caribbean dining Archives -

BSLC Admin

July 24, 2020

Luxury Dining Experiences on St. Barths

The French and Creole roots are strong on St. Barths—hence why the island may just have the best food in the Caribbean. With the island’s many international influences and creative inspirations, restaurants on St. Barths offer a variety of different flavors that are sure to surprise and delight. Our Blue Sky Luxury Travels guests enjoy the myriad of upscale dining options that await them when they stay in luxury villas from our collection, and we are often called upon to reserve private dining experiences. Our team has researched and selected some of the most exquisite dining experiences on St. Barths. From casual, toes-in-the-sand lunch to elegant, Michelin-quality fine dining by the sea, the restaurants on St. Barths are as varied as they are exquisite and all of them are worth discovering. However, here’s our list of the six most exceptional, not-to-be-missed culinary experiences on St. Barths that are sure to satisfy every traveler’s tastebuds.

L’Isola

Considered one of the best restaurants in St. Barths, L’Isola is fine Italian dining with an island twist located on the hillside in Gustavia. The head chef, who hails from Rome, serves up cuisine that’s authentically Italian in style and offers only the best dishes, prepared with the finest ingredients exclusively imported from Italy. The extensive yet extremely well established menu includes homemade pastas, thick veal chops topped with sage and Roman-style grilled artichokes. L’Isola also offers an outstanding wine list with selections from Tuscany, Sicily and many other parts of the Italian peninsula. Come for the fabulous food and stay for the warm welcome and amazing atmosphere.

Bonito

Located in an elevated position overlooking Gustavia Harbor, Bonito is one of the island’s most famous restaurants praised by foodies around the world. Boasting stellar views and even better food, executive chef Laurent Cantineux and chef de cuisine Ronan Mahe serve up a wonderful fusion of bold French and South American flavors that work extremely well once combined. Bonito offers fresh, locally sourced seafood prepared in all sort of manners from raw to stews, grilled and salads—each delivering a modern twist on exotic flavors. The restaurant is also one of St. Barths’ hotspots. It’s not unusual to spot celeb patrons like Simon Cowell, Beyoncé and Pippa Middleton enjoying their meals right beside you.

Le Tamarin

One of the hidden secrets of St. Barths’ dining scene, Le Tamarin is set in one of the most beautiful tropical gardens on the island, full of lily ponds and sweet-smelling flowers. Named after the 200-year-old tamarind tree that marks the entrance, this quaint Saline restaurant specializes in a range of cuisines reflecting Caribbean and Swedish cultures with dishes such as pan-fried foie gras, tuna tartare, chicken and hummus salad and gambas a plancha with soba noodles. Tamarin is easygoing by day but the restaurant really comes to life at night when the gardens are beautifully lit, people have migrated to the foosball and ping pong tables and the cocktails are flowing.

Francois Plantation

Fusing traditional French elegance with Colonial style, Francois Plantation transports you to the heart of Provence on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Open for lunch and dinner in high season, this restaurant—nestled in the hills of Colombier—serves up gastronomic delights with inspiration taken from West Indian and European cuisine. Delicacies include a beautiful homemade foie gras, pissaladieres, barigoules and a not-to-be-missed langoustes flambé. They also offer an outstanding range of old rum and wines. A true cabinet of curiosities, marvel at the tropical touches such as old wooden boat models, rare shells and Colonial woodworking that accent a refined, yet relaxed atmosphere.

Black Ginger

Serving up authentic and refined Thai cuisine concocted by a head chef and sous chef who both hail from Bangkok and were trained by the world’s best Thai chef, Vichit Mukura, Black Ginger is the place to go for Thai food in Gustavia. The food is exquisite and beautifully prepared with the freshest ingredients and spices and served in a luxurious, yet comfortable dining environment. The unique interior courtyard opens on the starry sky and boasts huge dome-shaped lights that create a wonderful contemporary atmosphere. Renowned for their knowledgable and friendly staff, you can be assured you’ll discover a new favorite dish when dining at Black Ginger.

Eddy’s

Protected from the outside world by a courtyard garden strewn with fairy lights, Eddy’s is one of the most cherished addresses in Gustavia and one of the most romantic restaurants on the island. The affordable menu with a French Creole and Asian influence includes locally inspired dishes such as codfish fritters, wahoo with ginger sauces, roasted rack of lamb with Indian spices and wild prawns with curry and coconut milk. The inviting French Polynesian decor leaves diners with the feeling they’re not in St. Barths, but rather an even more exotic land, far off in the tropics—where parties last well into the wee hours of the night. After 9 pm, the locals start arriving and the atmosphere becomes electric.

Bon Appétit!

BSLC Admin

April 22, 2020

Tropical Cocktail Recipes from Top Resorts to Make at Home

Brighter days are ahead, we just KNOW it. While we’re waiting and dreaming of our next tropical escape, why not bring the resort home with an island-inspired cocktail? We’ve gathered the most delicious cocktail recipes from top resorts that you can easily make right in your home, so break out the cocktail shaker and turn on some tropical house music for some of that good old fashioned “island escapism.” It’s 5 o’clock somewhere!

Hawaiian Margarita – Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, Waikoloa Beach, HI: What makes this mixture so unforgettable is the lilikoi (aka passion fruit) that brings a uniquely tropical flavor to this Mexican staple. Blend 1.5 oz of Jose Cuervo tequila, 1 oz of lilikoi (passion fruit) concentrate and 3 wedges of pineapple. Pour the margarita into a hurricane glass and rim it with li hing mui powder (tart-sweet-salty dusty made with pulverized dried asian plums that pairs perfectly with this luau drink).

Espanto Wave – Cayo Espanto, San Pedro, Belize: This signature drink is what you’re welcomed with when you step off the boat at Cayo Espanto, Belize’s exclusive private island. Blend 1 oz of Captain Morgan spiced rum, 1 oz of Caribbean dark rum, 1 oz of curaçao, 1 oz of amaretto, 1 oz of triple sec, 1 oz of pineapple juice, 1 oz of lime juice, 1 tbsp of sugar and ice cubes in a bar blender until smooth and frozen. Pour into a pint or collins glass and garnish with a lime wedge.

Coconut Mojito – Coco Beach Resort, Ambergris Caye, Belize: This fan favorite cocktail is sure to have you fantasizing of lounging by a pool in the Caribbean breeze. Place 4 oz coconut rum or any white rum, 4 oz of cream of coconut, five sprigs of fresh mint leaves and 2 oz of fresh lime juice in a high-powered blender with four cups of ice. Blend until completely smooth and then pour into glasses. Garnish with mint and lime slices if desired.

Blue Hawaii – Hilton Hawaii Village Waikiki Beach Resort, Honolulu, HI: As turquoise a tropical lagoon, this taste explosion was created at this resort a whole four years before Elvis Presley ever danced the hula in a movie of the same name. Begin by creating a Fresh Sour Mix: In a saucepan over medium heat, stir one cup of water and one cup of granulated together until dissolved. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Add one cup of fresh-squeezed lemon juice and .5 cups of fresh-squeezed lime juice and mix well. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to a week. When the week is over, fill a hurricane glass with ice cubes. Pour in .75 oz of white rum, .75 oz of vodka, .75 oz of blue curaçao, 3 oz of fresh pineapple juice and 1 oz of your Fresh Sour Mix and stir with a tall spoon. Slice a notch in a pineapple wedge and fit onto the lip of the glass. For a frozen drink, pulse all the ingredients in a blender until smooth before pouring them into a glass.

Aruba Mule – Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, Palm Beach, Aruba: Sip the refreshing flavors of the ‘One Happy Island’ with this aloe-inspired concoction. Fill a copper mule mug or rocks glass with ice. Add 1.25 oz of vodka, 2 oz of aloe vera juice, .25 oz of fresh lemon juice and .25 oz of simple syrup to the glass. Top with 4 oz of ginger beer and stir gently. Garnish with mint leaves.

The Florist – Carillon Miami Wellness Resort, Miami Beach, FL: If your tastebuds prefer botanical flavors, this is sure to be a winner. Combine 1.5 oz of Botanist gin, .5 oz of Grand Poppy liqueur, .75 oz of Boiron kalamansi, .5 oz of orange blossom honey and 3 drops of lavender bitters in a shaker. Shake with ice and strain into a highball glass with ice. Top with soda and garnish with a dehydrated lime peel.

Enchanted Forest – Wymara Resort & Villas, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos: The resort’s enchanting backdrop of Grace Bay Beach paired with the mixologist’s European travels inspired the flavors of this vibrant cocktail. Combine 1.5 oz of Star of Bombay gin, 1 tsp of organic raspberry jam, 1 oz of fresh lime juice, .75 oz of ginger lemongrass syrup and 1.25 oz of fresh pineapple juice on ice in a cocktail mixer. Shake for a few seconds and then double-strain into a martini coupe glass. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

Half Moon’s Signature Cocktail – Half Moon, Montego Bay, Jamaica: This exotic cocktail is just one of the reasons this continues to be one of Jamaica’s top resorts. Pour 1.5 oz of Appleton Estate Gold Rum, 1 oz of triple sec, 3 oz of pineapple juice and half a lime juiced into a shaker over a scoop of ice. Shake and strain into a glass.

Cheers!