- "Few of us, Spanish tourists, visited St. Marteen's last week and had a fantastic time in the island. We went for dinner several times at the Bistro des Arts; located in the Marine Royale of Marigot where the food was excellent and the service even better. If you go there don't forget to try their "patisserie"."
- "We spent 10 wonderful days in St. Maarten and I must say that Antoine's restaurant in Philipsburgh was by far my favorite. My husband had a pasta dish and half of my filet mignon (it was twice the amount I expected). We also ate at the recommended L'Alabama we both thought it much overrated. The ambiance was excellent the service very nice, however, I thought the sauces on both my husband's veal and my tenderloin quite overwhelming. Two nice surprises were Arahawak in downtown Marigot and Layla's on Nettle Bay. I just had a pizza at Arahawak but it was scrumptious. Layla's is set on the beach under a canopy of sea grape trees next to a boat washed up by Luis. The are open for breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Saturday and are serving dinner on Friday for now. My husband liked stopping by Bill's Texas Pit BBQ while the food was fine and what I expected, I think it was the quantity and cost of the beer that impressed him most! Stay away from Thai Garden overpriced and rude service!!"
- "Lynette's located at Simpson Bay, just before the airport is nothing fancy. However, the buffet that the owner, Clayton, offers is one of the best on the Island. The fare includes, lobster, conch, shrimp, fish (great variety), beef etc. You can also order off the menu, which is a nice selection of seafood and steaks. The prices are very reasonable."
- "We just returned from our 7th trip to St Maarten and I found all the food reviews to be very helpful. [They now] offer food in the form of charcoal grilled sandwiches. We ate there twice as they have the best cheesburger on the island. Naiomi and Wanda are the bartenders and do a wonderful job of keeping tab on your drink needs. The view is great and the landing planes are fun. You need to be there for the Air France 747 landing and take-off. It's a blast."
- "What a wonderful restaurant, and what wonderful people that run this restaurant. From the time we entered Pascal and Karin made us feel like we were the only two in the restaurant. From the start to the finish of this fine meal, their attention to detail is un-canny. The presentation of the food is wonderful. I had Jumbo Shrimp and my wife had Shrimp and Scallops....I never in my life time thought you could do what Pascal and Karin did to a shrimp, it was the most delicious meal I believe I've ever eaten. My wife and I did not want the meal to end. We had a little cactus on the table for decoration...I told my wife that if the Chef decided to prepare it I was eating it!!!!!! It was our Thirty Year Anniversary and we will always remember it by the celebration of French Quintesence the l' Alabama showed both of us."
- "We recently had the opportunity to spend a week in St. Maarten and was fortunate to meet Wanda at the Sunset Beach Bar. Wanda is a local girl and made sure that we always felt comfortable and welcome everytime we showed up. Wanda gave us good advice on some of the do's and don'ts and was very helpful to us. As far as the food goes?????? How can you possibly screw up a "Red Stripe!!!!!!".......The Sunset Beach Bar makes some real good hotdogs and hamburgers that really hit the spot when your hungry and don't want to run into town. Thanks many times over Wanda!!!"
- "we just got married and it was our first trip to st. martin, what a wonderful island, and all this restaurants....!
kakao beach, orient beach: a really hot spot,very friendly stuff and the best pizza on the island. we spent there almost the whole week. my husband loves their cheeseburger.
they change specials every day and the menu offers a nice selection on seafood and salads. my favorit: roast sea scallops and salmon with raspberry vinegar on mixed greens. a place not to miss!
le pressoir, in grand case: was a great find. it has excellent french cuisine. i had asparagus cream soup for an appetizer and a roast duck breast with raspberries. david tried fresh foie gras with exotic fruits to start and excellent filet mignon. The service was friendly and helpful we enjoyed our romantic and delicious dinner there.
hibiscus, in grand case: the place is difficult to find but worth it. the menu is very creative, traditional french cuisine with an exotic touch. the place is run by chef and owner thierry and his sommelier francois. we had another excellent dinner with a pleasant service. not to miss!
l'alabama, in grand case: our favorit!!! the restaurant is owned by pascal and karin a very nice couple. the dining room is beautifully decorated with a very nice setting. they have a very large wine selection and pascal was very helpful to recommend us a nice bottle which went perfect with our dinner. i tried roast sea scallops wrapped in smoked salmon with a light dill butter and pork filet with caramelized apple. david ordered fresh tuna tartare and for his meal orange roughy in a champagne butter sauce. what a great choice. for dessert we shared one delicious tarte tatin with cinnamon icecream. the service was very nice and extremely attentive. this place is truly a delight for french food. highly recommended!!!"
- "We wrote to you before on April 16.
We again ate at Tropicana, on the pier at Port Royal in Marigot. We still maintain that the food and service are very good. I had the Chicken cordon-bleu with pommes-frites, which at 54 ff ( $ 9.00 ) was a bargain. Doris had the special salad, which consisted of greens, olives, tomato, shrimp and scallops, plus a few other delicious items. The wine list is good. The bottle of house chardonnay is both good and inexpensive. The portions are large. The atmosphere is friendly. If you are going to the Island, try to eat here at least once, you will not be sorry.
The second restaurant again is the Bistrot Caraibe in Grand Case. This restaurant serves French foods. This time one of our dishes was Rack of Lamb, cooked to perfection. We asked for medium rare and got it. They have a Cotes du Rhone 1997 mont-redon chateauat 95 FF ( $ 16.00 ) which is wonderful and compliments any dish one can choose. The owner, Thibault and his wife Valerie are Gracious and anxious to please. For dessert, try the warm chocolate cake. You may consider political asylum after eating this dessert. Again, when visiting this island, dont miss this restaurant."
- "While on holiday, we wandered into the BooBoo Jam, which was on Orient Beach next to our hotel.
Even though we went all-inclusive, I had read a few columns by different people who had visited this restaurant, and found a coupon for a free t-shirt on one of the sites...With a name like "BooBoo Jam", I had to have one!
We had two dinners there:
The first time, I indulged in their red snapper. The waitress, a pleasant and talkative young lady, mentioned that people come from all over the island to have it, it is so well known.
(Please note that fish is usually served with both head and tail, so don't be surprised if it arrives in this state!)
My meal arrived in this fashion...the fish was so large, it overlapped my already generous oval plate!
And it WAS delish!
My companion enjoyed their chicken on a skewer.
We shared two appetizers: the stuffed crabshell, and the christophine... try the christophine! It was really tasty!
On the second occasions, we planned to go there for their grilled lobster right from the beginning of things...and shared a 2.5 lb. langouste that was some upset at having been removed from his tank at dinner time! "Louie", as we decided to call him, made the ultimate sacrifice, and I must assure you was cooked to perfection.
I have not had lobster this fresh since I lived on the east coast of Canada, and this serviing was excellent...
By the way, BooBoo Jam is open on Friday's til 3 a.m. on Saturday morning and has the reputation of having the island's best deejay, so make a night of it!"
- "This was our first trip to St. Martin. We used to reviews found here extensively and found them to be a great aide. Our first night we adventured into Phillipsberg. Based on a recommendation of a friend we ate at L'Escargot. We began the meal with onion soup, which was fine and Lobster Bisque which was fishy. For the main course we had sliced duck and a shrimp meal which was satisfactory but not outstanding. The owner, Joel, did not appreciate the comment that the Bisque had a fishy taste. We were not treated to after diner drinks as were the other guests all around us. We won't be back. They do make a great Guavaberry drink which could not be repeated the rest of the week.
On our second night we ventured into Grand Case to find L'Alabama. The food and service in this restaurant was excellent. The profileroles were the best of the vacation. At the completion of the meal the owner treated us to complimentary after diner cordial of our choice. L'Alabama lived up to all of the rave reviews.
The following evening we went to Mario's Bistro on Sandy Ground. The food, presentation, and service was superb. Highly recommended.
We followed recommendations and on our third night (Wednesday) we went to Turtle Pier for the Lobster special. This too was a disappointment. Maybe it's because we are from the northeast (Albany NY area) but we really prefer our Lobster steamed or boiled. Char broiled just didn't do it for us. As a matter of fact we could not find any steamed Lobster. There are better places to eat well on St Martin.
Thursday brought us to our favorite restaurant of the trip, Le Pressoir in Grand Case. There we had the pork tenderloin special in a ginger sauce which was out of this world. Also we had the beef tenderloin with a camabert cream sauce which was also great. The meal was topped off with a frozen hazelnut nougat with a raspberry sauce. It was soooooo good.
Friday evening we returned to Grand Case without reservations. We ate at the Tastevin. Since we had not as yet had a great deal of seafood we had the Mahi Mahi and Red Snapper. It's not possible to say that one was better than the other. Again another great meal.
We had to stay on the Island for an extra night and ate at La Rosa Too near Casino Royale. The food here also good but the owner doted so much on four of his countrymen at the next table so as to detract from the atmosphere.
We concluded that you will not go wrong in any of the restaurants in Grand Case. We did look at La Cabanne a Bamboo but did not consider the ambiance to come close to the other establishments we sampled.
A quick note on travel to St. Martin. We flew a charter out of Newark with Hot Spot Tours. Our Flight was cancelled going down on Saturday so we lost that day. Believe it or not, our return flight the following Saturday was again cancelled but unfortunately we lost the day anyway in travel preparations and waiting in the airport. The moral of the story -- DO NOT TAKE CHARTERS!!!!!!!!"
- "Knowing that we only have 6 or 7 nights to eat out, it becomes a very difficult decision! Old favorites or new places that have had good recommendations? This trip ( our seventh time) we went for four old favorites (all still great) and two new choices (one great and one not so good).
The past few years we call ahead a week or two before and make the first night's reservation so we can get in to an old favorite. SXM is on Atlantic Standard Time (which is the same as Eastern Daylight time) all year round. To reach the French side dial 011 (overseas long distance) 590 ( French SXM area code) and the six digit phone number. It is a quick call for a reservation and definitely worth doing!
We generally spent about $55-65 for the two of us for dinner. By having a drink before we went out and sharing either or both appetizer and dessert, we took it a little easier on both waist line and wallet.
Many of the restaurants are much smaller than those you see in the states. Don't pass them by! Only perhaps twelve tables with a capacity around 50 people total, these are family run places that can be excellent!
Especially off season, they may be empty when restaurants in the US are packed. We tend to eat around seven and therefore might be only the first or second table eating. They might be turning away people around 9pm!
Several years ago in late April we were the only table filled at Hevea but the food was excellent so don't always judge by how full a place is!
Also, remember that the serving staff isn't going to rush you -sit and linger if you wish. While here in the States your bill often arrives before you have finished your coffee or dessert, on St. Martin don't be surprised (or think that it is poor service) if you don't get your bill until you ask for it.
Our phone ahead reservation was for L'Alabama (87 81 66) in Grand Case. As usual we had a great meal supervised by the owners, Pascal and Karin. Their Caesar salad was excellent (as was everything else)! We couldn't resist getting the duck breast again this year but it was a little different (tarragon and raspberry sauce) than last time and wonderful! I had pork tenderloin with caramelized apples. Of course, dessert was cream brulee. Still a great meal!
Next night was Le Piccolo (87 32 47) in Cul de Sac (right side of the road after the Texaco station). Appetizers were stuffed mushroom caps and duck spring rolls ( a house specialty) and main courses were a nightly special, shark with a calamari sauce and chicken breast in a spicy sauce. Each of us had a 'slap shot', profiterole-like dessert of chocolate sauce, vanilla ice cream and pastry. A wonderful place to eat with prices only 3/4 of those in Grand Case.
Monday night was another Grand Case favorite, L'Auberge Gourmande (87 73 37). Had escargot and shrimp bacon with poached egg salad for appetizers. Main course was a special, scallops with mussels over risotto and a cream brulee for dessert. Still trying to track down a copy of one of the CDs that Christine played ( Suzuki's 'Elton John: A Piano Tribute). Once again, an excellent meal with wonderful bread and a cheese puff tantalizer that is a delightful mouthful!
L'Amandier in Grand Case (east of Le Pressoir on the beach side) is a three month old restaurant that was one of our new choices. Unless we start reading about rave reviews from others here, we won't be back. The setting is wonderful - outdoor tables under umbrellas off the beach and open air porches. We each had soup, onion and a lobster bisque. Only there was no bisque (cream) in the bisque. It was more of a tomato/fish consommi that we sent back and got the onion soup instead. Main courses were a veal and a grilled steak, both served with a potato gratinee which was cold. Dessert was cream brulee (notice a pattern, here?). At the time we were in SXM, the exchange rate for the franc was over 6 francs to the dollar (even the change booths were giving at least 6.1 francs/$) and every other restaurant was 6 francs per dollar. L'Amandier was 5.5 Francs/$. With so many other very special restaurants, why waste a precious meal on L'Amandier? Unless we read about a dramatic improvement, we won't be back!
Our meal out Wednesday was lunch at Pedro's on Orient Beach, just north of Club Orient. Great chicken and rib BBQs that with a beer, soda and tip was around $20 total. Only time on Orient that we had something on and were amused by the cruise ship gawkers that were looking over at the beach towards Club O.
Thursday we went out with another couple to a place that has gotten great reviews here but that we had not been to before, Le Cotonnier (87 44 56) in Cul de Sac on the left side of the road going north beyond the Texaco station about opposite Le Piccolo. This is a charming place that deserves more attention! Four of us shared a salad for one that was huge. Main courses included rack of lamb and a flambi shrimp which was really good! Our shared dessert was roasted spicy bananas in a vanilla sauce (it was hard passing up the cream brulee, though). This place is a keeper! Please try it and give them some more business.
For our last dinner we went to Le Pressoir (87 76 62) in Grand Case. It is on the east end of town, past the bridge on the bay side opposite (surprise, NOT) the sugar press. Prices are a little higher here but the service and food is worth it. I was looking forward to their lobster bisque but it came off the menu last fall. I was 'forced' to substitute their wonderful onion soup. Our other appetizer was their goat cheese salad. Main courses were filet mignon with a Camembert sauce and sweet breads. Both were excellent and the potato gratinee accompanying them was excellent! Had to finish our last dinner out with cream brulee with raspberries."
- "Look carefully for this little piece of nirvana!
Found next to Sebatiano's on Grand Case Blvd., this extraordinary restaurant offers excellent food, at reasonable prices, and hospitality second to none!
We were staying at an all-inclusive hotel, but planned to have dinner offsite at some place special, and it was my choice to visit this spot. The owner, host, maitre'd, and chef, Gilles, makes a point to sit and explain the daily menu with you.
I found this spot by reading a note written by Sabine Mauclere of Monte-Carlo, France, and was intrigued by her description of the place. The trip to the island was my first visit to St. Martin, and I wanted to celebrate my birthday at a unique venue that wasn't stuffy or pretentious.
But....let me tell you about the meal....beautifully presented, with care and pride, the plates are decorated with sliced star fruit and local flowers.
We enjoyed the codfish cake salad, and split it as an appetizer.
The main course was his infamous Scampi, which I can assure you in no way compares with anything you might find domestically in Canada or the U.S.
It was divine!
We enjoyed a nice bottle of red wine, a 1993 cabernet sauvignon as well.
I was too full to enjoy any desert, but was sorely tempted as I watch him build a sundae-like concoction with icecream, real whipped cream, and chocolate sauce.
Afterward, when Gilles was informed it was my birthday, he made it a point to celebrate with us, and we partied until after midnight.
We toasted the occasion with champagne and his own banana rhum concoction. He assured me I would never be the same.
He was right.
We also had the good fortune of meeting Sabine, and her handsome Angel, who were, ironically, visiting at the same time. Gilles called them, and arranged for me to meet with Sabine, as I had told him it was her article that made up my mind about where to eat.
A couple from Boston also joined us, Elisabeth & Dan, and it turned out to be an evening I shall never forget.
It was the most memorable birthday of my life, all due to the efforts of Gilles, who loves to see his patrons enjoy themselves.
I wholeheartedly urge anyone who is planning a visit to indulge themselves, and visit this spot for the most delicious - and fun - meal of their trip!
A bien tot, Gilles!
MERCI, Sabine!!!"
- "My husband and I just returned from St. Maarten. Since this was our third trip, we tried some different restaurants. We both agreed that LeChanteclair in Marigot was definitely our favorite. The duck was excellent served in a pear sauce. My husband enjoyed sliced steak with mushrooms and escargot. Dessert was excellent - an invention of the chef - great if you're a chocolate lover. We also enjoyed Mario's in Marigot; Le Tastevin in Grande Case and Antoines in Phillipsburg. Antoine is a very helpful and friendly host, we enjoyed dining at his restaurant. For breakfast, St. Germain's in Marigot overlooking the harbor has the best sugar crepes. Lunch at Peanut's cafe on Orient Beach was excellent."
- French version below
"1/ CABANE BAMBOU: 236 Bd de grand Case, 97150 St Martin (Tel: 590/ 87 94 57) recommended by Sabine Mauclère (Trip April 11-25, 99)
I came back 2 weeks in St Martin, and I must say I really enjoyed this holidays, even much more than my other 2 weeks in October 98. It was nice to experience new restaurants but also to go back to the one I really likes during my trip in October (see comments Nov 98): LA CABANE BAMBOU. Gilles was the same, always charming and welcoming. As before, the atmosphere of the restauraurant was fabulous and the food excellent.
I tried this time the filet of Vivanneau in a special sauce that Gilles cooks, Inever never had such a nice dinner. The fish was so well cooked, the creamy sauce wonderful, all this in a fabulous plate decorated with fresh flowers (he is the only one to do that in the island) that Gilles picks up himself each afternoon for the pleasure of its clients. I had the chance to go with him one day and see how he likes that and how he wants the best flowers for its clients. Not to much opened yet, colourful, and exceptional !!!!
I would like to thank him for all the nice things he did for us, and for being so adorable with us. Gilles you have a big heart full of love for your job and for people...
Then after my fish I had my fabulous chocolate cake with coconut, ask it quickly as its goes fast (everybody like it) but in that case if it's gone you can have the lemon tart which is also excellent or the crème brulée with vanilla.
During the dinner we had a really good white wine and we finished with a local rhum made with green banana (I must say I preferred tha vanilla one I had the next day).
During my holidays I had the chance to meet some Canadians from Toronto who also read the internet comments. It was Kim 's birthday and she decided to come with her husband to the island. It was such a luck to meet them at the same time while I was here, and they also get the chance to meet Angel, my Angel who is quite often here I must say as he also likes this atmosphere and the food!!! but sometimes you do not get the chance to see him as he is flying a bit everywhere!!!!! Also an American couple from Boston (who also knew about la cabane bambou through this website) was here.
We all had a great time and fun, and we will all remember this evening...
An other thing, Valérie is not working here anymore but you will be happy to meet either Laola or Nanou, taking care of Gilles & the restaurant.
Also a little advice, only on order (quite enough before) Gilles can make you a fabulous lobster. We had one and let me tell you how good & tasty it was. Also Gilles will cooked it in such a way that it makes it even more better. TRY IT!!!!
Thank you to all for such a nice time and hope to see you soon over there....
2/ THE COTTAGE: on Grand Case also. This restaurant is also worth to know. Here the food is good and you have one of the best wine cave you will never find in the island.
I enjoyed my last dinner here, it was a romantic dinner with my loved one and if you want a charming place to eat a wonderful dinner, drinking nice bottles of wine that is the second place to know also in the island. The staff is really professional with Hanina in the entrance welcoming you, and Stéphane the Chef Soommelier for all advices in wines. He is coming from Macon and you will appreciate his little french accent and his smile....so funny man!!!!
3/ THE FISH POT in Grand Case. We went here to celebrate the birthday of my love. It was a really romantic canddlelight dinner in front of the beach of Grand Case (I love this beach)and we could hear a nice music in the Veranda decorated with flower pot on windows. I had St Jacques with a mushroom sauce which was excellent, and as a dessert I had an apple tart served hot with vanilla and nuts on it. It was excellent....Here the wines are also realy good with maybe a larger choice at the Cottage.
4/ RESTAURANT DU SOLEIL in Grand Case. Also a wonderful evening and dinner. The cookman is really good as well as charming...We had also dinner in front of the sea but you have to try it I will not say anything....
1/ CABANE BAMBOU 236 Bd de grand Case, 97150 St Martin (Tel: 590/ 87 94 57) par Sabine Mauclère (Séjour du 11 au 25 Avril 99)
Je suis revenue 2 semaines à St Martin, et je dois dire que j'ai vraiment passé un merveilleux séjour, même beaucoup mieux que mes deux semaines précédentes en octobre 98.
J'ai eu l'occasion de connaître de nouveaux restaurants sur l'île mais je suis revenue à celui que j'ai vraiment apprécié en octobre 98 (voir commentaires de nov 98): LA CABANE BAMBOU.
Gilles était aussi charmant et accueillant que la dernière fois, et l'atmosphère du restaurant bien plus "chaude", et la nourriture excellente.
J'ai cette fois essayé fe filet de vivanneau avec une sauce spéciale préparée par Gilles, je n'est jamais autant adoré un plat de poissons comme celui-ci. Le poisson était très bien cuisiné, la sauce crémeuse excellente, tout ceci dans une assiette merveilleusement bien décorée par Gilles, avec des fleurs fraîches (le seul à faire ?a sur l'île) pour faire plaisir à ses clients.
J'ai eu la chance d'aller une fois avec lui un jour et de voir à quel point il aimait la nature et voulait bien les choisir (pas trop ouvertes, très colorées et exceptionnelles) afin de satisfaire le client .
J'aimerai le remercier pour tout ce qu'il a fait pour nous et pour avoir été si adorable!! Gilles tu as un grand coeur plein d'amour pour ton travail et les gens.
Ensuite après mon poisson, j'ai eu mon gâteau au chocolat préféré avec noix de coco, demandez le rapidement car très vite il n'y en a plus. Si celà arrive prenez la tarte citron ou la crème brulée à la vanille... Nous avons eu pour le diner un très bon vin blanc et nous avons terminé avec un rhum local à la banane verte (mais je dois dire que je préfére celui à la vanille du jour suivant).
Pendant mes vacances j'ai eu la chance d econnaître un couple de canadiens de Toronto qui avaient pris connaissance du restaurant par les commentaires internet. C'était l'anniversaire de Kim et elle a décidé de le passer sur l'île avec son mari. C'était une chance de les rencontrer au même moment pendant mon séjour, et ils ont aussi eu la chance de rencontrer Angel, mon Ange qui vient souvent ici je dois dire car il aime l'ambience et la nourriture bien sur mais vous n'avez pas toujours l'occasion de le voir car il vole parfois un peu partout....
Egalement un couple d'américains de Boston était présent (ils avaient aussi lu les suggestions de ce site internet)
Nous avons tous passé un bon moment, avec beaucoup de "fun" et nous nous souviendrons tous de cette soirée.....
Aussi, Valérie ne travaille plus là mais vous aurez l'occasion de rencontrer soit Laola soit Nanou qui prennent soin de Gilles et du restaurant!!
Aussi, un petit conseil, seulement sur commande relativement à l'avance, Gilles peut préparer de fabuleuses langoustes pour votre diner. Nous avons pu en avoir et je peux vous dire à quel point elles sont gouteuses d'autant plus que Gilles les prépare d'une fa?on spéciale!!!! ESSAYEZ....
Merci à tous pour ce si beau moment et j'espère tous vous revoir là bas.
2/ THE COTTAGE à Grand Case aussi. Ce restaurant vaut aussi d'être connu. Ici la nourriture est raffinée et vous avez une des meilleures caves à vin que l'on peut trouver sur l'île. J'ai apprécié mon dernier diner là bas, ce fut un diner très romantique avec celui que j'aime, et si vous voulez un endroit charmant pour diner c'est le lieu où aller.
Le personnel est très professionnel avec Hanina qui vous accueille et Stéphane le Chef Sommelier qui vous conseillera en vins. Il vient de Macon et vous apprécierez son petit accent et son sourire....il est très drôle et marrant!!!
3/ THE FISH POT à Grand Case. Nous sommes venus pour célébrer l'anniversaire de mon amour. Un diner romantique aux chandelles et au bord de mer, face à la plage de Grand Case (j'adore cette plage) et nous pouvions entendre une agréable musique depuis la Vérand décorée avec de spots de fleurs aux fenêtres. J'ai pris les St Jacques sauce aux cèpes, plat excellent et comme déssert une tarte chaude aux pommes avec vanille et amandes.
Ici les vins sont également très bons avec peut être moins de choix qu'au Cottage.
4/ RESTAURANT DU SOLEIL à Grand Case. Aussi un très bon moment ici, et très bon diner. Bravo au cuisinier qui sait être aussi charmant . Nous avons également diner face à la mer mais je ne vous en dirai pas plus, allez y vous même.
- "My husband and I spent one glorious week in St. Maarten/St. Martin (March 9-16). Weather was perfect and it was a perfect time to go, since their high season ends in February. We were told that from Dec.-Feb. it can take 45 minutes to drive from Grand Case to Marigot - not for us! What follows are our dining experiences while on beautiful St.Maarten/St.Martin.
La Maison Sur Le Port - This restaurant has a price fixed meal that is not $23.75, but a bargain at any price. The casear salad was to die for. My husband had the mahi-mahi, which was delicious and I had a wonderful dish of veal strips with chunks of ham and chees in a creamy onion sauce. Dessert was warm chocolate cake that was out of this world. We were there on a Wednesday night an ate on the terrace. However, Wednesday night is the one night Marigot has its street festival and it did get a bit noisy for intimate dining. It did not spoil the experience, great service and total enjoyment of the evening, though. A very good deal and very good food.
Il Nettuno - We followed the recommendation of this website and arrived early to catch the sunset and beautiful it was. We were also fortunate to have as our waiter Luka, who was also mentioned here. What a charmer he was! We began our meal with fried mozzarella and carpaccio, which were done to perfection. These are not fried mozzarella sticks, mind you, they are slices of mozzarella, lightly breaded and fried, served with marinara sauce, however, I prefer a pinch of salt and lemon on mine. I enjoyed my salad with blue cheese and walnuts, although we each thought a little more dressing would have been nice. My husband's swordfish was fabulous. I ordered the gnocchi, which were overdone and too mushy for my taste. We ordered an after dinner drink with another waiter and, while waiting for it, Luka brought us a Sambucca "on the house". This was one of our more expensive meals at $136, but worth the price.
Mario's Bistro - Our absolute favorite!! We called the first day we arrived, but could not get a table by the water. We were disappointed, however, it did not spoil the best dining experience on the island. It's worth going back just to eat here. The service was efficient and friendly. The hostess (who I believe is the owner's wife) was an absolute joy. She took the time to stop at each table and ask if everything was OK. We told her that this was our favorite restaurant and she clapped her hands and said, oh thank you! What a sweetheart she was. Our meal the absolute best! My husband's favorite appetizer is fried calamari, which was done to perfection. Small calamari's lightly batter dipped and fried, served in a small tortilla shell. I skipped the appetizer because I didn't want to miss dessert! We each had a tossed salad with a light vinegarette dressing that was excellent. My husband opted for the duck, which was the best he's ever eaten and I had the veal that was so tender, it cut with a fork. I narrowed my dessert choices to two and asked the waiter which was the best. He told me to order the pralines and chocolate, which I did and wasn't sorry for aminute. Including a before dinner drink, bottle of wine and after dinner drink, our bill was $120, which is a bargain for absolute perfection!
Le Pressoir - The most expensive meal we had - $140, but very good. We love to dine outside, so we again opted for a table on the terrace. I feel I should point out that most of the people dining here were a little more dressed up than most places. We had on our usual shorts and tees, but the women wore slacks or a casual dress and men all wore slacks and button down shirts. I felt a little out of place but, eating on the terrace eased my self-consciousness. My husband began with the escargot. Unfortunately, they were not rinsed very well and extremely sandy. We had to call the waiter over and ask for another plate. Our waiter was very pleasant, but his English comprehension isn't very good, so trying to explain why we were sending them back was a problem. The second batch was better, but still were a little too sandy - a problem we haven't run into very much. They were also very, very heavy on the garlic. I enjoyed the onion soup very much with a thick layer of cheese on top. Our entrees were filet of sole "normandie" and filet mignon w/camembert sauce. Unfortunately, "normandie" was not explained on the menu and we found out the hard way it meant "with scallops". Unfortunately, my husband does not like scallops, but said the meal was good any way. My filet was done to perfection and the camembert sauce was delectible. We each ordered Amaretto for an after dinner drink, and were very disappointed that, in a restaurant of this caliber, we were served a cheap imitation, not di Sorono. All in all the food was good, service was good, but, if you want to eat on the terrace, remember that cars zoom up and down that little street with radio's blaring, which can be distracting.
Bavaria - This was the only restaurant we ate dinner in that was on the Dutch side. It was our most inexpensive meal at $40, but very good German food. My husband was in the Army and lived in Germany for 7-1/2 years, so having some authentic German food and a few good, imported German beers made us happy. We also talked to the owner for a while and reminisced about our favorite spots in Germany. She told us she began this restaurant with a partner, then the gypsy in her got the best of her, so she sold it to her partner and left the island. After traveling around back to Germany and then other islands, she longed for St. Maarten and returned. When she went to her restaurant to visit her partner, he was tiring of the restaurant business, so he asked if she was interested in buying it back. She was, and she signed the deal.....five days before the devastating hurricane Luis in 1995! This is a great place to go for a good, but inexpensive meal.
Le Ponton - We were itching for lobster, so picked a restaurant on the other side of the bridge from where Mario's Bistro is. What a mistake! There was a price fixe menu, which included a lobster dinner, so we ordered from that. The size of the lobster was in grams, so we ordered what was on the menu. What we got was a small lobster tail! With our meal came a salad with goat cheese and ice cream. This and a bottle of wine was $79! When we got back to our hotel, we went to the restaurant and had something else to eat. DO NOT be lured by the lobster on the sign - this is a must miss restaurant!
We also tried a few places for lunch and/or drinks. Our favorite was Pedro's at Orient Beach. We had grilled chicken and BBQ ribs with fries and a couple of beers while listening to island music! The view of the beach and water was like a picture postcard. There is the occasional topless lass who wanders down from the nude beach, but that just adds to the uniqueness of this place. It's kind of tough to find, but worth finding. Our bill - $17! After reading all the recommendations, we stopped at Zee Best for a croissant and a drink. They have a permanent structure that covers the sidewalk and makes a nice bench and tables out of the sun, so it's a nice place to stop for a pick me up while shopping. The pastries are served in a basket and you pay for what you eat. The owner's wife had her new baby daughter there, who was cute as a button and the star attraction that day - what a cutie!
One thing we noticed is that you need to be aware of the exchange rate. Your meal checks are usually in francs and dollars. When they figure the dollars due, they don't always use the best exchange rate OR they round up to the restaurant's favor. We charged all our meals (love those frequent flyer miles) and asked that they be charged in francs. The bank gave us a fair exchange rate. In the case of Mario's Bistro, they were absolutely on the mark with the exchange rate, so we paid in US dollars (another aspect that endeared them to us). We also found that the gas stations take cash ONLY, so you'd better have francs or guilders on hand if you have a car. We asked for $5 of gas and, on the Dutch side, they "made a mistake" and put $10 in, then overcharged us for the amount of gas put in. Again, have some French or Dutch money for gas!"
- "We just returned from our third visit to St Martin and as ususal we were not disappointed in the restaurants - We only repeated one from last year as it was close to our condo and it was excellent again this year --Tutta Pasta. The people are very nice and service is excellent. We tried the restaurant at the Pelican but thought it to be average - we did enjoy the singer during dinner who loved it when we joined in the singing!! - it was a lot of fun. Our favorite this year had been consistently rated high and that is L'Alabama. The food was wonderful especially the Caesar salad and my entree which was shrimp and scallops done in a light sauce with vegetables - wonderful.
We discovered a new restaurant accross from Cheri's on the second floor La Dolce Vita. It has only been open a short time but our food was excellent and the waiter very nice an very attentive. We tried Rainbow and Sebastiano's last year in Grand Case and found both to be excellent. We had complaints from some of the employees that they have been slow and I would hate for any of these great restaurants to go out of business - they need to promote the island more - it seems to have declined since the hurricane - they have so much to offer and many Pittsburghers are going to Punta Cana - ugh!"
- "We found Two Restaurants on the French side which we thoroughly enjoy, and we wish to share them with you.
1- Bistrot Caraibes - Grand Case While not on the water, the food and service here are excellent. ( try the royal shrimp and fettucine )
2 - Tropicana - Marigot ( at Port Royal ) open for lunch and dinner, a fun restaurant, the food and service are great. Thet make fantastic salads certain to please every taste.
Bon appetit."
- "Just returned from a week spent on St. Martin. We took along our twelve year
old daughter, who got a good taste of the art of French eating! We stayed at Le Meridien L'Habitation - probably the best choice on the island. Great location, beautiful beach, deluxe service, PLENTY of towels... While this hotel complex offers a variety of restaurants, plus the excellent pizzeria and creperie of the adjacent marina, we had rented a car and went out on several evenings. We were enchanted with the setting and the presentation at L'Amandier in Grand Case. It exudes casual chic. The food tried a little too hard - but the sunset made up for that! L'Alabama, also in Grand Case, though not on the sea side, lived up to its great reviews. Ambitious food, great service, the place was full by 8pm on a weekday. On a Sat. night, we went to La Royale Marina in Marigot to check out the action. There are many waterside restaurants there, ranging from casual to quite formal. They were animated, though not full. Not much street action, either. We chose one that had a grill right at the entrance - Le Plaisance. We had a good table for people-watching and had a nice good-bye dinner... until next time..."
- "I recently returned from 10 great days in St. Martin (March 15-24, 1999). Here are some of the restaurants I thought were good and well worth the money. Turtle Pier was great fun. We had the lobster special on Wednesday. Great fun and music. We ate at Antoine's in Philipsburg. Great French food for the Dutch Side. We had lunch at the Passagran in town. Cheri's Cafe in Maho Plaza is a nice spot for lunch. Of course, for steak on the Dutch side you must go to Pelican Reef. On the French Side we ate at Californian in Grand Case (great pizza and salad, and the Arawak in Marigot on the harbor."
- "My wife and I just returned from spending 2 weeks in SXM and
the food was fabulous! I will start with our favourites but must say that all were excellent EXCEPT for Spartacos. For traditional Italian fare, it was overpriced and average at best. We had to send back my wife's Caesar salad because of the over powering taste of the anchovy paste and both pasta dishes were nothing to write home about. Definitely avoid this place.
Marios Bistro was out of this world. We went twice and both times had excellent service and unique touches on all the dishes. I had a salmon fillet encrusted in sun-dried tomatoes and my wife had sea scallops with crab risotto. Both times with dessert one time and a bottle of Cabernet the second time, the bill was around $70. We had some confusion on the French side with tipping. In France, it is the law that 15% gratuity in automatically included in all the prices on the menu! The only place that said this was at Marios who told us that the gratuity was included in the menu prices!
We also went to Le Chanteclair & Tropicana twice. These restaurants are located in Marina Royale with Les Bistrot des Arts as well. All of these restaurants had excellent quality and presentation with reasonable prices of around $70 for 2 people including wine and at least one dessert.
We also went to the Rainbow Cafe in Grand Case and found the food was also very good BUT not worth the extra $30 per couple in price compared to the restaurants in Marigot.
We did the Lobster Night at Turtle Pier on Wednesday and with a free bottle of wine coupon from the Internet, it was a great $60 dinner with everything included.
We went for pizza at Sambucca's and the food was good and for the price of $35 including beers, salads, tiramisu and tip, was hard to beat.
This was our first time to the island but will not be our last. The food on the french side is really fine dinning at it's best. We stayed on the Dutch side in a timeshare but will most likely stay on the French side next time because of the food and the beaches!"
- "Just returned from 8 days in St. Martin, March 16 - 24. This was our 10th trip. Fantastic weather! Years ago we used to enjoy the Dutch side but find many of the restaurants we used to like are no longer there. I find the Mayo area, in particular, much to commercialized. We now stay and eat mostly on the French side. Have visited many of the restaurants mentioned on this sight.
Le Piccolo in the Cul De Sac has to be one of our favorites. Food is fantastic, price is right, atmosphere is nice, and staff and service are great. We ate there twice and had appertizers, entree, dessert and a bottle of wine for under $70. I especially like their Duck Roll appertizer. I also tried the stuffed mushroom appertizer which was also excellent. My husband had the special fish soup appertizer, fish from Argentina, the first night which he said was great. Had grilled salmon special first night which was good but slightly dry compared to the last time I had it there. Second, night had pork tenderloin special which was excellent. Desserts were the famous slap shot, flam and the sugar pie. All great. As others have stated, reservations are a must.
Also, tried, based on a review here, Cotonnier in the Cul De Sac This was excellent. As a starter, you are given bread with little sides of olive and garlic spread. We also ordered l appertizer which we shared. It was the goat cheese with greens and it was very big, plenty for two. Best goat cheese appertizer I had on the whole trip. For the entree, I had the snapper and my husband had the mixed seafood grill. Both excellent. Portion sizes were bigger than Le Piccolo so hence we had no room for dessert. The owner served and offered complimentary after dinner drinks of flavored rum and coffee but we still had some wine to finish so declined. The atmosphere was delightful. Walls are white with colorful birds painted on them. Tables are covered with colorful french country linens and really comfortable wooden chairs. Very relaxing. Unfortunately, the night that we were there only one other couple was dining. Owner said this was unusual but on other nights when we passed did not see too many cars parked. Hope this will not discourage others from trying this delightful place so that it will be there next year! But then again, when word gets out they become crowded! The whole meal was just over $70 for the two of us.
Had some good lunches at Orient Beach, Pedros and Papagayo to mention a few. Pedros is great as always and I find the food at Papagayo to be very good. Had a grilled chicken salad with bread for $9.00. It was quite large, lots of chicken and very fresh greens and vegetables. It was served with a very tasty sesame and soy dressing on the side. Also, had the grilled chicken sandwich with cheese and a salad on the side. This, I believe, was around $7.50. My husband had the grilled fish sandwich with fries which was very good. If you are adventuresome and want a change of pace from the Grand Case restaurants try Papagayo for dinner. They always have a special for $20.50 which is usually quite good. Lamb on St. Patrick's day was excellent. Also, had roasted cornish game hens with mango sauce which were great. Spaghetti with meat sauce and spaghetti with seafood sauce were also quite good. Nothing fancy but very good food. Specials might be a little high considering the restaurant is not in Grand Case but some of the other items on the menu are priced from $14 - 17. Portions are good. Service is fast and excellent.
Went by Busby's Beach Bar at Oyster Pond but decided not to stay for lunch. Found the construction in the area takes away from the ambiance. We had not been over to that area in a year so were surprised by the amount going on. Breakfast was at Michael's in Grand Case. As others have said, great little cafe right on the beach run by a couple from the Boston area where we are from. Have to stop by at least once to say Hi. Find the Island has changed over the years and has gotten quite crowded but find that at least on the French side, its many charms can still be found. Hope to return again next year!"
- "Recently spent a week on St. Martin staying on Grand Case. Followed your suggestions but found "Il Nettuno" to be disappointing. To touristy, rushed and no ambiance. Also ate at "L'Hibiscus" just down the road towards the Beach Club. Excellent food and ambiance."
- "I last submitted a review in 1997. The wife and are about to take our 15th trip to St. Martin. Restaurants seem to come and go on this island, but your better ones are still going strong. I must agree with the profesional photography from Chicago. If you haven't been to Antoine restaurant in Phillipsburg, then you are really missing a night of greatness. Besides the breath taking atmosphere, the food without a doubt is of the premium nature. The Frechman Jean Pierre is very charming. He will take time with you and make your evening one not soon forgotten. His partner {the chef} Pierre is one of the highest quality. Award winning on the island. If you are a duck lover , you must try the duck in cherry sauce. Said to be the best on the on either side of the island. When he said the lobster was killer. He really hit the nail on the head. Frankly I can't think of great enough word to describe it. From the bisque to the thermidor you will find it to be the best lobster you have ever eaten and perhaps the best you will eat in your life time. This restaurant is at 120 front st. about 3/4 of a mile from the pier. If you are standing on the pier take a left on front st. and just keep walking.
Now on the French side of the island . By day on Orient beech I again must say Kakao beach restaurant is king. Fast service and every thing from fresh lobster to pizza. You gotta try that Ti Punch drink If you are man enough ... And oh the view.
One of the points made about taking pictures here is true. Take them of yourself or you may find your sony camcorder in the ocean. As far as the night time restaurants you might try Kakao I heard the added a vietnamese menu.
Grand Case has an endless row of wonderful restaurants. Favorites being Alabama, The cottage, And I must say Le Tastevin ranks very high in food quality and a great wine list.
In conclusion: By day best bet is Kakao beach restaurant {french side} By Night Antoine restaurant {dutch side} These two get my Five star Rating.
See you in st. martin"
- "I was reading all of your restaurant reviews and I must add one of my own to the list. Layla's on Nettle Baie beach is a fantastic mix of a beach bar a classy restaurant - if there is such a thing. Pierre & Layla are the proprietors and have developed a wonderful place right on the beach. The large bar is the centerpiece of the completely outdoor restaurant, with tables all around for dining. There are tables in the sand as well, under trees for shade. The food is fantastic, Pierre is a wonderful chef. They are reasonably priced and have everything from specialty salads to lobster and fresh fish to steak. The menu changes frequently. Only open for lunch. A definite MUST when you are on the island. Beach chairs are free!!"
- "We enjoyed our first visit to St Martin the first week in February, and were very impressed with the dining options. In our opinion L'ALABAMA in Grand Case was the finest meal we had. No wonder it's difficult to get a table! Service was friendly and helpful, nightly specials of veal chop and shrimp provencal were superb, and wine list fairly reasonable. Complimentary after dinner drink was a nice touch. The FISH POT, across the street served similar quality food, for more money with an ambience of arrogance and haughtiness we found uncomfortable. Identical wine was $8-$10 a bottle more at Fish Pot. For the ultimate casual and inexpensive "dining" in Grand Case, TALK OF THE TOWN, one of the Lolo or BBQ stands served great smoky ribs for almost no money at all!
In the Cul de Sac area, TAITU was a delightful little find, with creole options, casual friendly service, and reasonable pricing. Snapper in pink berry sauce was awesome! PICCOLO in CulDeSac was on the edge of the fairly busy road with all outside seating. The traffic really wasn't a distraction, and the mussels appetizer was terrific. Only seatings at 7 or 9, resrvations a very good idea.
One windy night there were lots of places closed, and we ended up at BIKINI BEACH on Orient Beach. It was "Chinese Night"...go figure, but the Szecuan Shrimp was really quite good, though a bit overpriced. Chocolate banana or choc-coconut pies were both generous servings, and oh so rich.
BAR DE LA MER in Marigot served a huge grilled snapper, and wonderful broiled mahi-mahi fillet. Great people watching on the patio.
Best lunch by far, grilled lobster on Ilet Pinel.
Two places we tried to get to, and wonder if anyone knows if they are still open. YVETTE'S in Orleans- no answer on the phone, and no signs of life one afternoon except the chickens in the yard. And RHUMERIE in Colombier- we drove up the winding road off the main Marigot - Grand Case road, but never did locate it."
- "During the past couple of years the Konga Cafe in Cul de Sac has been a standout in terms of price, quality and the personality of Vincent (owner). This February was no different. Although Vincent came down with the flu for a couple of days we found the Cafe to be still outstanding. I recommended it to a number of folks at Club Orient and everyone reported back that it was great. Most entrees are in the $9 to $12 range and that includes salade, etc. I had the Chicken with the peanut sauce twice and the raw tuna also got great kudo's. Desserts are $3 and although I am not a dessert person, Julie's brownie with ice cream and fudge sauce was a standout. her Walnut chololate cake also got rave reviews. For a night of just good food at a great price, don't miss the Konga Cafe."
- "Hi, I am a single American guy who is fortunate to have traveled to St. Martin 5 different years. In scanning through the rest. reviews I have noticed that a couple of my favorites are not listed. I would first like to comment that in my opinion most of the finer restaurants are on the French side...sorry you Dutch livin folks but it is true! For me, a restaurant needs more than just fine food to be considered a "Fine" restaurant. Obviously the food must be wonderful, consistent, surprising, delicious and in the case of an Island restaurant it should offer some local dishes with with a local influence in preparation. What can be more Charming at a romantic evening dinner than hearing that beautiful French accent whether it be from a charming French Maiden or a Baritone French waiter. A restaurant should provide a haven from the rest of the world. To be away from parking lots, neon signs and street noise (although La Bar de La Mer in Marigot does a pretty good job with this exact scenario). A great place should have a view of the sea, or an Ambiance that takes you away from your regular life. (Hotel Cafe's and many of the high volume but convenient thematic restaurants fail miserably at this in my opinion --think about it, if it's too easy it will be over run with people)
- Bistro des Arts, Marigot recommendex by Julio Carrillo [June 16, 1999]
- "Few of us, Spanish tourists, visited St. Marteen's last week and had a fantastic time in the island. We went for dinner several times at the Bistro des Arts; located in the Marine Royale of Marigot where the food was excellent and the service even better. If you go there don't forget to try their "patisserie"."
- Antoine's, Philipsburg recommended by Bill and Sandy Moore [June 9, 1999]
- "We spent 10 wonderful days in St. Maarten and I must say that Antoine's restaurant in Philipsburgh was by far my favorite. My husband had a pasta dish and half of my filet mignon (it was twice the amount I expected). We also ate at the recommended L'Alabama we both thought it much overrated. The ambiance was excellent the service very nice, however, I th
The guys who operate Kakao are good guys....like everywhere else if you treat them and their restaurant with respect you will be welcomed and sent home happy. Usually the staff here is all French but I have seen Americans and other nationalities working there. I recommend that some repetition is a good thing on St. Martin....go to the same place a few times and strike up a conversation with the staff...you might be amazed at the adventures you will find, and how friendly the people are. Snorkeling is not great at Kakao but then I don't think there is any spectacular snorkeling anywhere on the Island of St. Martin itself. Some of the small Islands away from St. Martin are better for that (Sandy Island for one... and between the beach and the sunken tug on "Tintamarre" Island for another). Snorkeling is good just not spectacular!
Breakfast
If you don't find yourself up early some morning and at one of the pattisseries or street cafes that offer french Croissants and pan Chocolate' you are missing something special. As a photographer I had an assignment for Continental Grain Corporation that took me to bakeries all over the country. More than once I was told by French bakers that the flour we get here in the U.S. is superior but that there is something about French butter that yields superior baking. Once you have had an espresso with a French pastry and a fresh local fruit juice you will be spoiled like me. In Marigot there are at least five diferent places that stand out...near the post office, near the marina, near the grocery outside Marigot, in the little shopping center near Sandy Ground...etc. you gotta try this stuff!!
A word of beach etiquette if you will alow me:
Just because someone is naked or partly nude on a beach does not make them an exhibitionist! They are not there for your photgraphic pleasure! If you point your camera at me or my girl un-invited, expect trouble because now you are invading and interfering with my ability to relax on my vacation!! I really wish people would get this straight...I happen to be a proffessional photographer and I would never consider invading someone elses privacy that way. I actually watched a young Japanese man take his camera around and ask about 15 different topless women who he did not know, if he could get a picture with them. I was disgusted at first because I thought it silly, but he got a taker and later I realized better to ask than to just take. I also admired his persistence and his choice of not taking a picture without getting an OK first.
The beach boys at these restaurant/bars earn their living from renting out chairs and umbrellas as well as being the first line of security for the beach area. Expect to pay a few dollars for those amenities or find yourself sitting on your towel on hot sand while you watch everyone else luxuriate in a lounge chair under an umbrella when necessary. Generally, bottled water can be obtained from the bar....sometimes on ice, sometimes the beach boy may even let you order it from him. Not all the beach bars have the same policy, check theirs out and please be courteous, it seems to me that what the french hate about us the most is our Demanding Expectation of being catered to. Yea I know, you are on vacation you want to be treated like a king....just remember many kings in history were hated by their subjects so.... Most of the French people I have met here are just hard working quality oriented people. this is not an all inclusive cruise where corporate policy dictates that all employees act a certain way...these are small business men and women who are trying to live their life well and provide some amenities to visitors...for a fee of course.
Look I have only spoken of a few restaurants....the island is full of them and I have been to many...it's just that these are the ones my friends and I have returned to. I figure that if I go to a foreign island, the least I should do is try to immerse myself at least somewhat in the local culture. If I want an American vacation why go to a French Island? Open your mind (and maybe your pocketbook) and enjoy what you encounter. If you are a prissy control freak then you might not love this island the way I do.
For all those planning a trip to St. Martin....I envy you!!!! I hope you have the best of weather... and don't forget that little known jewel of Antoine restaurant!" - Restaurants by Erich Kranz [March 6, 1999]
- "We had some good barbecue at Bill's Texas Pit BBQ on Union Road near the Food Center. He has a special plate for under $5 and always has an ice-cold special beer for $1.
On a somewhat more expensive level we had a good lunch at L'Escargot. They take their name from the menu that features snails in seven different styles. For the less adventurous, they have a typical French/Creole menu. They have a small, colorful creole house right on Front Street in Philipsburg.
Lynette's, an old standby, still serves good Creole and is a minor riot on Friday night when Calypso King Beau Beau and his Beaubettes start to shake.
As always, David and Fleur serve up sumptious fare at Rainbow Cafe in Grand Case. This is probably the place to go for the blowout diner of your visit: great food, great view, and great service.
We also had a great time at L'Escargot on Front St in Philipsburg. The Thursday night cabaret is quite a hoot in the manner of "La Cage aux Folles". The chef creates a pretty good four course meal for $50 before he moonlights as Maurice Chevalier. The owners, Sonya and Joel, do a Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers duet and the high energy Cher and Donna Summers sets will get your toe tapping." - Favorite beach bar and restaurants by Gerald Rideout [March 1, 1999]
- "My wife, Maureen, and I have just returned from our eighth sojourn to St. Martin (Feb. 14-21). We always stay on the French side. My wife is fluent in French and appreciates the opportunity to converse with someone other than this dull American. Before discussing our culinary experiences, we want to recommend the Green Cay Beach Bar on Orient Beach. This small beach bar has recently been taken over (March 1 opening) by two of dear friends on St. Matin (Jean-Phillippe and Thomas). They promise to make your experience with them memorable. Jean-Phillippe will be the mixologist/beach boy and Thomas, trained in France, will run the kitchen. Jean-Phillippe's lovely wife, Julia, will be the bartendress extraordinaire (Jean-Phillippe's words). Both Thomas and Jean-Phillippe are fluent in American (slang included) and Julia's comprehension is improving daily. If you are a Coors Light fan, ask for a "Charles Bouquet". Tell them you heard about the Green Cay from Jerry and Maureen through the Internet.
This trip we tried some of the recommended restaurants that we have not previously sampled. Our favorite was the Taitu (Rue du Mont Vernon, Cul de Sac). We had two wonderful experiences there. The owners Michael and Jean cordially greeted us at the door. The daily blackboard specials' menu was brought to our table and the choices were explained thoroughly. Our first meal consisted of a creole crab salad, the fish special, and profiteroles for dessert. The special was red snapper, salmon, and shrimp in a light lemon cream sauce. We mentioned this site and the owners gave us a complimentary after dinner drink. The total cost with a bottle of house wine was $82. Our second experience was just as rewarding. The creole carb salad, steak with a creamy mushroom sauce, shrimp in a garlic sauce, bottle of house wine, and creme caramel ($77). The profteroles were the better choice for dessert.
Another surprise was the Cotonnier (Cul de Sac). The rack of lamb was superb. The owner, Alain, suggested a red wine that truly complimented the meal. Caesar salad and coconut ice cream on roasted fresh pineapple with raspberry sauce were the bookends to the lamb. Alain treated us to homemade rum and an espresso. The damages were $87. We would have returned but it was our last night. The Cotonnier trip was a result of our misfortune at A La Cabane Bambou. They didn't take any credit cards so we couldn't eat there our last night. We tried A La Cabane Bambou during the week and we were lucky enough to meet Angel. We had a warm shrimp salad, the fish special, and chocolate coconut cake. Gilles came by our table several times between cooking and conversing with other guests. Valerie was a charming hostess and talk with my wife at length. Gilles presented us with complimentary after dinner drinks, his "Magic". Sadly, we waited until the end of our stay to return. Our cash fund was low and they do not take charges. So we said our apologies to Gilles and Valerie and promised to return on our next trip. We did find that the pace of our meal at Bambou seemed a little rushed. We prefer to dine leisurely. I am sure Gilles would have lightened up a bit if only we had asked.
The best breakfast we had was at Michael's Cafe (Grand Case overlooking the beach). Two broccoli and cheese omelets, home fries, toast, and all they coffee my wife could consume for $14. Michael and his wife are from the Boston area and we are from Massachusetts, so we had a long, pleasant conversation about the island and its people. Try Michael's for lunch or an Italian-American supper if you tire of the creole and/or gourmet restaurants. We went to ZEE BEST (Marigot), it was OK, but ZEE slowest. We tried to sample the Surf Club (Cul de Sac) for breakfast three times, but it never seemed to be open even though their sign read 8-11 am breakfast. Lunched at Il Nettuno, the food was good. We prefer to eat lunch at the open air restaurants in Grand Case. We had pizza and a lot of fun at Portofino's. Our worst dining experiences were at Bikini Beach Club (Orient Beach). Late lunch on our first day. Small portions, over-priced, etc. Breakfast the last morning, waited 15 minutes to be waited on, mediocre food, 25 minutes for the bill to be returned. St. Martin is and always will be our favorite place to vacation. We are anxiously awaiting our return." - La Chamade, Marigot recommended by Erich S. Kranz [February 21, 1999]
- "La Chamade was closed last summer as the chef (Antony) was cooking in Switzerland. He is back with even better ideas. We had a fabulous dinner on our first night out in the 98/99 season. The specials were duck breast, confit of duck, cotes du bouef, and scallops - all tried - all great. If you like Armangac, try theirs. They are in the center of marigot on Rue St James with plenty of parking in the lot across the street. Open for lunch and dinner, but not on Sunday."
- A great beach bar recommended by Jane Monchick [February 20, 1999]
- "Hi my name is Jane Monchick, and we visit St. Maarten for years. I had the pleasure of going to the Guana Bay Beach in January while we visited. It had a great new beach bar called: Dave's Hideout. The people there were excellent and the food was fantastic. They made a good local punch of which I got the recipe. The beach was great for surfing. My kids enjoyed the waves. I would like to go back sometime."
- La Maison Sur Le Port, Marigot recommended by B. Fiore [February 20, 1999]
- "Of all the restaurants on this listing, I can't believe that not once have I seen a reference to La Maison Sur Le Port, right on the harbor in Marigot (Phone 87-56-38). As you come into Marigot, La Vie En Rose is on your left and this restaurant is on your right.
This place continues to have a Fixed Price meal which includes appetizer, entree, dessert AND all gratuities ..... for $21.95 ! They have a full regular menu as well but food is always food, especially desserts .... yum,yum. They also serve very nice warm dinner rolls. Service is good. Nice atmosphere ... open air with a waterfall right inside.
We ALWAYS hit this restaurant once or twice on a 2 week visit. You cannot beat what you get for your money." - St.Maarten Restaurants by Joan and Gordon Simpson, Toronto, Canada [February 18, 1999]
- "Together with another couple, we have just returned from our annual holiday in St Maarten. As we dine out almost every night, here are our comments on the restaurants we visited.
The Boathouse on Simpson's Bay. We used to enjoy a meal at the Boathouse; it once provided good food at reasonable cost. This year we found the service slow and disorganized, the food mediocre at a higher price. The value is no longer there. This restaurant appears to be going downhill. Not recommended.
L'Alabama in Grand Case. Our favourite restaurant on the Island. Karin and Pascal are gracious and charming hosts. The food is excellent and the presentation is superb. We have dined here annually for the past 6 years and each time it has been the highlight of our dining experience. Highly recommended.
A La Cabane Bambou in Grand Case. Very pleasant. The food is great and the service is good. The red snapper and scampi received the highest marks from our foursome. Chef Gilles is a delight. Recommended.
Spartaco in Almond Grove. Features Northern Italian cuisine. This restaurant is in an old stone plantation house. Seated on the verandah with the evening breezes was wonderful. The food was excellent and the service very good. Highly recommended.
Tutta Pasta at Simpson's Bay. Very good pasta dishes at reasonable prices. Pleasant staff. Good value. Recommended.
The Bavarian at Simpson's Bay. Good value. The food is good at reasonable costs and the service was friendly and efficient. Recommended.
Turtle Pier on Airport Road near the Airport. A good place for lunch or supper. The food is consistently good and the service is okay. Good value. Recommended.
Captain Oliver's at Oyster Pond. A great place for lunch. Recommended.
Mario's Bistro at the Sandy Ground Bridge. Features contemporary French cuisine.Food is excellent - try the duck and garlic mashed potatoes and the creamy french onion soup. You won't be disappointed. Only complaint was the portions were so large we did not have room for Mario's wonderful desserts! Highly recommended.
Ren and Stimpy's and Cloud 10. We used to enjoy both these places but unfortunately they are no longer in business." - Restaurant Highlights by Corinne and Steve [February 12, 1999]
- "Jan 24 Week 99 - Our eighth trip to St . Martin, and more restaurants to add to our collection! New ones this year included La Piccolo Cafe - Very good Haute cuisine on a porch. In Cul de Sac. Good value. Also, La Diva in Marigot - a good $33 price fixed including wine! Bistro de Artistes in Marigot under new ownership and excellent presentation and decor, as well as deliciouos food. La Pampa is a decent place to take a braek from the French food and prices with an all you can eat ribs and chicken in the Maho area.
We recommend the following restaurants where we have repeatedly had excellent meals during the past couple of years:
In Marigot,
La Residence Hotel A nice price fixed well prepared meal Great value.
Zee Best The best breakfast in St Martin
Tropicana Always a wonderful meal.
Chanticlear Crowded anymore, but delivers interesting food.
La Bar De Le Gare The place to see everthing and eat some interesting pizza
We were disappointed with Mini Club's food, and with Argentinian Grill's horrendous service
In Grand Case,
Le Pressoir Our favorite restaurant! What a great dining experience. A little out of the way , but worth finding.
L'Alabama A beautiful place with wonderful food and service
Bistro Caraibe Traffic noise doesn't seem to hurt their business. Good food, good service.
L'Auberge Gourmand Always consistant. Excellent rack of lamb.
Hevea A romantic and delightful inn. Agood price fixed dinner.
Le Cottage Another terrific dinner, good wines by the glass
Orient Beach,
We rented 2 chairs & umbrella with 2 drinks for $12 at Bay Watch.
We stay at the Towers at Mullet Bay, a beautiful time share convenient to everything." - Restaurants revisited-1999 by Faith Lubnick [February 3, 1999]
- " We have been reading the comments and responses with regard to restaurants for a year now and have just returned from a two week stay at Green Cay Village on the French side of the Island. We try to arrive within the same time-frame each year in order to join and/or see some of the people who have time shares. We never see them any other time, but enjoy enchanging restaurants comments with each one. Let me begin by saying that my husband is a wine aficionado and I have not only taken cooking lessons from the likes of Marcella Hazan but, with her prompting, gave a number of classes myself some years ago. Cooking is my passion. Likewise with food,both in the preparation and presentation. Although I am not a snob, I prefer to have reasonably good cooked food with fresh ingredients prepared in an original manner. I do, however, feel that spending a considerable amount of money to dine on good food is part of the price you pay for being in St. Martin. We investigated some new places on this trip and would like to rank and comment on them. Some were picked from this column and some recommended by our friends. We even have some left over for next year. Suffice it to say, cooking, entertaining friends and family and just thoroughly eating and drinking good wine is a major part of our life. So, let me begin. From one to eight, eight being the best.
On the beach for lunch and relaxation:
1. Kentaku (Orient Beach) has to be the most fun with live music and occasional fashion shows by pretty young ladies. The sashimi and sushi are the best I have had. My husband, who is not a sushi lover, had fried calmer which he said was superior.
2. We spent our days and most lunches at Cocoa Beach. Last year the food was boring and nothing that I would recommend. This year, however, the lunches were creative, fresh and delicious. Have one of their thin crust pizza's or their BBQ ribs. Salads were plentiful and crisp.
3. The one poor lunch was at the "all nude" part of the beach. Don't waste the walk. Oh, by the way, for breakfast, ZEE BEST (or as it was known when Danny's father owned it, the Mastadon) is still wonderful, fresh and lots of fun. Danny has gotten to know us by sight and we enjoy our time with him. His wife, by the way is due to have their first child in a few short weeks. Don't miss it.
DINNERS:
1. Thai Garden: This over-rated restaurant was and is a tourist trap. The food was fair to poor and, as you can see, it is the worst on our list. Not cheap and not plentiful.
2. The fish Pot: I would put this last on our list, but the food was good (a little above average). The service was, to my thinking and my $$$$ the absolute worst. Within twenty minutes of our arrival, we had already been served our cocktail, our first course and when they brought out our main course I looked at my watch and refused to accept the order. It was promptly given to the table next to us who had obviously ordered the same think. Checking later, we were told that, no, there had been no mistake. The waiters are pushy and opinionated and think that they should tell the customer what to eat and to push to a point of fury the "wine special" of the evening. For the expense of this restaurant and the absolute poor and hautie service I would rank this as a tie with last place. I, for one will never darken their door step again. Oh, yes, we had a nine o'clock reservation which meant that no other people would be waiting for the table thus giving some credence to the rush.
3. Le Cottage: My husband and I differ as to the merits of this restaurant. Although the service couldn't be better, more pleasant and the owners more fun, I found the food generally unimaginative.
4. A La Cabane Bambou: This is the restaurant that we went to only because of the rave reviews on this site. It is very simple but nicely decorated place with plastic chairs, etc. We originally made a reservation thinking that itwould be a must. We went a little early to have a drink at the tiny bar, but since no one ever asked us what we wanted we ultimately sat down. We had met a young man and his mother and two sisters who moved to the Island about a year ago. He praised this restaurant and said that he was so glad that business was picking up for Guilles. The very cute and sexy Valerie was running around and around. Unfortunately, due to her lack of English skills and the fact that Guilles was busy fling pots in the cooking area, we were not able to get a translation of how the food on the blackboard was prepared. So, we tried the three fish dish that was recommended on the web site. We also had appetizers which consisted of creole sausages which my husband said was wonderful. We would have enjoyed having the option of knowing how the remainder of the main-course dishes were prepared, but, again, Valerie could not help us and no one else was available. The coconut cake that was recommended was gone so we couldn't sample it. Ditto for the citron meringue. One other note--we were in and out of this restaurant in about an hour. Probably less. It seems to me that to dine is one thing, but this was no better than a good diner in the U.S. The prices were lower than those on Grand Case it self, but I would be hard put to compare it to even the worst on the strip. It has a long way to go.
5. Le Chanteclair: This restaurant which is located along the water in Marigot, to us, is simple overrated and over crowded. This is the third time that we have dined there and it will most likely be the last. In our case, it was chosen by our friends who were spending their last two nights on the island. We sat on the sidewalk and were either bumped by or stared at by the people strolling by. They were out of my first choice for dinner so I had the duck breast which was very tough. The wine list was fair but acceptable. I think that this is a real tourist trap and they do not feel that they have to go out of their way to make the meal special. The prices are anything but cheap but with little of the extras to make your meal and the price worthy of another visit.
6. Il Nettuno: This Italian restaurant which is toward the end of the Grand Case strip coming from Phillipsberg is very large compared to most of the restaurants on this road. It overlooks the water which is always a pleasant experience. We visited this restaurant twice during our two week stay and enjoyed the warm humor and graciousness of the owner. The waiters Frances or Luka are a joy and together (which we had on our first visit)l they make a great duo. The mussels marinara were some of the thee best that I have ever had. Spiced perfectly and not overly sauced they were cooked to perfection. My veal cutlet was thin and tender. My husband had the fried mozzarella and said that it was different but perfect. On one occasion, occobucco was the special. It was well prepared and looked to be a big enough portion for two or more. Since I make this often, my husband is very picky and thought that this version was excellent. There was no rush in between courses and in many instances they asked if we were ready for the next course or would rather wait for a while and enjoy the view. Desserts were good also nicely done and presented. It was mentioned in this site that the pasta was home made. If it was, it was over-cooked and mushy. I prefer my pasta al dante and not falling apart before you eat it. On our final visit the owner offered us an after dinner drink which was very considerate. The wine list is adequate by my husband's standards, although we did have a nice bottle of Chianti reserve. All in all this is a nice dining experience that we would surely try again.
6. Mario's Bistro: This is worth the experience to eat at. This was our fifth visit through the years. What I find difficult to understand is what all of the hullabaloo is about. Yes, according to my husband, the wine list is extensive. The food is plentiful and so very rich that I have never been able to finish my main course let alone have a dessert. And, believe me, I enjoy dessert while on vacation. The service borders on rude, although the owner's wife goes out of her way to check and make sure that all is well and that you are satisfied. By the way, if anyone is interested, it is for sale. They claim that they want to go back to Canada. We asked who, in their right mind would buy this restaurant, she replied, "Someone with a very large ego." I think that they would benefit from some diversity of the menu, instead of basically having the same things, barely changed, over and over again. Some of the specials are creative and interesting. I had a lamb shank one evening which took up the entire surface of the soup bowl it was sitting on. The sauce was excellent, but so rich that I felt that it overshadowed the lamb itself. It seemed as though it were in competition for attention on the plate. All in all, it is interesting if you sit by the water and watch the fish swimming and look at all the IN-people having dinner there. It most definitely is not an inexpensive place to dine.
NOTE: Now we come to the biggest predicament of these recommendations. I would rate the next two restaurants as equal but totally different and by far the best that we have sampled throughout the years on this Island.
7. Le Pressoir in Grand Case. This gem of a restaurant reminds me of a small house in the bayou with open doors of welcome and a warm and happy feeling emanating from it from the moment you arrive until you leave full and content. I am only sorry that we did not have the time to enjoy this restaurant a second time on this trip. Let me say that when I watched my husband look over the wine list, I knew that he was in heaven. My husband began his meal with the escargot which came to the table in a crockery dish. Each taste was haven as was the bread to dip every last drop of the butter/garlic sauce up with. I had a carpaccio of salmon which was topped with a very light tangy lime vinegarette sauce. It was perfection. The sauce heightened the taste of the salmon without detracting from it. Next my husband has the pork tenderloin which, although he felt it was a little tough was excellent. I had the sweetbreads which came in a bowl with a dark rich sauce. It was a trifle bit too much for the delicate sweetbreads but was delicious never the less. The piece de la resistance was the chocolate cake for dessert. It comes in a small round shape such as a soufflé but is a cake that looks very much like a muffin. However, when you cut into this cake out come liquid bitter chocolate that "is to dye for". Trust me, I am not a chocolate freak, but this is something that is worth not only the calories but just the shear delight in the tastes. After cappuccino my husband met the owner who was gracious and proud enough to show him his wine cellar which he built himself and keeps at a perfect temperature. He said, "I don't want to make a fortune on the wine. I just want to make a decent profit for handling and serving." This is a must on the island. If you want to go, make sure to make a reservation in advance. Although couples were still coming in for dinner after 10:30 and were welcomed with open arms. Not the case in most places on the island. Many natives who have businesses on the island stay open until after 9:00 p.m. and go out to dinner quite late.
8. L'Alabama: We visited this restaurant three times during this visit and would have gone more just for the fish soup that they serve. The owner Pascal remembered us from last year and welcomed us with opened arms as did his wife whose name escapes me at the moment, but, certainly not here body. What a sexy, very pretty, sweet and warm person she is. To the food which we consider one of the best on the island. As I mentioned before, the fish soup here is different than most which purees the fish into a full bodied soup not necessarily richer but by far a more intense flavor than any we had in the island. During our three visits we had filet mignon (tender, superbly prepared for very rare) with a light complimentary sauce, duck which was so tender that you could cut it with a fork, shrimp which was light and airy (after a while those rich and heavy sauces get to you), a sushi appetizer which was sent from heaven. Allen and Pascal discussed which wine we would have with each meal and we were never disappointed. Our last evening he asked Allen(my husband) to try a bottle of wine that he thought was particularly good. It turned out to be an excellent choice as usual. The service here is friendly, relaxed yet very efficient. No one ever rushes you and they enjoy staying and talking to you or just watching as you enjoy the couples next to you. On our first night the couple sitting next to us had had the same seat next to us last year. We enjoyed seeing them again and spent a pleasant evening talking. After the best profiteroles and wonderful cappachino Pascal insisted that we have an after dinner drink on him since he would not be seeing us until next year. Oh, how we would love a bowl of that fish soup right now. This is a must.
Note: One restaurant that I would like to recommend, but that we didn't get to eat at this year was La Rhumerie. It is a little hard to find, but it is in Colombier. It is off the beaten path, but it serves the best, biggest, moistest red snapper (with little or no sauce)you will find on the Island. They are closed on Thursdays. The telephone number is 87 56 98. I highly recommend it for a meal not heavily sauced but satisfying delicious.
For those of you who love to cook I have a precious little secret if you are going soon. Pascal of L'Alabama had a dish with an ingredient called Tamarind. I had been looking for it for some time in the states. Although I was able to locate the pods themselves I didn't know what to do with them. I asked Pascal where he got the tamarind and he sent me to his "spice man" Gerard Abrahami - Caribbean spices which is located just outside of Marigot on the right hand side as you enter the beginning of Marigot. It is a small building but oh, what spices. Gerard knows his spices and has a tremendous amount of knowledge and is very charming and friendly as well as helpful. Go quickly because he is waiting for his visa to be approved so that he can go to Tampa, Florida. The powdered saffron is the best I have ever had and never seems to get used up. All you use is a tiny bit to flavor, for instance, two cups of rice. This year I discovered sweet peppercorns which are not cooked but added to dishes. Made a chicken salad today and added some and it was a little bit of heaven.
Hope you all enjoy this response for I have enjoyed many hours of not only reading but the restaurants that we have discovered." - St. Maarten/Martin restaurants by Jerry Cramp and Barbara Thibodo [January 28, 1999]
- "Just returned from the island on January 23. 1999 and wish to comment on several restaurants which have been reviewed by others. 1. We had reservations at A La Cabane Bambou but couldn't find it after driving around Grand Case 3 times and asking four locals in two languages about its location. None had ever heard of it. Quel domage! 2. When we couldn't find La Cabane, we returned to the Pelican Resort where we were staying and ate at the recommended Pelican Reef restaurant where I had the recommended prime rib. It was very good but the accompaniments decidedly were not. The veggies (carrots and green beans) were obviously frozen! 3. We loved everything about La Petite Auberge des Isles in Marigot. The husband and wife owners were gracious and friendly (even to letting me copy the title and # of the great cool jazz CD which helped the ambience (The Ben Webster Quintet). The food was superb (the best roast duck I've had on four continents) in both taste and presentation and the prices were very good even though the prix fixe menu has gone up in the last month from $19.00 to $21.00. 4. We hadn't eaten at the Wajang Doll in Phillipsburg since our last trip in 1993, when it was one of our favorites. Nothing has changed - the rijstafel is still wonderful and the cost of a meal is in the low moderate range. 5. The Hideaway (back of the Pelican) was a terrific surprise. Very pleasant ambience, overlooking the pool. The food was excellent and the price very reasonable. Service and presentation top notch! 6. We ate lunch at Lee's and agree with the praise of other reviewers - terrific potato salad and ribs with island rice/peas and slaw for a low price. 7. Also snacked at Mark's on Bush Road. Great christophine farcie."
- Restaurant Review from Jan and Len Sherman [January 25, 1999]
- "We were on St. Martin from January 5, 1999 to January 19, 1999 and ate at many great restaurants; but one of our favorites was BISTRO DES ARTS at Marina Port la Royale in Marigot. We ate there twice. The food was absolutely divine, the prices were reasonable for St. Martin. Emory, our charming host, is also an owner, along with his brother of Bistro Caraibes in Grand Case (also a great restaurant and another of our favorites).
L'ALABAMA, in Grand Case, owned by Karin and Pascal is another one of our preferred restaurants in St. Martin. The food is excellent, the service gracious and the decor is delightful." - Restaurant reviews by David and Barbara Selley, Toronto, ON, Canada [January 17, 1999]
- "My wife and I have visited St. Martin in January 1998 and 1999 and find it almost impossible to get a bad meal, even at what look like tackled together beach huts on Orient Beach. However, our dining experiences were limited to the French side. We love The Netherlands, but it's not the gourmet capital of the world. Why take a risk? -- stay with the French.
Our favourite is the Restaurant du Soleil in Grand Case. Bright decor, charming service and outstanding food made for a two hour lunch (followed by a snooze on the beach) -- superbe! My wife had the creole platter and I had the Mahi Mahi - both outstanding. For desert we had the crepe suzette. And the view!!!
Jean Dupont in the Port Royal Marina, was also superb, although expensive by North American standards. The "tartelette aux pommes" was truly one of the most memerable desserts ever. The melt-in-the-mouth pastry was filled with rich caremelized apples, but the sweetness was beautifully offset by thin slices of fresh apple with a light cream on the side.
We had a self-catering apartment and our culinary days started with a baguette and pain au chocolat from the local boulangerie in Baie Nettle, a big lunch at one of the restaurants followed by a light home cooked dinner on our balcony comprising succulent things purchased at the Supemarche du Pont, at the entrance to Marigot. Alternatively, we had a lighter lunch and dined out in the evening.
St. Martin is truly the gastronomic capital of the Caribbean in our experience." - Don Camillo, Marigo recommended by Francesca Restuccia [January 11, 1999]
- "My favorite restaurant is Don Camillo. The food is superb and the prices are reasonable. A true dining experience. The staff was very attentive and hospitable, almost like having dinner at home.The home-made gnocchi are very light and the gorgonzola sauce is very delicate. The chicken dish (pollo delicato) is superb. They offer a complimentary bruschetta and a complimentary after dinner drink. They have a small wine list but very nice choices and reasonable prices, try the Donna Fugata (white)."
- A La Cabane Bambou, Grand Case recommended by John Miller [January 8, 1999]
- "My wife, Cathy, and I vacationed in St. Martin Dec. 20-27, 1998. The highlight of our visit was dinner in Grand Case at "A La Cabane Bambou", which we learned about on this web site. Valerie greeted us with a warm smile and seated us at an open-air table where we could feel the breeze and watch the passers-by. Chef Gilles brought the English version of the menu, priced in U.S. dollars, on a blackboard and carefully explained each selection. Valerie assisted us with our final choices, which was great fun since my French and her English are both a work-in-progress! Throughout the evening she proved to be gracious, patient and helpful, providing service that was attentive but never intrusive.
Cathy chose a combination dish of calamari, scampi and red snapper each prepared with a sauce or seasoning which proved Gilles' experience. Gilles trained in France and honed his creations on the Queen Elizabeth II liner. Cathy said it was the best meal she had had in her life. My red snapper, prepared with a tomato and cognac sauce, was the best fish dinner I have ever had. We had the opportunity to watch Gilles at work, since he has an open kitchen, a choice he made because he likes to relate to his customers. Several times he stopped by to chat and ensure everything was alright.
With the help of my French-English pocket dictionary, and Valerie's usual smile, patience and sense of fun, we chose desert - a piece of chocolate coconut cake with oodles of whipped cream, and, at Valerie's suggestion, two spoons! But the fun was far from over, as we proceeded to Gilles' after-dinner drinks. He assured us we would never be the same. The first were blue concoctions (a secret, according to Valerie, although she later confided it to me, but my lips are sealed). These were followed by golden brown ones (this colour, I will reveal, was the result of vanilla.) Gilles was of course correct, I was no longer the same, since on leaving, I gave Valerie a big hug. Yes, Gilles' drinks can work their magic even on a conservative accountant. And the bill, at $51, didn't hurt the balance sheet." - Our favorites in St. Martin by Naida and Bob [January 3, 1999]
- "This was our 4th Xmas in St. Martin, and we've yet to have a dinner on the Dutch side! We love Grand Case, especially L'Alabama, and Marigot, where our favorites are Chanteclaire and Mario's Bistro. Mario's is especially popular, and it's hard to get reservations there. Based on all of the Web recommendations, we looked at La Cabane Bamboo, but were turned off by the atmosphere. It's right on the main road, and the kitchen was not separated from the dining area, so the smells and smoke permeated the tables. Michael's, in Grand Case, was nice for breakfast, and Zee Best, in Marigot, is lots of fun with great baked goods. They'd never meet US health standards--they put a basket of assorted baked goods on your table, and they charge you for what you take from it; you know what happens to the ones you don't eat. But we still go there every year. Their French toast is also great."
- St. Maarten/St. Martin Restaurants reviewed by Beth & Pete TenBrink, Syosset, NY [January 3, 1999]
- "We've been going to the island for 12 years and our favorite places to eat are always: Mary's Boon located right behind the airport. This lovely establishment serves one entree each evening (not on Sundays). Meal time is 8:00pm. They only have a dozen or so tables so during season reservations are a must!. They open at 7:00pm and have a unique honor bar system. You prepare your own drinks from a well-stocked bar and let them know what you had when you settle your bill. While enjoying cocktails you socialize with other guests. Everyone is always super friendly. The food is delicious and they come around to serve seconds. Service is excellent. The Pelican Reef located at the Pelican Resort and Casino has great food. The owners are lovely folks who go out of their way to ensure that you're happy. We've been going there since they opened. Their signature dish is prime rib of beef. The meat is well marinated and after roasting, is placed on a grill to prepare it to specifications...delicious. Their chateaubriand is also great. Try their onion soup. There's a little Chinese restaurant on the airport road right across from Pizza Hut. It's called New York Chinese Restaurant. The food is every bit as good as any Chinese restaurant in NY. The ambiance just isn't there but 2 people can get a great meal for less than $20.00."
- St. Martin Dec 21 to 28 1998 by George Taylor Barrie Ont Canada [January 1, 1999]
- "Stayed at Maho Beach Hotel Parents and 2 adults sons both with restaurants and world class culinary education.
Breakfasts at Palms at Maho passable filler up.
Cheri's road house food with good music. Servers with a bussiness attitude. open air ambience.
La Rosa Too /over priced / weak presentation/ good wine selection/ Italian/ great ambience/ good location at Moho beach plaza
Sandros /Maho Beach Good location/ weak presentation/ Boss takes all orders as do many restaurants in St. Martin's therefore it sets the whole tone for dinner good or bad/ good fish dinner/ Bob the server was most gracious/
Pizza Pasta / up lane beside Cheri's and Casino Royal / a must for mom and pop service / small /great Italian/ reasonable cost. Hilde the hostess with the mostess hospitality.
Casino Royal Cafe beside casino excellent breakfasts/ open air and inside. Hilde operates this also.
Boathouse at Simpson Beach. forget a poor imitation of Captain Silver or Red Lobster.
Le Tastevin Grand Case /lives up to its reputation / good service / good wines / excellent food / presentation/view/ ambience / a must/ worth the price/ small reservations needed.
Food is overall expensive on the island at major restaurants." - Other reviews:
For people "trapped" on the Dutch side (Don't get me wrong, the Dutch side has wonderful attributes too-um like coupecoy beach for instance) and looking for a restaurant like I was describing above....You need to go to ANTOINE Restaurant on Front street in Philipsburgh. I have to warn you that at night it looks a little spooky as you approach the restaurant but that is the price to pay for many of the hidden jewels of St. Martin. The restaurant is jointly owned by a Frenchman from Normandy and a Local Chef with French Culinary training. Jean Pierre is a tall Frenchman with that soft Baritone voice I spoke of earlier. He is very knowledgable about food, wines and the island and it's charms. Some of the items on the menu the last time I was there are Lobster bisque(to die for) Conch (a delicious local dish) Lobster thermador (to kill for) Red snapper (when available...which is virtually always) Steak Au Poivre' (a wonderful piece of beef lathered in a rich black pepper coating usually served with a garlicy poatato of some type...my mouth is watering)...and I must admit I draw something of a blank here on the rest of the menu, as each time I have been there I have kind of overdosed on Lobster because it is so killer delicious. Anyway there is a fairly extensive menu but I am always drawn back to the Lobster or the Steak Au Poivre'. In five years I have been there at least 15 times with as few as 3 people and as many as 18. I have never heard anything but accolades for the food. I really think this is a very much overlooked restaurant and would think it a shame to miss it...especially if you are staying anywhere near phillipsburg anyway. The Ambiance is warm and romantic and you may find yourself at a table twenty feet from the ocean listening to the stirring waves and the soft ocean breezes. Day or night this charmer is sweet...escape from the sun in the day (no air conditioning though, as the restaurant has a veranda that is open to view the sea) or escape to a quiet french retreat at night.
I notice many entries about restaurants in Grand Case. It is true there are wonderful restaurants in Grand Case (it is pronounced more like "Grahn Cahss") read other reviews about this popular place....it is lovely and interesting by day or night.
In Marigot there is a very special place...called Le Bistrot Nu. You must get directions from someone as it is hard to find and I won't waste time here with that. Anyway it is so cool! you walk down this little alleyway off of the buzzing main road and come to this little shake shingle building that looks like a place where Jean LaFite might have hidden out. The menu is um er wierd?!? Zebra, boar, rattlesnake, venison, octopus, skate, ostrich, froglegs, I know some of these are not so weird but I am just trying to show their diverstiy. The menu changes dramatically with availability. I have had meals I did not enjoy there but I new at the time it was a bit risky because of the substance of the dish...that's what makes the place so interesting. There are typical dishes available for the less adventurous but if you want to try something you have never had before, this place offers the best opportunity for it. The restaurant is very small only seating about 30 people I would guess....make reservations and /or have an alternate in mind. very cool very French.
In Marigot as I mentioned, La Bar De La Mer does a decent grilled lobster and steaks as well as other things (geez it's sounding like all I eat is steak and lobster..not true) but is most interesting for the activity all around the outdoor cafe. About 8-11:00pm. is an interesting time here but the locals start partying late so you never know...there are a couple pool tables upstairs, a bar downstairs and restaurant outside. This restaurant sits near the harbor and below the Fort. The constant activity of the young French beauties driving or walking by and the activity in the square makes for an entertaining place to be day or night.
My favorite non-beach, people watching, Bar/Restaurant is La Belle Epoque in the Marigot Marina. Surrounded by restaurants, shops and boats it's a great place to park for a drink (the locals here drink Pastisse-mixed with water, and Ti Punch a knockout drink...very tasty but ask for a water too!)and maybe to pass the time while the wife is shopping. I love the food here too. Another place with great Steak Au Poivre'. This people Watching is not like Daytona beach...you won't see many bikini clad American women with too much weight and too much make-up strutting around, but what you will see are some very sveldt French beauties of all ages. The Charm and style of these people is mind blowing sometimes.
As far as beaches....There is only one if you want to eat well and see the sights! Orient! I say this because there are an abundance of Great restaurants and bars along this beautiful sweeping beach. My favorite without a doubt is Kakao Beach!!! I like it here because it is quite central to Orient beach. It is a short walk to Kon Tiki (probably the most popular bar) and Orient beach resort (for those of us who are nakedly inclined) and has all the water sports and beach stuff that the others have. I especially like the view from this beach as from it you can see almost the entire orient beachfront and almost everyone else on the beach walks by at some point....great people watching.
The food at Kakao is Superb! I have stumbled up to the bar at 7:30 am after staying out all night , just to order up an American breakfast of bacon and eggs, juice and espresso with a sun so bright I could hardly open my eyes to eat. I have enjoyed a wonderful evening meal there when the beach is quiet and the candle light bounces off the thatch roof of my beach booth.
Lunches! Lunches on Kakao Beach are incredible!
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