Students at the University of the West Indies have a new dining option on the Mona campus to check out when classes resume next week. The Spot — a sports bar and grill-themed eatery — is already up and running (with the kitchen churning out a range of meal options) at the university’s Students’ Union, but it’s still a work in progress where the general décor and amenities are concerned. Officially open since July, The Spot’s concept emerged when friends and UWI students Ibrahim Konteh and Jason McNeish decided to combine their party-loving chutzpah with a permanent base to entertain and nourish appetites. Promoters of the buzzed-about annual parties Bar Code and 11:59, which attract a mostly young adult audience, the two friends were keen on parlaying their success on the party circuit into a day-to-day enterprise.

“This opportunity came up to merge our two interests while also giving UWI students a variety of meals,” explained co-owner McNeish. The two entrepreneurs went seeking a vibrant presence in the kitchen that could create a menu that was both sensible and exciting. McNeish and Konteh found the qualities they wanted in Delano Reid, a 20-year-old commis chef. Items featured on the finished menu include appetisers, burgers, stir-fried and alfredo pasta (with chicken or shrimp), club sandwiches, chicken wings, and a signature steamed fish dish dubbed ‘Stulla’.

McNeish told Thursday Food that while they are open for business at the bar and kitchen, the actual venue is not yet finished as refurbishing is underway. While two pool tables are being utilised and domino tables are readily available, we learn that a high-definition projector is to be installed to beam sporting events, and that video game units (an X-Box and PlayStation) are expected ahead of the official opening on September 15.

The three-room establishment, we are told, is intended to transform into “a party venue by night,” with a resident deejay to spin tunes. Eager to exploit the possibilities of a good product, companies like Appleton, Scotiabank and Air Jamaica have signed on as sponsors of the university’s newest “it” Spot.

The Spot Sports Bar and Grill is located at The Students’ Union, University of the West Indies, Mona Campus. Telephone 866-2517, find the eatery on Twitter at thespotssbg or on Facebook at The Spot Sports Bar and Grill. The opening hours are Monday to Saturday, 11:00 am to 11:00 pm and 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm on Sunday.