SUN DESTINATION

Fine Dining in Barbados

By Poppy Wilkinson

Many travelers don’t associate gourmet fare with a tropical vacation… but that’s because they haven’t been to Barbados.

The Tides Restaurant

There’s a reason this gorgeous island is the most revisited in the Caribbean – and it’s not only the warm azure waters. With an abundance of fresh exotic seafood, Barbados has all the ingredients of a beach vacation fit for a foodie.

Where to Eat

The Cliff

One joy about not staying at an all-inclusive is flipping through the island’s own Zagat guide and picking a new restaurant every night. My better half and I make reservations a month in advance for a table for two on a deck that juts out over the lit-up Caribbean Sea. As a stingray drifts by lazily below, I realize this may be the most ridiculously romantic setting in the world. Under the tiki-style torches, we start by sharing homemade crab cake and open-faced ravioli with shrimp. For our main courses, we go for mahi mahi with red sweet pepper coulis, balsamic reduction and eggplant crisps with a fantastic bottle of Jordan Sonoma County Chardonnay. Not wanting the evening to end, Jeremy and I extend our meal under the stars with almond-encrusted Stilton and a glass of house port.

The Tides Restaurant

We arrive a few minutes early to check out the impressive local art in the restaurant’s gallery before being led to our table in the waterfront garden gazebo. Ceiling fans spinning gently overhead and the sound of the waves add to the soundtrack of laughter and clinking glasses. I begin with Asian-inspired Kobe beef, and Jeremy opts for yellow-fin tuna tartare with watermelon salsa. Next, I dig into Bajan-style blackened barracuda, while he attacks a grilled lobster with butter garlic sauce. Not a word is exchanged as we savour each bite.

Oistins Fish Fry

Every Friday night, a large lot in the fishing community of Oistins is transformed into a carnival of delish street food and fun vibes. Locals and tourists alike mingle, checking out the stalls of jewelry and art or dancing under the stars to oldies at Lexie’s bar. Everyone lines up at their booth of choice for a piece of fabulously fresh fish. We figure that the queue at Uncle George’s Fish Net Grill is long for a reason, so we wait our turn. Though eaten out of a Styrofoam container, the spiced blackened marlin with creamy sauce (a magic concoction of sour cream and chives) may turn out to be one of my favourite meals on the island.

Ragamuffins

It might be described as a hole in the wall by some, but this charmingly kitsch shack (a 60-year-old Bajan chattel house) famously serves up some of the tastiest authentic fare on the island. There is no ocean view, but there are colourful murals and quirky memorabilia, like fishing nets and a stuffed blowfish dangling from the ceiling. Trusting the host who tells us to go with the fish of the day, a billfish (“like a swordfish but with a wobbly bill”), I have mine blackened with succulent spices and the classic Bajan sour cream sauce I’ve come to love. The meal, prepared by an all-female kitchen crew, is unpretentious and outstanding.

Where to Stay

The House
 
This high-end sanctuary doesn’t need to give freebies to get attention, but they do anyway. We’re offered a complimentary smoothie while we check in, relaxing in the open-air lobby. Later, an afternoon tea service that would make any Brit proud is on the “house” and delivered daily to our beachside deck chairs. Also complimentary: the welcome jet-lag massage in the garden gazebo.

The Crane

Situated on the less-travelled east coast, one of the oldest resorts in the Caribbean is currently undergoing a multimillion-dollar revamp. Thankfully, some things won’t change, like the silky pink sand and rollicking Atlantic waves on what’s considered to be one of the sexiest beaches in the world. Two great vantage points are the property’s restaurants: Zen, a Thai and Japanese fine fare resto, and L’Azure, the place to try a traditional Sunday brunch, complete with live gospel music and traditional staples, like fried flying fish and mac-and-cheese pie.

Mango Bay

This all-inclusive with class serves à la carte lunches and dinners on a seaside terrace. The location is phenomenal with pristine beach access and several delicious restaurants within walking distance. Tip: For a tropical treat at the bar, ask for a Big Banana with a shot of Bajan rum.

(Poppy Wilkinson is the former editor-in-chief of onAir. She worked off her overindulgence in Barbados with a gnarly surfing lesson.)

THE HOUSE: ELEGANT HOTELS GROUP