All in good taste: Fine dining in the Caribbean
From dining inside a 300-year-old sugar mill to gorging on indigenous Jamaican wood-infused slow-roasted pork, Andrew Doherty discovers a cornucopia of high-end gastronomic experiences in the Caribbean.
Renowned for its charming beach shacks, succulent jerk chicken and famous flying fish, Caribbean cuisine is certainly not short of flavour or panache. However, for clients seeking a five-star dining experience or celebrating a special occasion, there is an exciting array of high-end restaurants to choose from too. We’ve put together a selection of the region’s haute cuisine eateries, along with sample dishes and what your clients can expect to pay.
Price guide – Approximate price per head (excluding wine)
$50-100 = $
$100-150 = $$
$150+ = $$$
Mill Privee at Montpelier Plantation & Beach, Nevis
Price range: $
Nestled among the lush foliage of the Montpelier Plantation & Beach resort, Mill Privee is a prime example of rustic elegance. The 300-year-old converted sugar mill remains intact, including its floors and hand-cut stone exterior.
Headed up by executive chef Cristian Bassi, formerly executive sous chef at the Makadi Spa Hotel in Egypt, the restaurant features a menu infused with his Mediterranean and Asian influences to create contemporary Caribbean cuisine.
From meuniere-style red snapper to oven-roasted guinea hens, foodies should find plenty to rave about, says Brydie Boulton, product manager Intimate Caribbean, Europe and USA at Caribtours.
“This beautiful boutique hotel is a member of the prestigious Relais & Chateaux group, so clients can expect the dining experiences to be simply wonderful. Mill Privee really showcases the highlights of this hotel, its history and its culinary talents.
“The intimate setting of the restaurant is the perfect place for a romantic candlelit dinner, a private dinner party for a family or perhaps a wedding group. Montpelier Plantation is a real favourite with our clients who seek tranquillity, warm hospitality and memorable dining.”
Mill Privee hosts private tasting dinners with wine pairings chosen by the hotel’s sommelier from $95pp. The five-course tasting menu changes nightly and the restaurant can accommodate up to 24 guests should clients wish to book a party.
Book it: Caribtours offers seven nights at the Montpelier Plantation & Beach from £1,459pp including flights, transfers and lounge access. Price based on travel from July 1, 2017.
Palmilla Restaurant, Victoria House Resort & Spa, Belize
Price range: $
With its exposed white ceiling rafters, poolside patio for alfresco dining and colonial-style decor, Palmilla at the Victoria House Resort & Spa is an ideal eatery for clients seeking something special, says Vessela Baleva, Latin America product manager, Cox & Kings.
“Palmilla is a truly charming Caribbean restaurant with spectacular views of the ocean. Chef Jose Luis creates sumptuous dishes fusing Creole and Mayan tastes with European finesse. Guests can even arrange to have a private candlelit table on the beach under the stars – ideal for a honeymoon or a special anniversary dinner.”
Luis, hailing from the US, boasts three AA Rosettes and has had experience in a two Michelin-starred restaurant. With a menu including lobster ceviche ($20), Belizean pork ($30) and a dessert of Caye lime brulee ($15), clients have plenty of mouth watering dishes to choose from. Furthermore, guests are welcome to bring their own catch of the day, which will be prepared by kitchen staff. Palmilla prides itself on using fresh local ingredients and creates each meal to order, including baking all its bread.
The restaurant can also accommodate room service orders and there are plenty of vegan and gluten-free options. Be sure to recommend your customers ask about the “Chef’s Special of the Day” for the ultimate gastronomic experience.
Book it: Cox & Kings has a seven-night B&B stay at Victoria House from £1,995pp including Heathrow flights via Houston, domestic flights, and transfers. Priced based on September 2017 departures.
The Grill, Round Hill Hotel and Villas, Jamaica
Price range: $
The Grill at Round Hill Hotel and Villas features an ever-expanding culinary programme from James Beard award-winning chef, Martin Maginley, whose Caribbean fusion dishes are created using produce from the restaurant’s organic vegetable garden.
Featuring a farm-to-table menu, which is available on Thursday and Sunday nights. With highlights such as Chigwell Farm jerk chicken and guava-glazed slow-roasted rosemary pork loin, guests can expect a tantalising gourmet experience.
“Everything on the farm-to-table menu comes directly from the on-property garden or farmers in the community – from the meat to herbs and dressings for salads,” explains Maginley.
With the island’s only wood-fired grill, which uses indigenous logwood to add an earthy flavour to each dish, it would be hard for clients to find a similar experience elsewhere, says Helen Tabois, senior product and marketing manager at the Inspiring Travel Company (ITC).
“The Grill at Round Hill is one of my favourite features of the resort, with fabulous sea views from its rooftop location and a simple but stylish design that includes black and white prints from a local Jamaican artist that really stand out against the white decor. Much of the food served in The Grill either comes from the resort’s own organic vegetable garden or is sourced locally and then given a Jamaican twist by chef Maginley – the flavours are incredible.”
Guests keen to get more hands on with their food can take part in the resort’s See, Touch and Taste programme, picking vegetables from the on-property garden to be prepared for their next meal.
Book it: ITC offers seven nights’ half-board at the Round Hill Hotel and Villas from £2,995pp based on two sharing, including flights and transfers. Travel based on a November 7, 2017 departure.
L’Acajou, Sandy Lane, Barbados
Price range: $$$
Known as the playground of the rich and famous, with celebrity patrons including Simon Cowell and Rihanna, Sandy Lane’s L’Acajou is a luxury dining option that your clients will be hard-pressed not to be wowed by.
Overlooking the resort’s pristine beaches and pink umbrellas, the restaurant specialises in variations of French and Mediterranean cuisine.
The extensive dinner menu includes personal recommendations from executive chef, Emmanuel Guemon, such as pan-seared foie gras with mango chutney, amaretto brioche, roasted almonds and mango pearls ($55) and braised beef shank with confit butternut squash, glazed baby carrots and creamy truffled potato ($90).
Ashley Pilkington, assistant product manager, USA and Caribbean, Gold Medal, says clients shouldn’t overlook L’Acajou’s daytime options.
“I suggest clients treat themselves to the afternoon tea, which is served every day and comes with multiple options – either a light classic afternoon tea with petit pastries and desserts or the Royal Tea for ultimate indulgence, which includes home-made fruit and plain scones, petit pastries and desserts, cakes, finger sandwiches, open sandwiches and a glass of Laurent Perrier.”
Additionally, L’Acajou features an extensive cellar made up of 2,000 bottles of vintage old and new world wines that should please even the most experienced oenophile’s palate.
Book it: Gold Medal has seven nights’ B&B at Sandy Lane from £4,469pp. Price includes $1,200 resort credits per stay and transfers, and is based on travel between November 1 and December 9, 2018.
Cueva Siete, Unico 20°N 87°W, Riviera Maya, Mexico
Price range: Included in the all-inclusive package
Cueva Siete’s all-inclusive dining experience is considered the most high-end of the Unico 20°N 87°W resort’s five gastronomic offerings.
Situated on the Riviera Maya stretch of Caribbean coastline, Cueva Siete celebrates Mexico’s culinary diversity with an evening menu comprising regional Yucatan dishes such as Xtabentun duck a l’orange and cochinita pibil. It is also open for breakfast and guests can expect to feast on Mexican street food dishes such as flautas, tamales and handmade tortillas.
Executive chef Christian Bravo brings 11 years of industry experience with an impressive CV that includes employment at three Spanish Michelin-starred restaurants.
Tracey Dyson, UK regional sales director at Unico 20°N 87°W, comments on the concept behind Cueva Siete: “The rotating chef approach at Cueva Siete is a testament to our ethos of utilising the locale to provide an authentic experience that guests can fully immerse themselves in.
“I think it is often accepted that all-inclusive options don’t offer fine dining within the package price paid – generally these restaurants will be at a supplement and require prebooking. Unico 20°N 87°W° is delighted to be able turn this stereotype on its head.”
Book it: Sunset Faraway Holidays offers seven nights at Unico 20°N 87°W from £1,649pp, departing on selected dates during September 2017. The price is based on two adults sharing on an all-inclusive basis with Virgin Atlantic flights and transfers included.
Nobu, Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas
Price range: $$
Headed up by celebrity chef, Nobu Matsuhisa, the eponymous eatery offers clients the best of Japanese cuisine. With his extensive experience in the kitchen, from apprenticing in the sushi bars of Tokyo to working in Alaska and Los Angeles, Matsuhisa has created a “Nobu Signature Menu” from $150pp that will be sure to satisfy even the most discerning gourmand.
Dishes include squid pasta, black cod with miso and Nobu’s classic, yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno. Nobu’s high-end cuisine is served in impressive surroundings; the entrance is framed by a glowing green archway and clients can enjoy a cocktail at the black marble-topped bar. Be sure to inform your customers about Nobu’s hidden sake cellar.
Peter Grace, Atlantis Paradise Island’s director of sales and marketing, UK and Europe, strongly recommends clients experience an evening of dining at Nobu.
He says: “Atlantis Paradise Island offers a culinary delight for every taste and its fine dining is among the best in the world. Nobu is, of course, a famed option and our on-site restaurant, the only Nobu in the Caribbean, offers guests the opportunity to truly indulge in their passion for Japanese food.”
Book it: Funway offers a seven-night room-only stay at Atlantis Paradise Island from £1,559pp based on two sharing at the Royal Towers including flights. Package based on an October 9, 2017 departure.
Toasting the Caribbean
The Caribbean region is well-known for its beer, rum and tropical cocktails, but wine-loving clients might think there isn’t much to satiate their palate. But if you know where to look, it’s possible to find an excellent glass of wine that will please even the most discerning of oenophiles. Here are three to recommend:
Robert Mondavi at Sandals
Clients who dine at any of Sandals and Beaches Resorts’ 140 restaurants can take advantage of the company’s partnership with Napa Valley-based Robert Mondavi Winery to enjoy six Californian wines at no extra cost. These include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz.
Catherine’s Cafe Plage, Antigua
Visitors to Catherine’s Cafe Plage at Antigua’s Pigeon Beach can enjoy an extensive wine list made up of exclusively French varieties sourced from the Loire, Rhone Valley, Burgundy and Bordeaux. Open six days a week, there is live jazz on a Wednesday night and evening dinners on a Friday.
Secrets The Vine Cancun
Secrets The Vine Cancun offers its guests the chance to take part in sommelier-led wine tasting sessions in the hotel’s “Enoteca” with seating for up to 30 guests. As many as 3,000 varieties of wine are available on the hotel’s all-inclusive package.
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