On a recent evening we were the only diners in the Jamaican-themed restaurant/nightclub for a long time. When we left around 9:30 p.m. the other tables were just starting to fill and the reggae music was beginning to blare. Our server said the place really starts to rock around midnight and stays that way till 4 a.m. We'll have to take her word for it, because we were there for the food, and the food wasn't worth losing sleep over.

Within the past year, Ginger Bay Café has come under new ownership but instead of focusing on the menu and the kitchen, the emphasis seems to be on the music and the bar. Wednesday is karaoke night, Thursday is college night, Saturday is live reggae night, Sunday is Jamaican Oldie-Goldie night and every night is pay $6 for iced-down well drinks and $5 for a small bottle of Red Stripe night.

We did, however, find the place very attractive. The gorgeous sunset-colored walls are tastefully appointed with African and primitive-Jamaican masks, stylized spears, tortoise shell shields and island paintings. The only downside of the space is that the narrow walls tend to magnify the sound level. Thankfully, there were a few tables outside that provided a quieter dining experience.

Most of the food items are tagged with island names if not infused with island flavors. Service, however, is a little too laid-back and indifferent. It took nearly three hours to eat, pay the bill and get out. During that time, potential diners came, waited to be seated and finally left. We almost wished that we had done the same but two of the appetizers were worth staying for: Port Antonio jerked chicken wings ($6.95) and St. Lucia Coconut Shrimp ($7.95). The six fiery roasted and grilled wing pieces were dainty in size but highly delectable. We were sorry that we didn't order jerk pork ($14.95) or filet mignon for a main course. The six lacy-looking fried shrimp were large and delicious but the accompanying scotch bonnet sauce packed none of the hellish heat that the pepper is supposed to contain.

St. Vincent Curried chicken rolls ($6.95) with a tasty ginger-pineapple dipping sauce were bland and the yellow-tinged nubs of chicken within the crisp-fried wrapper were too tough to be pleasant. St. Kitts Delight seafood fritters ($7.95) weren't very delightful at all. The six puffs promised baby shrimp and crabmeat but delivered only fishy tasting fried batter.

Main courses also failed to live up to the paradisaical images conveyed by their Caribbean names. Port Royal snapper ($18.95), a large whole fried yellow tail snapper, tasted either old or long frozen. Seafood fettuccine ($14.50), said to contain shrimp, scallops and mussels sauteed in island spices brought only four skimpy shrimp and mussels in a goopy ``Alfred'' sauce. When asked about the missing scallops, the server began a meticulous search through the pasta and when satisfied that none were to be found she returned with a tiny ramekin of what looked and tasted like pencil erasers.

Grilled pork chops ($16.95) with piña colada sauce were not the double-cut chops stated on the menu but three thin, boneless ones -- these were pleasantly seasoned and nicely grilled. The café offers pretty authentic peas and rice (the tasty spice-scented Jamaican version of red beans and rice), potatoes and fresh julienne vegetables with main courses.

Even though most of the food left us pining for the real Jamaica, we hoped that the dessert specials just might change the tide. But the bread pudding ($5) looked and tasted like two half-cooked cinnamon apple muffins while the Coupe 2000 ($6.95) was melted ice cream, canned apples (it usually has bananas) and boozy dark rum in a fried pastry shell.

At the end of almost every restaurant meal comes the moment when the server asks, ``coffee?'' We were surprised to find that our cup o' joe was a $4.50-a-cup of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, among the world's most expensive. A tip -- check what's brewing before you get the check.