Hide Notes 

Slide 1: ==== ==== Explore more of the Caribbean by sailing on your vacation. Read here for tips & trips. http://topvacationislands.com/tag/sailing ==== ==== Although I enjoy cooking and have come up with some tasty culinary creations from local provisions, there are times when my husband and I are on a Caribbean sailing charter that I declare the galley closed. I love exploring the islands, and am constantly discovering something new. There is nothing quite unique as a Caribbean dining experience. The types of restaurants found and the fare they offer is as colorful and varied as the people themselves. No matter which island becomes your Caribbean sailing destination, a multitude of dining options is available to you. Running the gamut from roadside eateries and beachside stands to four-star establishments, the cultural blends that make up the Caribbean are reflected in a variety of dishes whose roots span the globe, including British, Dutch, French, Spanish, Chinese and Creole. No matter where you eat, be prepared to dine at a leisurely pace. The easygoing lifestyle of the islands carries over to dining. It gives you more time to enjoy the sunset, sip your rum drink and savor the authentic taste of Caribbean cuisine. If this is your first time on a Caribbean sailing charter, here are a couple tips regarding dining. First, most restaurants accept major credit cards like Visa or Master Card (many do not take American Express), but it is a good idea to have some cash available for smaller establishments. U.S. dollars are often accepted, but you may get an unfavorable conversion rate and will almost always receive any change back in local currency. Second, many Caribbean restaurants often include an automatic gratuities charge into the final bill, which is usually 10% of the total cost of the meal. Additional tipping is at the individual's discretion, but it is not expected. If a tip is not automatically included in your final bill, you should leave 10-15%. You may, of course, leave more if you are particularly delighted with your server. So, be adventurous and seek out your own local culinary treats. To get you started, following are some of my favorite Caribbean dining establishments. The Most Romantic The French Verandah, located at the Mariners Hotel on Villa Beach at Young Island Cut, St. Vincent, is upscale and delicious. It is ideal for a special night out on your Caribbean sailing vacation. The atmosphere is totally romantic. Candle light flickers among the cloth-covered tables as the warm sea breeze wafts across the beautiful verandah nestled among tropical foliage. The owner, Miguel was originally from France, and her French cuisine is superb. The menu is elaborate with shrimp, game hen, rack of lamb, fresh fish and many St. Vincentian local dishes. The restaurant has a perfect location right on the waterfront. You can use their dinghy dock. It is one of the best and most hassle free along the front. The French Verandah is the perfect way to start your sailing charter in the Grenadines. The Most Unique Sisters Sea Lodge located on Prince Rupert Bay, Dominica, is an open air bar/restaurant in the direction of the customs dock. You walk down the beach and past two houses, one on the beach and one fronting the rocks. Sisters Sea Lodge is next. On a calm day, you could drop your dinghy
Slide 2: on the beach, or a water taxi can drop you off-otherwise, take a taxi from your anchorage. It is run by Elke and Harta from Germany. Behind the house is a garden where vegetables are grown for the restaurant. This establishment has a lot of class in an artsy, informal manner. Tables are all handmade and many of the decorations are from shells. They specialize in whole barbecued fish and serve magnificent portions (couples share) on banana leaves, along with several delicious Caribbean sides created from home-grown vegetables. Reservations are required since the fish is made to order. You will never forget a meal here! The Freshest Fish with a French Twist Le Genois, on Terre D'en Bas, Iles Des Saintes, has a great waterfront location, thus, most of their clients are yachters. Owned by Philippe and Chantal, a couple from Bordeaux, they operate several yacht services and act as host to several visiting yacht clubs, as well as sponsoring Le Genois-an annual sailing race in April between Pointe a Pitre, Guadeloupe and the Saintes. Philippe and the beautiful Chantal are helpful, enthusiastic, speak excellent English, and are wonderful cooks! Starters such as fish pate, smoked fish salad and cheese soufflé are delicious, and desserts are to die for. The evening meal is a reasonably priced 3-course fixed menu. Main courses include very fresh fish and seafood-bought that day from local fishermen-perfectly cooked and served with outstanding French/Creole sauces. They will find an alternative to any item on the menu that does not suit you. Lunch is from a large a la carte board. Philippe is a wine enthusiast. He knows his wines, and if you take his advice, you can have an excellent wine at a reasonable price. Le Genois is small, so it is a good idea to make reservations. The dinghy dock is located right out front and they do not mind if you leave your dinghy there to explore the town. The Best Caribbean Buffet Captain Oliver's is located on Oyster Pond, St. Martin. Oyster Pond is a completely protected lagoon surrounded by hills. Captain Oliver's is an open-air restaurant situated on a wooden platform overlooking the marina full of yachts and the sea to St. Barths. If you are beginning your Caribbean sailing charter out of the Sunsail base there, you cannot miss it. The chef places emphasis on fresh seafood, French and Creole cuisine. You can even select your own lobster from the lagoon tank. What is most impressive, however, is the lobster buffet, held every Saturday night from Halloween to Easter. Besides lobster, the buffet is a spectacular spread of Caribbean delicacies including whole grilled grouper, shrimp, conch, tropical fresh fruits, West Indies salads, Dutch and French cheeses, and tasty desserts like banana bread pudding and coconut flan. After dessert, you also get a shot of the locally made smooth Ma Dou Dou rum blended especially for the restaurant. While savoring your meal, you can admire the marine life through the glass-floored section of the restaurant or view the swimmers in the "people aquarium" (the glass-sided swimming pool that backs up to one wall of the restaurant). Entertainment is featured every night during the high season and on weekends during the off season. The night we were there, two incredibly good singers serenaded the tables, and diners of all ages were dancing on the floor between trips to the buffet. Captain Oliver's has created a dynamic dining experience for all your senses, not simply just your taste buds. The Best Place to People Watch Established in 1982, the Ballahoo, located in Basseterre, is the most popular restaurant and meeting place in St. Kitts. It was one of the first restaurants catering to both the local market and the emerging tourist industry. Therefore, you will find local business people in suits as well as tourists in shorts and flip-flops. Overlooking the Circus town center, it is the perfect place in cool comfort to people watch, especially at night when the townsfolk gather to socialize around the
Slide 3: Circus monument. The menu is based on the creative use of fresh local produce and the adaptation of classic European recipes to West Indian tastes and ingredients. Emphasis is on the use of fresh local seafood, fruits and vegetables. In addition, with the increased availability of imported foods, they have added top quality U.S. steak to the menu. The proprietors, Peter and Marian Dupre, are both avid yachtsmen. The Ballahoo is a haven for visiting cruisers. The restaurant office monitors VHF 16 and posts weather reports on the notice board. The Best Kept Secret Abe's By the Sea, located on the eastern side of Little Harbour, Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands, does not look like much from the outside. There is a tiny bar and just a few tables, along with a tiny store out back to do some simple provisioning. The pleasant surprise comes from the quality of food that emerges from the kitchen. Freshly caught lobster and fish is brought in daily, and on several occasions, we have actually met the fishermen at the dock and selected our dinner before the day's haul is even unloaded. The always gracious hostess/bartender, Annie, is meticulous in how she sets her tables with pretty placements and fine flatware. Besides fish and lobster, the menu also includes conch and chicken. Prices are reasonable and servings are generous. Meals include peas and rice, coleslaw or salad and delicious homemade desserts. Dinner at Abe's By the Sea is always one of the highlights of our BVI sailing trips. Although we have never seen the place full, it is a good idea to make reservations so that the kitchen can be prepared. The Most Entertaining If you are looking for a night of raucous fun, than The Last Resort on Bellamy Cay, British Virgin Islands is it! Set on its own island, just offshore at the eastern tip of Tortola (off Beef Island ), the Last Resort is a BVI institution, known for its atmosphere as much as for its gourmet food. The menu consists of fusion cuisine and trusty international dishes that are as beautiful to look at as they are scrumptious to eat. When the last meal is prepared, the barefoot chef sets up his guitar and several bottles of Tequila, and the entertainment begins with a songfest just begging for audience participation. For years, Vanilla, the resident donkey, would stick his head through a window and bray. Unfortunately, a couple years ago there was apparently a full moon and Vanilla decided to go for a swim...and that was the end of the poor ass. Do not despair- there is still a troop of singing dogs, begging cats, free range chickens, and of course, the singing chef who needs little or no encouragement. You will find this evening of hilarity and music unforgettable if not forgivable! There is a ferry that will pick you up at Marina Cay (make arrangements) or you can pick up the "Last Resort Phone" at the dock on Trellis Bay and someone will shuttle you back and forth. The Friendliest or Most Likely to Make You Feel at Home The beautiful island of tiny Statia is off the beaten path for most Caribbean sailing cruisers, but its inhabitants are some of the friendliest people in the Caribbean. For such a small island (pop. 2,700), there is a surprisingly number of restaurants to choose from - at least 22. We experienced many delicious meals while visiting Statia, but three stood out not only for the taste of the food, but by how friendly the staff was. The first restaurant was the Golden Era Hotel. A clean, cheerful place, the open-air dining room hangs out over the bay. Specializing in West Indian, Creole and international dishes, they will make almost anything you want. The first time we ate there, we asked what was available. The cheerful hostess/server said, "Well, what would you like me to make for you?" With huge servings and incredibly reasonably prices, The Golden Era Hotel is a favorite hangout for the oil workers from the fuel terminals.One night, while dining there, we
Slide 4: overheard one of the men say he was hungry for lasagna. The next night, he was served a huge slice which the chef proudly made for him. Another delightful place to dine is the Blue Bead Bar and Restaurant. Also located in Lower Town, this pretty open-air restaurant offers French, Italian and Creole food. One day, after hiking to the crater rim of the Quill, my husband and I were hot, tired and kind of hungry. It was mid-afternoon and we had missed lunch. The owner, Jean-Pierre, was still cleaning up from lunch and the wait staff were starting to set up for dinner. Even though it was not listed on the menu, Jean-Pierre cheerfully made us the most delicious banana milkshakes under the watchful eyes of the staff from the dive shop next store. Finally, we had an incredible lunch at The Chinese Restaurant located on H.M. Queen Beatrixstraat in Upper Town. We were the only diners at the time, but our waitress was so sure of the quality of the excellent variety of Chinese dishes with a Caribbean twist that she said, "You no like it, you no pay." We loved it! Whether enjoying Chinese, Italian, French, international, West Indian or American dishes, Statia offers a variety of delicious and incredibly friendly restaurants to suit every taste and budget. The Best Gourmet Meal Located on a long sweeping beach-fronted bay, the town of Grand Case, on the French side of St. Martin, is known as the Gourmet Capital of the Caribbean. The main street is lined with one excellent restaurant after another, serving everything from elegant first rate French cuisine to inexpensive barbecues. All restaurants have menus with prices posted outside on chalkboards, and half the fun is to work up an appetite by reading them as you walk along the street deciding where to eat. Most restaurants offer a prix-fixed option and many will offer a discount for paying in cash (U.S. dollars) rather than by credit card. With so many choices, it is difficult to find a favorite, but one that stands out is the Fish Pot. Entering this establishment, you will pass a huge glass tank with lobsters up to 6 pounds. If you opt to dine on lobster, your server will have you go to the tank to pick out the one you want. On the way to the dining room, you will also pass a climate controlled wine room and a beautiful, well-stocked bar. Blue cloth-covered tables are set up along the open-air terrace, which is over 50 feet wide, looking out at the Bay of Grand Case and the twinkling lights of Anguilla in the distance. The menu choices are imaginative and the dishes are not only well presented, but are sure to please your palate. The wait staff is attentive and informative. Make sure to order the soufflé special at the beginning of the meal. It is an epicurean delight! Caribbean food is as unique as the islands themselves, and this is reflected in the myriad of dining establishments. Whether you snack at a roadside shack or dine at a four-star restaurant, you will eat well. To discover the colorful variety of restaurants yourself, contact Virgin Island Sailing to book your Caribbean sailing charter. Your taste buds will thank you. Donna Wolfson also know as "Sailgirl" at Virgin Island Sailing, has been sailing in the Caribbean and writing about it for years. Learn more about Caribbean Sailing Charters Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donna_Wolfson
Slide 5: ==== ==== Explore more of the Caribbean by sailing on your vacation. Read here for tips & trips. http://topvacationislands.com/tag/sailing ==== ====