Sip N’ Yap: A Summer Sanctuary for the Girls
I couldn’t wait to be old enough to watch and appreciate Sex and the City. I idolized these well-dressed white women from a distance, as my mom watched the iconic series locked away in her bedroom. “Don’t worry, it will be better when you’re older,” she remarked when I asked, of all the shows we watched together, why couldn’t I join her for the one where women took center stage? They lived my dream NYC life—fashionista socialites, brunching, dating and indulging in the best of young adult sisterhood.
Now, old enough and with my own gaggle of girls, I’m always on the lookout for places right here in Jamaica where we could have our own hyper-romanticized versions of city life.
The criteria is simple enough: vibesy, notable ambiance, aesthetics for the pics; good food, good drinks and of course, good prices.
Broken Plate in Kingston was already on this list but they bolded and double underlined their spot with the introduction of their summer series Sip n’ Yap. Sip AND Yap?? That’s so SATC coded.
The Drinks
This Thursday series is in collaboration with certified vibe curators Select Brands, featuring Stoli vodka for the martini mania Broken Plate is bringing. I had never tried a martini before stumbling across this event, but luckily they have a complimentary tiny-tini happy hour from 5PM–6PM.
Martinis are…strong! And a bit one note even as someone who enjoys a botanical, tangy cocktail. I immediately understood the olives and olive juice aspect—sharp, sour notes to complement the crisp and slight bitterness of the gin-vodka combination. If you’re adventurous enough to try a martini, go all in and try it extra dirty.
📸 Kian McKoy at Broken Plate Sip n Yap
Now let’s get into this menu. It’s a martini party so of course there are a variety of ‘tinis to taste at $1200 each. It was a battle between the “Pom-Tini” and “Kiwi, Do You Love Me” for best drink. Both cocktails were juicy and subtly sweet bringing more balance to the martini base. We all know the women of SATC are Cosmo girlies through and through, but I just know Carrie would love the pretty pink Pom-Tini.
The Food
Our gameplan for food was to gather all the shareables and dig in family style (the only way to sip and yap if you ask me). The curated menu features some small bites, however the selection wasn’t nearly as exciting as the drinks. The full menu was available during the event, so we jumped right into the glazed pork belly and an oxtail pizza. The pork belly was succulent and saucy, covered in toasted peanuts for a crunchy contrast and a mango slaw that was so vibrant alongside the chopped scotchie we ordered for spice. 10000/10.
📸 Kian McKoy at Broken Plate Sip n Yap
We were skeptical about the oxtail pizza in terms of the size for sharing, but let’s be honest—‘disappointed’ and ‘Broken Plate’ rarely belong in the same sentence. Well seasoned oxtail chunks in every bite, crispy yet soft and cheesy crust, saucy AGAIN from the chipotle aioli drizzle. Another 10000/10.
Before long, the yap intensified as the sips drained and we were left with no choice but to order dessert. And let me tell you Wonga peeps—the carrot cake sticky toffee pudding was the most decadent dessert I've had all year. You could taste every flavour, every spice they used to create this absolute treat. Not to mention, they snuck some rum in there so by the end of the night the drinks were sipping us.
Our waitress was a joy and so attentive. She came ready with answers to all our questions, suggestions based on serving size and crowd favourites. When she overheard us mention an upcoming birthday she was too excited to have “Happy Birthday” written on the plate. Definitely giving TO US!
📸 Kian McKoy at Broken Plate Sip n Yap
Broken Plate is known for its Miami-esque rooftop but in this blazing summer heat we opted to sit inside to soak up some complimentary air conditioning. One of the more beautiful spots in Kingston, sitting inside definitely did not detract from the ambiance, aesthetics and vibes scores.
The price, the price, the price
Two drinks, two main courses and a dessert to share ran us a little over $11,000, and to be fair…that’s a steal for Broken Plate which is a more upscale eatery. The food is always high quality, from flavour to presentation all from the genius brain of Chef Stewie. Chef knew he COOKED and did a victory lap around the restaurant checking in on guests personally. When he asked our table for feedback we yelled, “Thank you,” and clapped him up. The girls were impressed.
Sip n’ Yap is the ultimate summer series for the girlies seeking their Sex and the City brunch moment. Get there early or make a reservation to grab your tiny-tini, sit inside to stay cool, and order small plates for the table to share.
The feeling of realizing you’re living in a moment you dreamed of is so magical, even if the dream surrounded fictional women and public intoxication. After all, summer series ends, work continues, but yap sesh with your best friends and delicious, strong drinks is forever.
Wonga Rating: 8/10
