WHAT I ATE: SAINT BARTHS
Talk to me all you want about the other West Indies islands but if fresh, creative food is an important part of your vacation, then none come close to the almost 80 destinations of extraordinary food chez St. Barths.
Colonized by the French in 1648, you'll see a Francophile devotion to simple yet stunning presentation paired with effervescent pride and toujours efficient service, no matter the hour. If you’re a foodie then you come here, end of story.
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A range of just some of my fave culinary destinations, as the word “restaurant’ is too drab a sounding word for them:
Nothing says “we’ve arrived in Saint Barths” more than walking up onto the festive outdoor terrace of Shellona, complete with its DJ spinning sparkling tunes. Yes, there’s the view of the pearly seashell beach and the ribbon of bright blue ocean beyond. But the Caribbean menu infused with Italian and Greek twists will ultimately hold the view ….
The lobster pasta is delectable (which as noted earlier, I can’t order anymore after seeing them dans leur habitat naturel) but also … their philo stuffed with feta and honey sprinkled with black sesame seeds is NEXT LEVEL!
Every luxury hotel on the island has their own fabulous restaurants and I encourage you to visit them even if you’re not staying there. Case in point: we always go to Cheval Blanc’s "La Case..."
The menu is creative without being complicated and full of organic ingredients with a focus on fresh fish.
But let’s face it: the real reason we go, is to partake in their iconic dessert: "Sand from Flamands.” It’s nestled unobtrusively in large wood bowl, in what looks like another bowl of light brown sand.
One scoop into its luscious layers and you are hooked: a kind of tiramisu, sans chocolate but with lemon caramel topped with the chic crunch of almond that delights spoonful after spoonful. Trust moi.
Is a food truck without wheels if that food truck were perched on the Grand Cul de Sac beachfront. Homemade specials are based on local products, from the catch of the day to greens and herbs from local gardens. Everything is made from scratch and the taste of yummy things like the Croque Monsieur with truffles sandwich and veggie puff fritters are amplified by the fact that your toes are touching sand.
They pretty much had me when I first read their mantra: “when Japanese refinement rubs shoulders with the shimmering Mediterranean."
We discovered our new favorite place because it lies at the other end of the St Jean beach from our favorite hotel, Eden Roc. When we would do our daily swim from one end to the other, we’d often hear music and see people dancing on the beach and thought it was a private party gone rogue in the daylight hours. But this is simply what happens during Nao’s festive beach hour towards the late afternoon.
But they take their food as seriously as they take their fun. I always have their spinach truffle with yuzu and Parmesan and shelled avocado with its insides whipped and then filled to the brim with chunks of fresh tuna! And the truffled burrata... and scallops! The Japanese tiramisu with white chocolate is equally splendid. All washed down with a delightful sake or Sancerre with a view so perfect it almost distracts from the beauty on the plate.
Almost every morning we drive the narrow roads with their hairpin turns up and down the island’s hilly terrain (your bravery constantly rewarded by the breathtaking ocean views) to the port town of Gustavia and park on Rue Samuel Fahlberg. En route we often pop into the St. Bartholomew’s Anglican Church with its original pine pews from 1855 and louvered shutters to bask in the celestial rays of light.
Then we head for a ginger shot at Kaz a Juice. If it’s a later morning, then we’ll treat ourselves to their homemade guacamole, that has that perfect bit of extra heat thanks to the addition of jalapenos. They will build you a fantastic salad from their fresh offerings or make you a from scratch sandwich if it’s later in the day.
Such is a daily errand in St. Barths comprising all of life’s wonderful things.
An amazing Japanese fusion restaurant in such a chic open-air room with fabulous lighting.
Even just perching on their luxe bar banquette while sipping on one of their Franco-Japanese signature cocktail menu delights. Plus their eggplant miso!!!
