Gourmands seeking France can
surrender their taste buds and
olfactory to the genius of Le
Montmarte in Cupecoy, adjoining
Atlantis Casino. The Brasserie
Parisienne continues to give
diners that French flare with
a Caribbean twist to retain
its title of Best French Cuisine
for another year. Le Montmarte
transports diners to Paris with
its stylish interior and outside
tables draped in Red and White
table cloths with accent candles.
More than the ambience, the
culinary creations of traditional
French favorite with a modern
twist enthrall the appetite
and satisfy its craving. Create
a meal to celebrate the senses,
artistry and sheer culinary
genius starting with Escargots
Provencal, followed by Roasted
French Sea Bass or Filet of
Kangaroo and finishing with
a delectable dessert of Montmartre:
A crisp, buttery pastry base
with vanilla crème brulee,
covered with chocolate mousse.
A vegetarian menu also calls
out to herbivores who want their
cravings taken care of without
the fuss of meats to detract
from the flavors of the Vegetable
Tarts featuring tomatoes, eggplants,
zucchini with parmesan cheese
and pesto, salad on the side.
Temptation Best
Romantic & best High End
Restaurant
Named the one at the top of
the top ten restaurants in the
Caribbean by Bon Appetit magazine,
Chef Dino Jagtiani's Temptation
never fails to awaken lite senses.
For the third consecutive year,
the restaurant in Cupecoy, near
the Atlantis Casino, has made
an indelible impression on the
palate of diners to maintain
the titles for Best High End
and Most Romantic Restaurant
on St. Maarten.
Creating a menu which combines
worldly flavours with Caribbean
flare, the restaurant's Nouveau
Caribbean cuisine has sparked
the imagination of lovers who
want to stimulate their taste
buds and ignite a flame to burn
strong. Accented with soft candle
light and lily white napkins,
it is hard not to feel romantic,
as the pianist tickles the ivories
to fill the air with sweet music.
Waiters offer extraordinary
service to complement the romantic
mood. The High End part can
be easily recognised not in
the menu prices but in the quality
of ingredients, Jagtiani a silver
medallist of the Taste of the
Caribbean Culinary Competition
selects daily for creations
such as Warm Walnut Crusted
Vermont Goat Cheese Medallion
with rosemaryhoney infused cranberries,
and balsamic caramel; and Creme
Brulee Sampler: Chocolate, lemongrass,
vanilla and passion fruit.
New comers discover that all
accolades received the most
recent was the title of GaultMillau
Best Restaurant of the Year
were earned and deserved. Jagtiani
holds the distinction of the
first St. Maartener to graduate
from the Culinary Institute
of America, an accomplishment
he takes pride in and shares
through his culinary creation,
by assisting upcoming chefs
and promoting his island in
New York, the Netherlands and
the Caribbean.
Its freshly made pasta no packaged
dough is credited for La Gondola
being voted the Best Italian
Restaurant for a second consecutive
year. Longtime Chef Marco Ferrante
learnt the techniques of famous
Italian cooking mostly from
frequenting the kitchens of
his grandmothers. Later he polished
his knowledge with formal training.
The homey yet sophisticated
dishes are formed from the freshest
ingredients coupled with only
the best meats, poultry, fish,
and legendary Caribbean lobster.
From the first bite of the appetisers
to the symphonic finish of dessert,
La Gondola treats the palate
like royalty. The classic Spaghetti
alia Bolognese (Spaghetti with
a special bolognaise style meat
sauce) is made into a feast
with flare that only authentic
Italian cooking can conjure
up to please a gourmand. For
the Ossobuco alia Milanese (braised
veal shank), no knife is necessary
because the meat is so tender.
Best of voters were also captivated
by La Gondolas Fantasia di dessert
del carnevale di Venezia (A
selection of homemade desserts:
Tiramisu, warm chocolate tart
and a frozen nougat served on
a raspberry sauce). Cupecoy
is located next to Atlantis
Casino.
St. Maarten's culinary scene
changes drastically every year.
Many restaurants close, some
open, while others expand Ihis
year the choice wasn't easy
for our voters, as several new
restaurants are hot and happening.
Fusion opened this year on Front
Street next to Sea Palace Resort.
The owners have made a big effort
to keep their restaurant local.
Building the expansion of the
restaurant, furbishing and furnishing
the entire interior have been
done through local people and
products. As little as possible
was imported. The menu, as you'd
expect from the name, is an
exciting mixture of cooking
styles and ingredients.
At first just open for lunch,
but now open for dinner as well,
Fusion can proudly call itself
St. Maarten's best new restaurant
in 2007.
On the strip, right next to
Dolphin casino, a truly oneofakind
dining facility is open seven
days a week. The restaurant,
which just celebrated one year
on Halloween, is now open for
its second season, and for Toppers
restaurant, it's already been
a good one.
People can't get enough of the
tasty Brisket and delicious
pastas. Topper is proud, "We
have a good team and good food
and people respond to that."
Whether you come in for lunch
or dinner, the menu is a solid
mixture of Italian, Caribbean
and American food with hinds
of many other cultures all cooked
together.
The Japanese fighting fish will
welcome you to your table and
your drinks will be served in
jars. For a unique and definitely
scrumptious dining experience,
Toppers is your place to be.
On an island known as the "Gourmet
capital of the Caribbean," it's
only natural that there are
a few top of the line Indian
eateries among the vast culinary
options. With two locations
in St. Maarten, Anand Restaurant
has distinguished itself as
being the leading restaurant
of delectable Indian cuisine.
This cosy eatery has two convenient
locations (Billy Folly Road
and Philipsburg) for appetites
craving Indian cuisine. It offers
delectable servings of spices
and flavours of curry, cardamom,
vegetarian dishes, great nans,
chicken, beef, lamb, goat and
seafood at prices that won't
burn a hole in your pocket.
Its sauces: Tandy, Masala, Kashmiri,
Mongoly, Kurma and Spinach,
add that special flavour that
whets any appetite and can only
be described as incredible Indian.
A Chinese restaurant can be
found at almost every corner
of the Dutch side, but there
is only one which offers perfection
and Far East cuisine, inspiring
diners to return again and again.
For half a decade now, White
Swan's loyal clientele have
voted it the best in Chinese
food, an achievement the owners
are elated about.
Authentic dishes take diners,
through their taste buds, to
the exotic Southern Provinces
of China. The Cantonese Cuisine
is famous for its seafood, especially
steamed fish and shellfish prepared
in various ways. Try pork and
duck glazed with mixtures of
sugar, wine, and soy and roasted
to a beautiful goldenred. Discovering
your aptitude for chopsticks
is made better with the feast
at White Swan, which is fit
for the emperors who conquer
and build stunning empires that
resulted in world power house
of China. Ambience and friendly
staff are also the allure of
White Swan.
Its two locations Royale
Village and Sister
Modesta Road Adding flare
to a sumptuous steak meal is
regular live entertainment that
splashed and hints of the Caribbean
and the exotic intoxication
of Latino music and dance. The
sensual, romantic tango gets
the blood pumping to help the
meal that would humble the tough
gaucho satisfies. Road, Simpson
Bay satisfy the longing for
cosiness and for open air near
the water. The original restaurant
still sits on Simpson Bay Lagoon
as part of Royale Village, while
the second location has a homier
neighbourhood feel as part of
Simpson Bay Village.
Sushi lovers unite at Bamboo
Bernies. Voted number one on
the island again, Bamboo Bernies
offers a substantial selection
of Sushi which hardcore fans
of raw fish will definitely
appreciate.
Don't worry; there is also a
great selection for those who
say, "I don't like raw fish."
The ambiance in the restaurant
is great and has a relaxed vibe
to it, as you enjoy the great
food.
The very helpful staff will
help you make a selection if
you can't decide which delicious
Japanese treat to choose from.
You don't have to rough it on
the steppes of South America
to eat hearty and fresh like
the iconic Gauchos. The wafting
aroma of succulent steaks on
the grill and the searing of
juices so savoury your mouth
begs for release is the allure
of Los Gauchos Argentinean Grill
in Pelican Resort, Simpson Bay,
voted the Best Steakhouse on
the island.
Fodor's Caribbean described
the steakhouse, run by Liesa
Euton and her friendly staff,
as "some of the best beef" in
a town where foodies seek out
French cuisine and seafood.
House specialties are juicy,
freerange steaks with a generous
helping of baked potatoes and
salad. Nonredmeateaters can
select dishes from creations
built on chicken, fish, and
vegetables.
The extensive menu is complemented
by wine from Argentina's top
vineyards and collections. Adding
flare to a sumptuous steak meal
is regular, live entertainment
which splashes and hints of
the Caribbean and the exotic
intoxication of Latino music
and dance. The sensual, romantic
tango gets the blood pumping
to help the meal that would
humble the tough gaucho.
Runners
up:Peg
Leg Pub in Three Palms Plaza,
Rancho
in La Palapa Centre.
Whether your appetite is calling
for fresh fish, fresh lobster,
chicken or ribs, Lee's Roadside
Grill is the place to go. Conveniently
located on the roadside in Simpson
Bay, Lee's serves up some of
the most finger licking grilled
delicacies on the island, winning
the Best Place to get Seafood
in The Daily Herald's Best Of
2007 survey.
Lee's boasts the freshest daily
catch of seafood options which
is grilled to perfection for
your mouth watering pleasure.
You can watch your meal cooked
in front of your eyes or take
up the chef's offer to do it
yourself. You can also take
your pick of fresh lobster from
the good supply that's always
available in the lobster tank.
The live, nightly music only
adds to the great ambience that
Lee's is known for.
Right next to Le Grand Marche
is a oneofakind dining facility.
With its steel bars, it is protected,
yet open; and with its location,
it is close by for a quick bite,
or for foodonthego. Mark's Place
has been in existence for many
years.
Before Le Grand Marche plaza
was built, Mark had a place
in French Cul de Sac, where
in the late "70s he opened his
restaurant. Unfortunately, along
with a lot of things, the original
Mark's place got blown away
by Luis. A year later, Mark
opened the new location on the
Dutch side and has been serving
the most delicious dishes ever
since.
The best local food means you'll
get a killer chicken & ribs
combo, a very tasty mahi mahi
or snapper filet and even to
the Dutch it's a local place,
as Frikandellen and Kroketten
are on the menu too.
There's no better place better
to get a good fingerlicking
barbecue than under a tree and
"Johnny B Under the Tree," has
proven this by sliding into
the first place position unseating
Lidos as the Best place to get
barbecue in St. Maarten. Last
year, Johnny B placed first
runnerup in the survey.
This roadside outdoor eatery
snuggled under a huge shaded
tree in Cole Bay serves up the
tastiest barbecued chicken,
ribs and fish served independently
or with meals of rice and peas,
all types of salad and other
tasty options. All of Johnny
B's delicacies are grilled to
perfection in a homey, nice
outdoor setting which is truly
Caribbean. The prices are down
to earth so everyone can sample
why this roadside eatery is
the best in town.
Top Carrot is located
on the main road in Simpson
Bay: A good location for a lunchroom,
as it's often right in the middle
of the two lunching companions.
Location isn't what makes a
lunchroom successful; it's a
combination of certain factors:
Good food is the starting point.
At Top Carrot, where the food
is mostly homemade, and at all
times organic and biological,
you can taste the nature with
every bite. The wide selection
of juices, blended from fresh
vegetables and fruits right
on the spot, is a definite plus
as well. With a wide variety
of vegetarian dishes, this lunchroom
takes in two prizes in one go!
Top Carrot has been voted best
vegetarian restaurant as well
as best lunchroom So now you
know where to go! Best Lunch
The name Zee Best says it all
and is once again voted Best
Breakfast Spot on the island.
Owner Dominic Lapierre is justly
proud to retain the #1 breakfast
spot for several years in a
row.
Zee Best is located in the Simpson
Bay Yacht Club on the Dutch
side and at the Port de Plaisance
Yacht Club. Customers rise and
shine at Zee Best with fresh
coffee, fresh squeezed orange
juice, eggs, omelettes and much
more, as they indulge in freshly
made pastries, baked at the
Marigot location every morning.
Everyone is invited to experience
breakfast at its best from 7:30
in the morning until 2:00 in
the afternoon.
Many of us work hard and take
great pleasure in having a special
deal now and again. The Greenhouse
realises this and offers the
best "two for one" happy hour
on the island to retain the
title of Best Happy Hour in
St. Maarten for the third consecutive
lap.
Its "two for one" special on
drinks Tuesday nights special
is probably the most popular
special on the island. Many
people head down to The Greenhouse
on Tuesdays just to cash in
on this great deal. The Greenhouse
also gives patrons dollars off
selected appetisers daily.
This trendy eatery has been
very popular among happy hour
seekers since it opened its
doors in 1986. The Greenhouse
is conveniently located in the
centre of the island's bustling
Philipsburg, so there is no
excuse not to cash in on the
best happy hour.
Holland House is famous for
its white lounge sofas and its
relaxing atmosphere. After work
or for a night out with friends,
it's a place you can hang out
and catch up, while sipping
a delicious alcoholic concoction
made by Tory, the head bartender
and cocktailspecialist.
Tory loves to mix and match
and be creative with his bottles:
an experimentation which has
led him to good things, not
the least of which is "the island
lover" a luscious cocktail that's
so good you'll want to sip it
drop by drop to savour each
flavour as best you can. Also,
always at your service is "Iceman,"
the beach boy at Holland House,
who together with Tory make
a great team.
So, plan to spend your Sunday
a bit differently this coming
week, and let Iceman and Tory
make it an unforgettable and
relaxing one for you. Congratulations
to Tory and all his staff: You
deserve the title of best cocktail
place on St. Maarten!
