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September is just around the corner. The summer beach festivals have ended, and the kids are headed back to school. This is traditionally the quietest, and hottest, month on the island. It's the time when many of the restaurants close their doors for a while and take time to make repairs and take vacations. The number of restaurants that are closing is too numerous to list all of them, but below are a few. But, not to worry. Enough good restaurants remain open that you can eat well every day. And, don't forget the fish market in Gustavia if you have a place to cook. There's nothing like some fresh dorade (mahi-mahi) on the grill!
. La Saladerie on La Pointe in Gustavia has closed. Rumors are that the rent was increased too much, and an Italian restaurant will open there. Perhaps, La Saladerie will find another location.
. K'fe Massai in Lorient will remain open throughout September and October. This restaurant may not look like much from the outside, but you're in for a treat once you enter. Enough said. You'll have to discover it for yourselves! They have two or three prix fixe menus with numerous delicious offerings from each.
. L'Entr'acte...Kudeta...L'Entr'acte - You know, the restaurant in Gustavia along the harbor with the blue coconut palm outside? Apparently, they have changed the name back to L'Entr'acte and have purchased La Gamelle in Gustavia, where one of the two brothers will be opening another restaurant. Kudeta, pronounced like coup d'etat, was apparently not humorous to those in the government.
The new Italian restaurant L'Isola recently opened on Rue Oscar II in Gustavia where O'Corner used to be. The new owner also operates restaurants in the Los Angeles area. The restaurant is offering salads; soups; antipasti such as prosciutto and melon, carpaccio and fritto misto; risottos, pastas, meat and fish dishes. Menu items range from 20 to 36 euros. Their web site is www.lisolastbarth.com; however, it is under construction at the moment.
"The task was not an easy one, but finally we came upon La Mandala in Gustavia, which has Thai-French fusion food. We walked in to a stunning atmosphere scented with the perfect combination of incense and food, and were seated at a candle-lit table overlooking the moon slice and the harbor."
Segeco, the exclusive distributor for Dom Perignon in the Caribbean, organized an event on June 3 at the Manapany Hotel in Anse des Cayes to present the vintage Dom Perignon Millesime 2000, marking the firSt. time that a vintage Dom Perignon has been presented in the Caribbean. This vintage was made from grapes picked at the end of the 20th century and aged for seven years in the champagne cellar. Chief champagne maker Richard Geoffroy describes the aroma as having "notes of poached pears and gardenia" and that "on the palate, notes of anise and dry ginger mix with a hint of ripe fruit (pear and mango)."
Le Piment in St Jean is now serving tapas starting at 7:00 pm, often accompanied by live music. A few samplings from their menu are: Calamari with tartar sauce, Escargot with Sherry vinegar and parsley, Quesadillas with peppers, chorizo, and guacamole, Cajun chicken, Toasted baguette with herbed goat cheese, and a Sausage plate - all between 3.50 and 4 €.
Le Ti St Barth in Point Milou will be closed from June 7 until July 10.
The Wall House on La Pointe in Gustavia will be closed for four months, from June 2 until October. As they do every year, they will be holding an evening "to empty the refrigerator" on Sunday, June 1 starting at 7:00 pm.
Do Brazil on Shell Beach in Gustavia is having a buffet lunch on Sunday, June 1 for 29 €. They will be closing after lunch and reopening on June 10.
Ti Zouk K'fe on La Pointe in Gustavia will be closed from June 1 through June 30.
Although the restaurant La Gloriette in Grand Cul de Sac closed its doors sometime last year, their popular rhum is still available at the boutique behind the original restaurant. The boutique is typically open for several hours in the morning and again later in the afternoon.
The O'Corail Restaurant, a beach snack bar, opened April 14 in Grand Cul de Sac between Le Sereno and the previous La Gloriette in front of Ouanalao Dive. The restaurant is open seven days a week and serves breakfast from 9:00 am to 11:30 am and lunch from noon to 5:00 pm.
With the holiday celebrations in full swing, be careful of drinking and driving. The penalties are stiff. Recently, an American citizen was stopped for an alcohol test while driving a rental car. She tested positive with 0.50 mg of alcohol per liter of air exhaled. The penalty? She was asked to pay the fine of 800 euros and to leave the island if she didn't want to go before a judge. That's one fast way to ruin your vacation! Under French law, the legal level of alcohol in the blood is 0.5 grams per liter of blood. If you have up to 0.8 grams, you risk a fine of 135 euros. Higher than that level, if there hasn't been an accident, you must pay a fine immediately. If there has been an accident, you must go before the judge. The sentence for drunk driving can be up to two years in prison and up to 4500 euros in fines. Think before you drink!
Alain Lesueur, formerly the pianist at the Guanahani Hotel & Spa and Le Toiny, has transformed the former Cocoloba in Grand Cul de Sac into a piano bar called Kazz et Blues. Alain plans to offer music "a la carte" -
customers will be able to make requests from over 4000 songs. The bartender is Jackson, who previously bartended at Do Brazil and the Guanahani. Although there is no kitchen, pre-prepared packages from various island restaurants will be offered. Sushi is planned for the evenings, and they expect to serve salads, paninis and other sandwiches for lunch. Kazz et Blues will be open every day except Sunday from lunch to midnight. The web site www.kazznblues.com is under construction.
The Guanahani Hotel & Spa in Grand Cul de Sac is hosting its annual culinary festival at the restaurant Bar'tô (Le Bartolomeo) until December 21. Each year an outstanding French chef is invited to prepare his own menu in collaboration with Executive Chef Philippe Masseglia of the Guanahani's Bar'tô restaurant. This year's guest chef is Philippe Guerin from the Relais & Châteaux establishment Château du domaine Saint Martin, located between Cannes and Monaco. M. Guerin is a disciple of Escoffier and has been the Executive Chef at the Château du domaine Saint Martin for six years, overseeing the restaurant Commanderie and the grill L'Oliveraie. For this year's festival, M. Guerin has designed a menu representing the Mediterranean kitchen of the French Riviera. The menu includes four fish dishes, four meat dishes and four desserts. For an evening of unsurpassed culinary delights, be sure to make reservations at the Bar'tô, 05 90 27 66 60.
Bacardi Café Reopens as Le Tantra
Like many shops and restaurants, the Bacardi Café in Villa Creole in St Jean was closed during September for renovations. This spot has reopened as a new bar, lounge and restaurant called Le Tantra. It is open seven days a week from 10:00 am to midnight Monday through Friday and from 5:00 pm to midnight on Saturdays and Sundays. Happy hour is 6:00 pm until 9:00 pm, with all cocktails priced at 5 €.
Cocoloba and La Gloriette
We already knew that La Gloriette wouldn't be reopening. Now, it also seems that the Cocoloba will be under new ownership (rumor is that it's been leased to a "familiar island celebrity" - not Boubou. Although I'm hardly familiar with the island celebrities, my guess is that it could be Papagayo.). Current plans are that it will be a bar that offers "finger food" at Happy Hour and live music.
"Affordable" and "St. Barts" are not two words that you say in one sentence too often - but the NY Times has some ideas:
St. Barts on the cheap? Easy. Just attach yourself to Jay-Z's entourage, score an invitation aboard a megayacht, and sip Champagne all night in the V.V.I.P. section at Nikki Beach. If that fails, a seven-room villa at the celebrity-filled Carl Gustaf Hotel goes for 48,000 euros a night during the peak season. Luckily, for those who would rather splurge on a lobster dinner, this chic Caribbean Riviera still has a smattering of affordable options - relatively speaking, of course.
The article is full of good tips, and lots of links to check out.
Over on chowhound.com there is a great restaurant report from user ddavis. Here is his/her take on lunches - there is more, including dinner reviews:
"Sandbar (at Eden Rock Hotel) -- over the top as always. Proved once again that "the best dinner in St. Barth is lunch at Sandbar." Notable starters were local fish tartare and tiger shrimp tempura. Chicken breast salad with parmesan and bacon was great. Seared Ahi tuna also excellent. Sleeper dish was Chicken Fricassee. Order an extra plate and split it for plenty of food for two. Service was as expected -- perfect.
Restaurant de Pecheurs (at Le Sereno Hotel) -- We had not been to this one before, but will definitely be back. Tuna tartare was beautiful and tasted of the sea. A special "country" salad was very similar to what I would call a Cobb salad but was topped with a poached egg. Service was as good as Sandbar. Very, very friendly and welcoming staff. A beautiful location on the beach at Grand Cul de Sac.
Nikki Beach -- Don't be put off by the "vibe" and the European techno music. This place has serious food and the service was friendly and not the least bit pretentious. Sushi was fresh and good. Crab spring rolls was another good app. Scallop and prawn salad and a special whole fish they called a sea bass but that looked suspiciously like sea bream were both excellent main courses.
Saladerie -- on the harbor in Gustavia. This was the third lunch venue that was new to us. While not up to the unbelieveable quality of the first three, we had good pizza, cheeseburgers and frites. Good, if somewhat aloof, service. Post-prandial framboise-flavored rhum was delightful. Also about half the cost of the first three.
Le Repaire -- hard to beat this place for good, solid, affordable fare. Cod fritters were tender and fluffy. Excellent tuna tartare. I had a good club sandwich with frites and one of our group praised the cheeseburger. Very friendly and efficient service."
As always, when the last of the beach festivals has occurred, when the start of school is just around the corner and when the month of September arrives, St Barth tends to close down for a month. It's the time to work on the roads, restaurants, hotels, and shops to prepare for the high season when the tourists return. It's a sleepy time on the island. This year even some of the local restaurants are closing until mid-October, such as The Wishing Well (Chez Rolande) in Flamands. Ti Zouk K'fé on La Pointe in Gustavia is not only remaining open, but is introducing a new menu: For lunch, the plat du jour or fish of the day with one drink is 10 euros. They're also hosting Happy Hour from 6:00 - 7:00 with a new tapas menu. They'll be open every day, and their evening menu offers creole specialties in addition to their regular menu and pizzas. Or, if you just feel like staying in one evening, Sushi Mania will deliver sushi every day. You can call them at 06 90 65 12 55 or email them .
Catch Papaguyo and Friends almost every night starting at 9:00 pm at La Plage Beach Restaurant at the Tom Beach Hotel in St Jean. Papaguyo is a percussionist with imagination! If something can be used for percussion, he'll try it. He always has a variety of accomplished musicians who play with him, providing a delightfully entertaining evening of food, drinks and music right on the beautiful beach of St Jean.
O'Corner in Gustavia is hosting a "Back to Basics" evening every Thursday beginning at 10:00 pm with DJ Jacques Dumas. He'll be playing music from the likes of Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Donna Summer, Barry White, James Brown, Fleetwood Mac, Police, The Doors, Dire Straits and many more. Be sure to check out this "Irish pub" in St Barth for a change of pace.
Throughout August, the Manapany Hotel in Anse des Cayes is offering tapas every Wednesday evening priced from 7 € to 12 € per plate. And, every Friday evening, they have a "Menu Langouste" for 50 € per person. Don't forget to bring your bathing suit! If you dine at a hotel on St Barth, you can use their pool, and the Manapany's is beautiful (see our photo).
Every Tuesday night, La Marine on La Pointe in Gustavia offers a Caribbean BBQ with "Menu Langouste" for 69 € and a Chicken and Ribs buffet for 39 €. On Thursdays and Fridays, they have Mussels and Fries for 22 € (the mussels arrive every Thursday from France). La Marine is directly on the harbor and is a lovely spot for dinner.
Le Ti St-Barth, a Caribbean tavern and restaurant located in Pointe Milou, has a different event planned for each day of the week throughout August.
On Mondays, you're invited to the Marrakech Party with belly dancers, shopping at "Ti Souk", and fresh mint tea. Couscous Royal is served for dinner along with traditional accompaniments for 59 €. The theme every Tuesday is "Night Fever." Dress code is "wigs and colors." Wednesday nights go a little retro with the "Plastic Boots Party" mixed by Carole, the owner. The dress code, of course, is plastic boots. Thursday is "Angel Night" when everyone is asked to wear white. "The Crazy Nights" take place on Friday and Saturday. It is almost certain that you'll see people dancing on the tables and…well, you'll just have to find out for yourself!
Reservations are recommended: 05 90 27 97 71 or info@ksplaces.com. Closed on Sundays.
The word is that Cocoloba will reopen in November with an expansion into the previous space of La Gloriette. The same lunch menu will be offered along with a dinner menu and specials.
Purported to be the oldest restaurant on the island, Au Port in Gustavia across from La Poste (the post office), is offering dishes from different regions of France on Friday and Saturday evenings until July 31, at which time their annual closing begins. This week's special offering is from the region of Alsace with a fixed price of 29 euros. It includes an appetizer, a creamy tart of chanterelles, breast of Guinea hen braised in beer, and red cabbage with smoked bacon. Their normal menu is also available. Check out which other regions will be highlighted during the month.
Although the restaurant Le Rivage in Grand Cul de Sac closed its doors several months ago, you can still enjoy their delicious rhum vanille. Bottles of this elixir can be purchased at the boutique La Pinta in Gustavia, at the restaurant O'Corner (previously The BBQ), and at the restaurant Le Tamarin in Saline.
Le Petit Deauville, that little shop on La Pointe in Gustavia with the wonderful sorbets and ice cream, has opened a second location at Rue de la Republique - across from where the Voyager docks. In addition to sorbets and ice cream, they also offer coffee, fresh fruit juice and snacks. I hope they plan to stay open late enough for the arrival of the final crossing of the Voyager from St Martin!
Island chefs create February/April dining extravaganzas to prove once again (should anyone doubt) St. Barts is Caribbean's culinary capital.
Newport, RI (PRWEB) February 18, 2007 -- St. Barts is the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean, as anyone who has been there knows.
Now an association of this French West Indies island's restaurateurs wants to put its own seal of approval on this nomenclature by hosting Gastronomy Week Caribéenne Feb. 19-26 followed by an April 13 and 14 highly exclusive, back-to-back dining extravaganza.
Wimco, the leading luxury villa rental company for St Barts villas, is enthusiastically supporting these events that will showcase the island's best chefs and their signature dishes.
"Those who can't do New Year's like Diddy, DiCaprio and Microsoft mogul Paul Allen do -- on megayachts, of course -- not to worry: this tiny, tony Caribbean island is always crawling with celebrities. Hangouts include Maya's (Public, Gustavia; (011-590-590) 277-573), the casual seaside boite favored by Jimmy Buffet and Martha Stewart; Casa Nikki (Plage de St. Jean; (011-590-590) 276-464), the Barth's branch of Miami's very own Nikki Beach Club where Enrique Iglesias and Anna Kournikova partied last year; and Le Yacht Club (Rue Jeanne d'Arc; (011-590-690) 492-333), where Usher, Mariah Carey, Jay Z and Beyonce have been known to pop bottles of bubbly. If you don't have a private villa, make like Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner and hang your weary heads at the haute Hotel Guanahani & Spa (Grand Cul de Sac; (011-590-590) 529-036)."
After much speculation about the future of the chairs at the now-closed Le Rivage restaurant in Grand Cul de Sac, they were sold to Andy Hall of The Hideaway in St Jean. Bids were submitted by Le Bistro de Real Madrid and Le Café Chelsea, two restaurants off the island. Le Rivage was much loved both by locals and tourists. However, the property was recently sold and the restaurant closed its doors on January 15. The chairs have found a new home and couldn't look better. Thank you, Andy, for preserving the memories!
On Thursday, January 25, O'Corner opened its doors to welcome to a large number of people eager to try the new restaurant. The restaurant is the creation of Hervé Chovet of the now-closed Le Rivage in Grand Cul de sac. Comments thus far state that it has a "nifty South Beach ambiance," that the menu is fairly priced "by St Barth standards," and that it resembles an Irish pub (and South Beach at the same time?). The restaurant features tapas for starters and main courses that can be ordered in small, medium or large sizes. O'Corner has been long in the making as it occupies the same corner as the previous restaurant BBQ, which was completely demolished.
A new Thai restaurant, Jao, opened this weekend in the space along the harbor formerly occupied by La Scala, a pizza restaurant that was opened last year by the owners of the restaurant Pa Crí in Grande Saline. Located directly on the harbor at La Pointe in Gustavia, the restaurant offers great views and upscale Thai cuisine. They are open for dinner from 7:00 pm until midnight. A welcome addition to the dining scene on St. Barts!
Saturday, November 11, Armistice Day, the association Rhum et Gingembre hosted a night of festivity on the quay in Gustavia. The local band Les Falcos provided great music for dancing, and a huge, beautiful sailing yacht provided a striking backdrop. Food and drink was available, and quay was full of people dancing and socializing. It just doesn't get any better!
The Guanahani Hotel & Spa is hosting its Ninth Annual Gastronomic Festival from November 1 through December 21. The festival is being hosted in partnership with the Hotel Plaza Athénée in Paris and Philippe Marc, the chef of the hotel's bistro, le Relais Plaza, touted as the most chic bistro in Paris. Chef Philippe Marc has chosen several dishes from the spring and summer menu of le Relais Plaza. Among the offerings will be the Salad Relais Plaza, a risotto with zuchinni, swordfish, sea bass, shrimp, a lamb tagine, grilled beef filet with béarnaise sauce, roasted veal stuffed with vegetables, and a chicken supreme with eggplant parmesan. And, if you still have room for dessert, you can choose among a "verrine" pina colada, an apple "cooked like a tarte tatin", puff pastry with cinnamon glaze or a tiramisu with raspberries. Dinners from 60 € to 80 € -- airfare included!
The Carl Gustaf restaurant, of the Carl Gustaf hotel, sits high on a hill overlooking the spectacular harbor of Gustavia. An ideal place for sunset cocktails with live music, the restaurants serves the finest gastronomic French cuisine and has one of the best wine cellars on the island. The restaurant is open daily and accepts all major credit cards. Reservations are highly recommended.
L'Indigo is located at the Guanahani Hotel & Spa. You will dine next to the pool and the bordering beach with views of the beautiful turquoise water of Grand Cul de Sac. The restaurant serves French and Mediterranean cuisine with fresh fish and lobster every day. Major credit cards are accepted.
Breakfast 7:00 to 10:00
Lunch 12:00 to 5:00
Dinner 7:00 to 9:30
La Gloriette sits right on the beach of the calm waters of Grand Cul de Sac and serves delicious French and Creole cuisine. You can order an appetizer, main course and dessert for 25 € from the Creole menu or for 32 € from the French menu. Both menus share the same desserts. A la carte ordering is also possible at the prices shown in the accompanying menu. Linger after your meal for a complimentary vanilla rum or ginger rum - a house specialty. Closed on Wednesdays. Annual closing September and October. Major credit cards accepted. Lunch 12:00 to 3:00, dinner 6:30 to 10:00.
Le Repaire, directly across the street from the harbor in Gustavia, serves French and Creole cuisine. An open-air restaurant with ceiling fans and tropical plants, Le Repaire is a delightful place to have a relaxing meal and watch the activity on the street. A pool table is available in a room adjoining the dining area. Open daily from 7:00 am to midnight. Major credit cards accepted. Non-stop Restaurant Service: Noon - 10:30 P.M.
A local favorite and one of the best values on the island, The Hideaway was the winner for the Best Pizza in the 2004 Best of St Barth Awards. Owned by the very amiable Andy Hall, Chez Andy serves a variety of dishes suitable for lunch or dinner. Enjoy an informal, relaxed setting with ceiling fans in the center of St. Jean. In addition to the regular menu, The Hideaway offers a plat du jour at lunchtime for 10 €. Closed on Mondays. Dinner only on Sundays. Major credit cards accepted.
Lunch 12:00 - 2:00
Dinner 7:00 - 10:00
Terrazza, located in the Hotel Le Village, high on a hill in St. Jean, serves Italian cuisine. This restaurant has a large-screen TV in the bar area and hosts evenings for events such as the Grammy Awards and the NCAA playoffs. The restaurant also provides an Internet café. Open daily for dinner only. Major credit cards are accepted. Dinner from 7:00.
Maya's offers traditional French and Creole cuisine. Simple and fresh are the key notes here. Island herbs, hot peppers and fresh lime juice marinate the famous sailor's chicken. Located on edge of the sea, the beautiful sunsets and often-seen celebrities make this a popular spot. While the menu often changes to take advantage of fresh ingredients, below is a typical offering. Open for dinner only. Reservations are highly recommended. Major credit cards accepted. Dinner from 6:30.
The Wall House serves traditional French and Creole cuisine and was voted the Best Overall Restaurant in the 2004 Best of St Barth Awards. Enjoy a spectacular view of the harbor while dining on broiled red snapper, spit-roasted rack of lamb or lobster and grouper lasagna. Save room for the hot and cold chocolate desserts served with coffee sauce and vanilla ice cream! In addition to the a la carte menu, The Wall House offers a plat du jour of either a salad or main course for lunch for 9,50 € and a prix fixe menu each night for 29 €. Open daily except for lunch on Sundays. Annual closing from June 1 through September 30. Major credit cards are accepted. Lunch 12:00 - 2:30. Dinner 7:00 - 9:30.
Below is a sample menu, prices (given in Euros) are subject to change.
Just arrived after a long flight? Feel like staying in but don't want to cook? Now you can call Allo Delivery. This new delivery service will deliver complete dinners from Kiki e Mo, Le Rivage, La Mandala and BarBQ or a bottle of wine from Absolutely Wine. Available seven days a week, they promise to deliver your meal within 45 minutes. The cost of delivery is 9 euros if your order is less than 60 euros or 15% if your order is over 60 euros. If you order from more than one restaurant, that charge is applied to each restaurant order. Credit cards and off-island checks are not accepted. You can call Allo Delivery at 06 90 53 05 40.
The new Italian restaurant L'Isola recently opened on Rue Oscar II in Gustavia where O'Corner used to be. The new owner also operates restaurants in the Los Angeles area. The restaurant is offering salads; soups; antipasti such as prosciutto and melon, carpaccio and fritto misto; risottos, pastas, meat and fish dishes. Menu items range from 20 to 36 euros. Their web site is 
Those of us who love St Barth will always return despite the less-than-favorable current exchange rate with the euro. But be assured, you will always be able to eat well at a reasonable price - especially for lunch. Most of the island's restaurants have a "plat du jour" (special of the day) at very affordable prices. One favorite is La Marine, which is located right on the harbor in Gustavia (on La Pointe - across the harbor from the main part of town). They offer three daily specials for 12 €, and you won't leave hungry! Each day at lunchtime, they have a salad of the day (often loaded with shrimp and smoked salmon or prosciutto), a fish of the day, and a meat entrée. Others to keep in mind are The Hideaway in St Jean for 10 €, The Wall House on La Pointe in Gustavia for 9.50 €, Le Repaire in Gustavia for 12 €, La Creperie in Gustavia for 10 €, Ti Zouk K'fe on La Pointe in Gustavia for 10 €, and Le Wok in Lorient for 12.50 €. Recent offerings at Ti Zouk K'fe were a ballottine of salmon or the chef's rabbit, whereas Le Wok offered mahi-mahi in a green curry sauce. Not bad eats!
Cocoloba and La Gloriette
Catch Papaguyo and Friends almost every night starting at 9:00 pm at La Plage Beach Restaurant at the Tom Beach Hotel in St Jean. Papaguyo is a percussionist with imagination! If something can be used for percussion, he'll try it. He always has a variety of accomplished musicians who play with him, providing a delightfully entertaining evening of food, drinks and music right on the beautiful beach of St Jean.
Throughout August, the Manapany Hotel in Anse des Cayes is offering tapas every Wednesday evening priced from 7 € to 12 € per plate. And, every Friday evening, they have a "Menu Langouste" for 50 € per person. Don't forget to bring your bathing suit! If you dine at a hotel on St Barth, you can use their pool, and the Manapany's is beautiful (see our photo).
