St Maarten/St Martin
28 January 2007 Newsletter

Future Contests:

Stay tuned. They'll be back soon.

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RESTAURANTS

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On 21 January the euro was at 1.302 and today it is at 1.293, slightly better. This season, some restaurants are still offering a 1 to 1 exchange, but my list of restaurants is smaller this year. Moreover, it is getting to be something of a gimmick as by now the prices have been adjusted to enable a profit at 1 to 1 or else the restaurant would be out of business, so it merely helps with the math and eliminates currency transaction costs, not insignificant benefits to Americans. To further confuse the issue, others are offering an advantageous rate, but not as good as 1 to 1. In any event, these still have pretty good prices and as many restaurants have online menus, you could do the math (if the websites were up to date). We noticed 1 to 1 at Bistrot Caraïbes, Blue Martini, California Restaurant, Hibiscus Restaurant, Restaurant du Soleil, Ti Bouchon, Rancho del Sol, Kokomarina, L'Estaminet, and La Marine. Pedro's Beach Bar and Pirate Beach Bar on Orient are something of a special case as their prices have always been in dollars and still are. Note that some only offer this rate for cash. As always, know what the euro is worth, what the restaurateur is offering for an exchange, and what the costs are on the menu. Finally, you are here to have fun and fine food, not to do complex financial calculations, so don't worry about it too much.

We stayed home on Sunday to watch the Patriots lead (or tie) for 59 out 60 minutes. Being superstitious, we reprised our previous week's menu (when they won): Angus filet mignon from Merchants Market in Cole Bay. Possibly their downfall was brought on by our switch to a 2002 Chateau de Beaune with the dinner. It was very good, but they lost.

On a dreary Monday night we went to Halsey's Restaurant for some "fine dining - unrefined" on the lagoon just east of the bridge in Simpson Bay. The slogan essentially says that Ryan Halsey makes some very refined food in the kitchen and Jessica, his wife, (and others) do an excellent job in the dining room, but overall, it is a friendly place set on a dock with a canvas roof. The unrefined part may refer to the plank floor, plastic side flaps (generally furled giving an open air on the lagoon feeling, but unfurled by necessity on this evening), the lack of tablecloths, or the lively bar crowd during happy hour. If you are feeling a bit unrefined, just gaze out at the megayachts anchored nearby. There is very little parking and all the restaurants make sure that you come into their restaurant if you park in their lot. The only available open parking is on the south (Caribbean) side of the street just past Royal Palm. Make sure you get all four wheels out of the travel lane. The restaurant has about a dozen tables that can seat four in a pinch, but generally get two. We had a waterfront deuce waiting for us because we had made reservations, always nice (for both us and the kitchen). The menu is rather large with about a dozen soups and aps and another dozen fish and meat courses plus a few specials. The wine list is similarly large with a far-ranging selection through Europe, the US, and others. There are many wines available by the glass and even a few half bottles. We started with glasses of Pinot Grigio to go with our seared scallops on a bed of spicy black beans with cilantro oil and a few tortilla strips. As luck would have it, we ran out of the Pinot Grigio and started in our 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape from Mont Redon. The way Ryan packs flavor and spice into this dish, the CdP was a much better pairing. I also admired the way the dish combined black beans with little texture, lightly seared scallops with a wonderful, meaty texture, and a few tortilla strips with a satisfying crunch. All dinners come with a salad that arrives between the ap and main course. Our dinners were a veal tenderloin special and the seared sesame-encrusted tuna with wasabi cream and soy sauces. There is no doubt that the tuna stood up to the bold Rhone wine given spicy wasabi and flavorful soy that came with the superb bit of fish. The veal was quite good, quite large, and came with a dollop of mashed potatoes with chives and grilled veg. We finished with two glasses of Pyrat Rum from Anguilla. The aps are mostly in the teens, the main courses are in the 20's, and the wines are reasonably priced. Nonetheless, we managed to ring up an $84 bar tab by having one of the most expensive wines and two glasses of a wonderful, though pricey, aged rum. Our food only came to a bit more than $60 and included bread with butter and a garlicky, parsley spread before dinner and a complimentary salad with dinner. This really is fine dining, without the fine dining price tag.

On Wednesday we went up to Grand Case and headed for Il Nettuno Restaurant on the water across from the parking lot in the center of town. The lot is unattended (ie, free) at lunch time, making it quite convenient. We really like lunchtime in Grand Case. At night, it is pleasant to look out across the black water with a few mast lights on the anchored boats and see the lights of Anguilla and most restaurants throw some light on the shore, but daylight reveals a lovely bay with Molly Smith Point to the west and Créole Rock to the east with Anguilla in the distance. Down by Il Nettuno Restaurant the town piers always have some activity, if only kids jumping into the water. Martha usually has a salad (lobster, shrimp, and others are available at lunch) and I usually have whatever fish special is on the blackboard. Today she had the shrimp salad and I had the salmon steak on a bed of diced tomatoes with olive oil and spices with a bit of tagliatelle in a tomato sauce on the side. Glasses of Pinot Grigio and good crusty bread with lots of butter finished out a wonderful lunch on a lovely day. Nettuno does not do 1 to 1 but the prices aren't bad for such a lovely dining room with such a great view. Our lunch cost about $50.

On Thursday evening had a drink with Tiki from Capt Morgan at Le Village Restaurant in Marina Royale in Marigot. The captain of the boat is Tiki's mate, Serge, and the boat is named after their son, Morgan, or possibly he is named after Morgan, the boat manufacturer. They are now connected with one of the cruise lines and only take a few non-cruiseboat trips. We then headed out to Grand Case for dinner at Ti Coin Créole. This was just picked as the best Créole restaurant on the island by St Maarten Events. It was number 21 in a list of 25 reasons to enjoy yourself on the islands. The restaurant is at the far eastern end of restaurant row, actually on the road to Grand Case Beach Club. It's not exactly the best location in town for getting foot traffic, but it is where chef and owner Carl Philips grew up. It really is a Créole cottage, tarted up a bit, with the center turned into a kitchen and the porch on two sides filled with tables. The menu is small, as are the prices. All aps are about $10 and dinners are under $20, unless you go for some lobster creations. Another note, though small, the menu basically lists shrimp, conch, chicken, steak, mahi, goat, and snapper, but then offers each in several styles: Créole, curry, and possibly more. It fits on two pages, but offers a wide variety. We started with a crab back with lots of crab and a conch salad with lots of conch. Neither were very hot, a common misconception about Créole food. We made ours hot and delicious by adding some of Carl's homemade hot sauce, but without that there was almost no heat to either ap. Our dinners were the shrimp Créole and the conch Créole. Again, neither were very hot but both were very tasty. We added his homemade hot sauce to taste. The dinner followed by complimentary rum cost less than $50. We had a dessert (Leffe and a Hoegaarden) at Blue Martini and caught some of Lou Lou's set.

On Friday morning we went snorkeling with Sebby at the Grand Case Beach Club's Activities Desk. They are a few minutes away from Créole rock, a marine sanctuary, and one of the best snorkeling spots on the island. There are several boats that come up here, notably Random Wind, but if you want a short, but serious snorkel, Sebby is the way to go. If you want a day sail with lots of sightseeing, a lunch on the water, and couple snorkel stops, then the day charter boats are for you. We've done both and had a great time. This morning we saw a two spotted eagle rays, tangs, sergeant majors, trunkfish, trumpetfish, needlefish, parrot fish, beautiful butterfly fish, and more. After a morning snorkel, we headed over to Orient for lunch at Pirate Beach Bar. We really think that Sylvie does wonderful things with fish. I had a swordfish steak ($10) and Martha had a Pirate salad ($8) featuring some of the largest and tenderest conch we've ever seen. My sword came with rice and peas, cole slaw, and a bit of salad. We added a couple caribs and had a lunch for $22. Great views of Green Cay are free. There is a coupon on the website. After lunch we went for a couple more brews and some chairs at Pedro's Beach Bar, leaving a bit before 4PM as the sun starts to set on the hills behind the beach.

We got to Halsey's by about 4:15 for their first Friday 4 to 6 PM sushi and happy hour extravaganza. They intend to make this a weekly affair and the turnout for this minimally advertised starter was overwhelming. Possibly the $2 beers, $3 drinks and $5 martinis, got people's attention or maybe it was all the sushi plates priced at $7. We had a couple Stella Artois, essentially our favorite beer, and a spicy tuna roll and a smoked Eel roll with some extra wakame seaweed, a little something to hold us over until our late dinner. This seems like a winner. Remember that they are just on the east (Pburg) side of the bridge and that the hours for this affair bracket the bridge openings at 4:30 and 5:30.

We actually made it out in time to get to Bamboo Bernies in time to get some of their incredibly cheap drinks (they start out free and rise in price every half hour or hour until 8PM). They have a spectacular sunset view and Friday was the best sunset of the season. The online version of this newsletter has a photo.

At 8:30 that evening we were at our table at Saint Séverin Restaurant on the back side of Marigot. This is where the upper crust locals meet to eat, especially on weekends as fresh seafood is flown in from France. We were four as a friend and frequent visitor to the island also knew of St Séverin and asked us to join. Gladly! We started with a bottle of Chablis ($33) and a bottle of the 2002 Pommard Epenot Premier Cru from Girardin ($52) as our dinners were all over the map. Three of us shared fresh oysters flown in from France, drinking Chablis while the fourth, eschewing shellfish, had the risotto with wild mushrooms and tested our Pommard. Another ap of three tartares (tuna, salmon, and veg) was shared all around. All the aps were 14 euros, about $17, for some very interesting food. Dinners were quail on a bed of green cabbage (great, esp with Pommard), sautéed foie gras on a bed of lentils (ditto), a braided snapper and salmon dish with roasted red pepper on a bed of spinach in a creamy whole grain mustard sauce (back to Chablis), and mussels in a creamy broth with crisp french fries on the side (take your choice of wines). The dinners were all under $25. Our friends had crème brûlée and an apple tart for dessert while Martha and I tested the armagnac. I confess that it went well with a few spoonfuls of crème brûlée. This is another place that is not doing 1 to 1, nor using the exact exchange rate. They offered about 1.2, which kept the bill at about $130 per couple. There is no fantastic seaview, just good food and good service in a boisterous, bustling place.

Lunch on Saturday was at Sunset Café inside the grounds at Grand Case Beach Club. It's another great spot for lunch in Grand Case. They have a wraparound deck over the water/beach with great views of Créole rock and Anguilla. They know how much we like their mussels in white wine with onions, shallots, and a bit of cream and said that they had saved the last two orders for us. Five other guests were joining us and we allowed them to have the mussels, which we think are the best of this type on the island. Martha switched to a smoked fish salad, the usual greens, tomatoes, etc with slices of smoked salmon and tuna, and I had the Niçoise. A couple bottles of LaCoste's Rosé d'Une Nuit and a couple bottles of water rounded out a wonderful time with a wonderful view on a spectacular day.

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BARGAINS

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Every Tuesday afternoon from 4:30 until 6:00, Ti Bouchon will host a small (ten people maximum) wine tasting on their porch. There is no charge, but if you would like to attend, please visit the website and call or send an reservation request no more than one month in advance. Be sure to mention a date and the number in your party.

Coupons: Look on the SXM-Info website for a list of all restaurants and others that have coupons for some freebie or discount. There are several coupons there to make your vacation a bit cheaper. Here's a list of what you'll find:

Le Baccara Restaurant Bikini Beach Beau Beau's Kakao Beach Escargot Los Gauchos Kakao Beach Oizeau Rare Pirate Beach Bar Paradise View

Paris Bistro Pedro's Beach Bar Saint Germain Tai Chi The Wharf Lots here and here Select Wine Cellar Endless Summer Beachwear Good Cards (and gifts)

We have a car from Don at GCL Car Rental. They have always been good to us and you can read several testimonials on their site from others. He and Daniel are certainly worth an email when you want reliable, yet inexpensive, transportation. I've never tested them, but they say they will come and pick you up if you think you have over-indulged.

Those who like Club Orient might be interested in Club Fantastico. Check it out. Richard says "At Club Fantastico the Jacuzzi is percolating and the pool is a perfect temperature for skinny dipping late into the evening. The Caribbean Sea is aqua blue and warm as can be. Chef Antonio was here over the holidays and will be back, so stay tuned. Music and fine cuisine will be the norm."

The Mario's Bistro Cookbook is now available. They are shipped via UPS and cost $49 for one, $87 for two, and $123 for three, delivered. Delivery via UPS should take a day or two in the US.

L'Esperance Hotel has great rates and is conveniently located. It's quite handy if you just need a night or two at either end of your vacation because of the wretched flight schedules. They have a lovely pool and offer free wireless internet access.

Sandy Molloy at Molloy Travel says that she can generally beat any rates you can get from the hotels. Give her a shot.

Regards,
Erich S. Kranz
www.SXM-Info.com
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