Rick Mollica
I authored this travelogue describing our vacation in Saint Martin in January 1998.
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For the last four years we have gone to Saint Martin during the first week of January. This year we did many of the same things that I've written about in years past, so it seems appropriate to write this year's travelogue as an update, rather than a new article.
You can find my previous articles in the Caribbean Travel Roundup, along with dozens of other St Martin travelogues, and my1997 Saint Martin travelogue is also on my Web Site.
The weather this year in January seemed to be a little more windy and cloudy, and a little more rainy than we've come to expect. We had about four days of great weather, one so-so day, and two days with a lot of wind and rain. El Nino seems to be having an affect.
After our disastrous experience with Summer Set Car Rental last year, we switched to Empress Car Rental and found the price and quality of their cars and service to be excellent. We used Empress Car Rental again this year and had another very good experience with them. Empress is located at the Pelican Resort, so they might not be practical option for vacationers who don't stay at the Pelican or a nearby resort. For Pelican owners, Empress gives a 10% discount on prices that are already competitive.
As I said last year:
The Empress jeep provided trouble-free service all week and we would recommend Empress to anyone (their phone number is 011-45293 Ext. 5190).
The surrounding scenery is beautiful (in addition to the tops-optional aspect). The beach itself has one section where the waves have a lot of action (which my son absolutely loved) and the rest is fairly calm. There are two lo-lo's on the beach (Gus's Place and Chez Raymond) with a handful of tables with umbrellas where you can get all kinds of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, barbecue, and sandwiches. You can rent beach chairs and umbrellas ($5 each), buy T-shirts and wrap-arounds from local "entrepreneurs", and even get a massage right on your lounger (mine was 30 minutes of heaven for $20). Another nice feature is that there is a security guard who watches the cars in the parking lot now.
That's what I said last year, and I'm stickin' to it. Unfortunately, however, this year's experience wasn't as good as the one I described last year, because the day I chose to spend at Baie Rouge was one of the two rainy days we had. There were two downpours while I was at the beach, the second of which dumped two inches of rain in about 30 minutes. I waited out that storm drinking Carib beer with several other hardy vacationers under the tarps at Chez Raymond's lo-lo.
This beach is a little bit off the beaten path, but it is well worth the trip...well, except maybe on the day that I went this year.
First, as I was parking my jeep, a man pulling out of the parking area showed me that someone had just pried open the passenger door of his car to steal a radio and other belongings that had been on the front seat. I was leaving nothing in my vehicle (and thieves don't have to destroy a jeep to break into it anyway), so after sympathizing with the poor guy, I meandered up the path to the beach.
Well, the large estates in the area use dogs to patrol their fenced-in properties. I had noticed on the way to the beach that there was a pack of dogs at a new construction site that didn't seem to be fenced in. Sure enough, just as I was starting to settle down on the beach, that pack of five or six dogs came running after me. I covered the 100 yards from the beach to my Jeep in Olympic-qualifying time!
I know this sounds bad...with the rain at Baie Rouge and the dogs at Prune Bay, my luck wasn't going very well. But don't let that discourage you; for you, the weather will be better and the dogs will be back behind their fences when you visit.
I know, I said that last year. But Orient Beach this year was at its absolute best. Perfect water and wind conditions; perfect weather; great crowds; restaurants and concessions going full speed. My day at Orient Beach was one of the best of the vacation.
By the way, I used the entrance at Parc Orientale and didn't pay any parking fee. I understand from a local resident that the entrance near Club Orient has parking for a fee now.
As for the Grand Case Beach Club, I can't really add to what I wrote last year:
:..even if you don't stay there, you can use many of their facilities. They have a great tops-optional beach at the north end of the hotel, a nice casual restaurant right at the waterfront, waiters who serve drinks to the sunbathers, a small store, clean public rest rooms, and rental equipment (chairs, umbrellas, floats, snorkeling gear). We really love that place.
I mention Pelican's beach not because it's one of the great beaches on the island, but because it is a very nice beach with convenience and lots of amenities. There are 18 thatch-umbrella'd tables that provide plenty of shade; beach chairs galore; two concession stands for food and drink; a small beach store nearby; BBQ grills...and the water is calm and well protected by two jetties. This is an excellent spot for kids.
Last year we had so much fun taking the Lambada catamaran snorkeling excursion to Prickly Pear, that we did it again this year. Prickly Pear is an island off the coast of Anguilla and is reportedly the best snorkeling trip left in the SXM area. It also has a magnificent beach and one of the top ten bars in the Caribbean!
The trip goes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, costs $65 per adult (less for kids) and includes, an open bar and snacks on board, snorkel gear and snorkeling instructions, a BBQ lunch. Another nice feature of the trip is that you get a great view of the beaches along the south and southwest shores of Saint Martin.
In the top picture at the right you can see the Lambada in the foreground and Johnno's Bar and Grill in the background. The island is uninhabited, and the sand is powdery white. A great place to spend a day!
Here are the restaurants described in the following food report. The list is in alphabetical order, but the descriptions are arranged first by restaurants we've tried in previous years, restaurants we tried for the first time this year, and then casual restaurants for breakfast and lunch.
But first, a warning: Restaurants often include a 15% tip in your bill without telling you. If you see a dollar amount next to the label TAX or GRATUITY or SERVICE CHARGE - that's the tip. Don't add to that unless you want to.
Every year I rave
about this restaurant, and somehow it keeps getting better and better. It is
an exceptional restaurant, and still the one we would choose if we could only
eat at one restaurant on the island. Located in Grand Case in the oldest house
on SXM, Le Pressoir combines absolutely superb French cooking with exceptional
service and wonderful ambiance. We had three dinners with appetizers and desserts
for about $120, and for about $42 we had a tasty bottle of 1994 Sauvignon Blanc
wine from Sancerre d'Antan, which the manager recommended to complement a Sea
Bass entree.
It
was great.
Located in the Palapa Center in Simpson Bay, the Rancho Argentinean Grill was a huge disappointment this year. The ribs were good, the steaks great, the dessert was disappointing, and the service absolutely sucked. People waited 10 minutes to get their first order of drinks and 20 minutes to have their food orders taken. I know they were having problems with their computer system that evening, but it was clear that the real problem was not having nearly enough staff to support the waiters and waitresses.
Cost for three dinners with appetizers, desserts, and drinks was $89. We didn't need reservations, but it doesn't matter; we won't go back, nor do we recommend it to anyone else anymore.
Mario's continues to be one of the toughest reservations to get in Saint Martin. We called for reservations on a Monday and the only table available before we were to leave on the following Saturday was at 8:00PM on Friday night. They are closed on Sundays.
The food was great, but it seemed like Martine (Mario's wife) was having to train some new wait staff. Service wasn't up to the standard we have grown accustomed to at Mario's, but I still recommend you go there. Appetizers, dinners, and desserts all were wonderful, and Martine is just a treasure - she is the epitome of grace and hospitality - and really gives the place its dynamic personality.
Including drinks, we paid about $115 for the three of us.
By the way, we noticed that Martine was directing people who showed up without reservations to a bar at the end of the street, and telling them to return at 9:30PM; she promised to seat them as tables became available after 9:30.
Wow! I continue to love this place. It is an utterly casual Italian and Creole restaurant with simply excellent food. Addie, the waitress who served us for the last two years, told us that "the veal is guaranteed best on the island, so all the veal dishes are great." Sure enough, the Veal Scallopine Marsala was scrumptious, but so was the Steak with Mushrooms and Creole Chicken. Everything we've ever ordered there has been excellent.
We spent about $65 for three dinners, appetizers, and drinks. Ren & Stimpy's is located in Simpson Bay. Heading from Simpson Bay to the airport, take the first left before the bridge - you'll probably see the sign for Pizza Hut before Ren & Stimpy's hand-lettered sign.
We like to eat lunch at La Main a la Pate at the Marigot Marina. The food and service are great, prices are reasonable, and you can't beat the scenery! They serve a Creole Platter that contains conch and crab fritters, salad, and stuffed crab that is really good. And my 12-year old son claims they have the best cheeseburger on the island. The menu selection is extensive and we've liked everything we've ordered here over the years A full lunch, with drinks, for three of us was $41.
Spartaco
is an Italian restaurant located in an eye-popping old plantation house with
a garden of Italian statuary in Cole Bay. The service and decor at Spartaco's
are impeccable. The pasta dishes, appetizers, bread, and desserts (all homemade
daily) were to die for. The chicken breast stuffed with mozzarella and prosciutto
was perfectly cooked, but surprisingly bland (so I wouldn't order that again),
but that was the only negative on our visit. We paid about $80 for three meals
with appetizers, desserts, and drinks.
Spartaco's E-mail: spartaco@best-caribbean.com
This is a favorite of many Saint Martin regulars, so we stopped in to see if it's as good as it sounded...and it is. Located at Simpson Bay, Lynette's had very reasonably priced, large portioned dinners, and very attentive service. The place looks unassuming from the outside, but is very nicely appointed inside. For only $55, my wife and I had an outstanding dinner. We were there on a Thursday, so we missed the "King Beau Beau" show that takes place on Tuesdays and Fridays.
This year in this category I place:
Michael's Cafe is a real treat. Michael and Marilyn Petone (pronounced Pet-TONY) from Harvard, Massachusetts, USA opened Michael's Cafe tin August 1997 on the beach at Grand Case. Make absolutely sure that you visit Michael's Cafe early in your vacation (closed on Mondays), because it would be a sin not to go there more than once.
Check
out the view of Grand Case from our breakfast table at Michael's Cafe.
I don't know how he does it, but Mike cooks up the best breakfast I've ever eaten, and he and Marilyn are very friendly folks who are a lot of fun to chat with. Right now they serve breakfast, lunch, and stay open for evening happy hour. They plan on starting a menu with light Italian fare - according to Marilyn, a menu that costs "less than the $200 dinners in Grand Case's fancy restaurants, but more than what the lo-los offer."
You eat your breakfast with the same fantastic view that the Sunrise Cafe has at the Grand Case Beach Hotel - postcard perfect. Great food and incredible Caribbean vista - no wonder my 12-year old son awarded Michael's Cafe what we jokingly call "Joey's 5-Star Rating."
Mike is talking about offering beach chairs for his customers. My best advice? Get yourself one those fantastic breakfasts, brunches, or lunches, and then collapse on the beautiful beach right next to the cafe. A big breakfast of omelet and homefries with all the fixin's for three people came to $22.50. I think breakfast food can't be made any better than this, so the price was well worth it.
By the way, check out the portrait in the bar of Mike's grandfather. As a child, Mike went everywhere with his grandfather, so now his grandfather goes everywhere with him! These are nice people.
After Michael's Cafe, this and Crocodile Cafe are the best spots we found for breakfast. Indiana Beach's food, service, and prices are excellent. They also have a jungle-like ambiance, including statuary, two live monkeys, and birds.
The two monkeys are named Tic and Tac. They both escaped about a week prior to our visit, but Tic was back by the time we showed up. Good ole Tac was still running around the hills surrounding the Pelican Resort, and reportedly was stealing ketchup and mayonnaise from their outside snack stands when he wasn't running across the rooves of the Pelican!
Crocodile is Pelican resort's casual restaurant. They really do a great job on the breakfasts and lunches at a reasonable price. Say hello to Maria - she provides good service and one of those super Caribbean smiles with your breakfast.
I've heard great things about Don Carlos as a Mexican dinner restaurant, but I recommend that you don't spend your money there for breakfast. I don't know what they do to make the breakfast food taste so bland, but there was nothing on my ham-egg-and-homefries plate that had any flavor whatsoever. Everywhere I had breakfast was better than Don Carlos at Simpson Bay.
Not sure if I have the name right, but it's the small cafe next to Casino Royale and behind Cheri's Cafe at Maho Plaza. The food here was good-not-great, though the coffee was excellent, and the service was simply awful. Maybe a worse sin was that they didn't have homefries on the breakfast menu.
Kali is a Rastafarian who is married to a Parisienne expatriate named Caroline. They run Kali's Beach Bar on the beach at Friar's Bay. Kali's is a nothing-fancy place, the kind of laid back beach bar that you could hang around for the rest of your born days.
The
restaurant serves excellent food in large portions, the beach is tops-optional
(and I didn't see anyone complain about the completely naked lady sunbathing),
the water is perfect for swimming and snorkeling, and everyone is so friendly!
One night each month when the moon is full, Kali's has a big party with a bonfire and band, so check out with Caroline if any festivities are scheduled during your vacation.
Caroline, behind the bar at Kali's Beach Bar.
Johnno's is located on Prickly Pear Island, right offshore of Anguilla. I think the Prickly Pear restaurant is actually an extension of Johnno's on Anguilla, which has been rated by a Caribbean travel magazine as one of the top ten restaurants in the Caribbean.
How do you get to Johnno's and that great Prickly Pear beach? There are several catamarans that take day trips - Lambada at Pelican, and Scoobido and El Tigre in Marigot. If you just want a fun beach bar, go to Kali's. If you want the beach bar with a a few hours of sailing and great snorkeling, go to Prickly Pear.
Marigot Market. Lots of vendors at the Marigot Market, but mostly hawking the same stuff. Little or no haggling. Paintings and local spice blends are fun "souvenirs." Paper mache products are cheaper at the Sea Life store in the Marigot Marina.
Chocolate. A tiny shop in the Marigot Marina maze called Haribo makes delicious candies and chocolates - the owner makes fresh truffles on Tuesdays - $2.00 each and worth it!
Handicrafts. Very friendly French lady has a terrific selection of handmade paper mache products and other island memorabilia in the Sea Life store in the Marigot Marina.
Cigars. I only stopped at three cigar shops on this trip: The Connoisseur shop in Simpson Bay, the one on the waterfront at Marigot Marina (can't remember the name - there are five cigar stores in Marigot), and the cigar store at Julianna Airport. The Connoisseur shop still had the best price on a box of Monte Cristo's ($25 less than the store in Marigot). You can't see a sign with the name "The Connoisseur" from Simpson road, but you can see a neon sign that says "Havana Cigars").
Arawak Museum. The $5 admission price gets you an interesting view of Saint Martin from its earliest settlement through today. They also have a small but nice gift shop.
Sly Stallone in St Maarten? We were commenting to a local restaurant owner about a yacht anchored in Simpson Bay with a helicopter on the stern deck and a "chase boat" tied up. She said that the yacht is named "Starship," that Sly Stallone had been renting it recently, and that he reportedly threw a party aboard the yacht with as many as 300 people attending (not all at once, of course).
Caribbean Cyber Cafe. Located in the Simpson Bay Marina complex, this little oasis of Internet connectivity is great for those who suffer Internet withdrawal on their vacations. The cafe has a half dozen computers on which you can check your AOL account or use the Cafe's Netscape or MS Internet Explorer browsers to surf the net and do e-mail.
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Mollica
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