Expensive

Moderate | Inexpensive

Le Vendome - Jamaican/French

This place some 3 1/2 miles (6km) from the town center enjoys a good reputation. You don't have to be a hotel guest to sample the cuisine, which owners Daniel and Sylvia Grizzle describe as a "dash of Jamaican spices" with a "pinch of French flair." Dine out on the terracotta terrace, with its view of the swaying palms on the beach. Start off with a homemade pate, or perhaps a fresh vegetable salad, and then follow with baked snapper, duckling a l'orange, or a seafood platter. Wines and champagnes are imported from France.

In the Charela Inn, Negril Beach. Reservations recommended for Sat dinner. Continental breakfast $5; English breakfast $10; main courses $20-$30; fixed-price meal $24-$35. MC, V. Daily 7:30am-10pm.

Norma's - International/Jamaican

Norma Shirley is hailed as the finest chef in Jamaica. Having closed down in Montego Bay, she now operates this eatery in Negril. Although Norma is not likely to be on the premises when you arrive, the chefs use her recipes for their inspiration-a cookery characterized by such regional products as callaloo (a spinach-like vegetable), papaya, and corn-fed free-range chicken. The menu is seasonally adjusted; offerings might include lobster tails, perfectly cooked rack of lamb, savory Cornish game hen, or delicately poached salmon.

In the Sea Splash Resort, Norman Manley Blvd. Reservations recommended. Breakfast $4.95-$8.95; lunch main courses $5.95-$21; dinner main courses $12.95-$24.95. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 7:30-10:30am and 11am-10:30pm.

Rick's Cafe - Seafood/Steaks

At sundown, everybody in Negril heads toward the lighthouse along the West End strip to Rick's Cafe, whether they want a meal or not. The name was inspired by Bogie's watering hole in Casablanca. Casual dress is the order of the day, and reggae and rock comprise the background music. If you want dinner, you can order imported steaks along with a complete menu of blackened dishes, Cajun-style. The fish (red snapper, fresh lobster, or grouper) is always fresh. The food is rather standard, and expensive for what you get, but that hardly keeps the tourist crowds away. You can also buy plastic bar tokens at the door, which you can use instead of money, a la Club Med. It's all a bit tacky, we'd say. Bogie would never have tolerated this.

West End Rd. Reservations accepted for parties of 6 or more. Main courses $15-$28. AE, MC,V. Daily noon-10 pm.

Rockhouse Restaurant - International

This is a gorgeous setting for enjoying some of the best food in Negril, far better than that served at Ricks (see above). Set on the premises of the Rockhouse, it was developed by a team of Australian and Italian entrepreneurs who designed a bridge-like span, equivalent to a railway trestle, high above the surging tides of a rocky inlet on Negril's West End. (You may even get a touch of vertigo if you lean over the railing.) This place attracts a hip international crowd. Enjoy a drink or two at the Blue Maho Bar, built with glossy tropical hardwoods and coral stone, before your meal. Delectable menu items, which are always supplemented with daily specials, might include a seasonal platter of smoked marlin or an upscale version of Jamaican peppered pork with yams and root vegetables.

In the Rockhouse, West End Rd. Reservations required for dinner in high season; otherwise not necessary. Main courses J$600-J$1,000 (US$13.80-$23). MC, V. Daily 7am-11pm.

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