed natural juices from orange juice and watermelon to papaya and pineapple.

As for the future, the restaurateur eyes expansion. “In the long term, I would love to see Ena Jamaica becoming something we are able to export this concept to other parishes or other islands.”

lifestyle@gleanerjm.com