TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Zee Best Simpson Bay Breakfast

We wanted the Dinghy Dock Sunday Brunch but not open yet at 10, we left in search of food. So, we parked at top carrot who didnt appear open and stumpled into a busy breakfast place and didnt know it was Zee Best until the menu arrived.

Cash Only Warning, order cheap honey so we have gas money.

We ordered two Sint Maarten Omelettes, an OJ, and an expresso.

Then the pastry basket was put on the table. A chat between us ensued. They look so good. There were a bunch of kids running around there. The basket did have tongs.

I mistakenly thought the ones in the case cost money and the ones in the basket were a gift like bread at dinner.

So we took a chance and had 1 “free” each.

The omelettes arrived and were very good.

Then the mgr guy brought the check and said there was a mixup and wanted to confirm we had the chocolate croissant and raisan swirl pastry and then added them to the bill. So the basket is a standard mix that is restocked.

So, its been 24 hours and we survived.

So, they probably should have the server only with tongs handing em out because not everybody uses tongs and everybody using tongs might be just as bad.

This practice has been going on for years at this place and a reason why I will not go there. It has been pointed out multiple times on this board also.

Did your wife say "I told you so!!" Never eaten there myself, don't think I will, due to that policy.

It is very good and very busy but no one waiting. They do a good business and have one potential issue.

We will go back.

Hmm I guess it depends on the server. When we went there in September our server, a French Canadian gentleman whose name I unfortunately forgot, brought out the basket and explained the procedure to us. My wife and I each had one of the croissants knowing ahead of time that we would be charged for them. The food was excellent and we went back there another time for breakfast during our week there. I can imagine though that if their procedure is not explained then you'd believe it was there for free.

Been there many time and have enjoyed it as well, I don't however take any of the pastries from the basket for the same reason. Always a must stop for us when we're on island though.

Prefered Le Sucriere.
Cheers
irina

After watching a family with kids fingering the different pastries I wrote that place off.

The gentleman was Dominique Lapierre, the owner.

It is one of our favorite breakfasts!! Outstanding Eggs Benedict. We simply waive off the pastry basket, as we don't eat them anyway. If we chose to get a chocolate croissant, we get it from the case to go...or go down the road to the bakery (his wife runs) on the way "home".

I'm not sure I would trust the ones in the case. Who knows if some of those unused basket ones end up in the case

Guys you are holerious! You refuse to eat a pastry at the cafe but ok to eat from LOLOS, Cupecoy food or the airport food! Do you think these guys wash their hands every time they are using the “bathroom”? Oops, sorry, there is no bathroom! I can bet you anything that the amount of germs at all these places is pretty much equal! After been to sxm probably 15 times, the only place where I got stomach sick was an Italian restaurant in Maho that everyone was raving about!
Maybe we are just lucky. Been going to ZeeBest from day one since they were a hole in a wall in Marigot and never had a problem.
Their pastry is delicious! Yeah I know it’s not good for you but.... we’re there only for two weeks! At least this is the excuse we are using, LOL! If you worry about the pastry that was brought to you- just ask for the fresh one.

I agree best to be safe than sorry so skip the basket. You take chances all the time so why take one so obvious PLUS finding basket items aren't included puts me off. Grand Case beach club always places a basket full of different croissants, pastries and slices on French bread, tell you it's included in room rate along with coffee but you can order eggs, etc at an additional cost.

OK, well, what's included in a room rate, versus what you get when you go to a restaurant that's not where you're staying, is different.

Sorry Carol that's right. I meant they TELL you unlike Zee Best. And when you go there for lunch or dinner toff the street they serve croissants and bread in that basket and it "comes" with the meal not an add on. That's one reason why I wouldn't eat at Zee Best. Because it seems deceiving.

Someone else in the thread said that they were told that the croissants in the basket were extra at Zee Best. I don't know, as I don't actually think we've ever eaten there.

We were always ‘told’ about the pastry deal all the way back to Marigot and the original owner, and his son once he came on board, and his wife, too, once they got married, and I was always okay with it. Until, that is, I saw a family with little ones AND the parents pawing through the basket and handling each pastry before ultimately making their choices. That turned me off completely and while we might still go there on occasion for breakfast, I’ll stop by their bakery store and buy my pastries to go.

We do use them but never the Baskets with Pastry.

Same for us---we don't mind the additional charge, but not having a basket given to us that has been on a table before
us and handled by others.
If we want one we go inside and order from the fresh ones---

We stop at their store on the road for coffee and sometimes buy pastry there.

Between SMYC, Atlantico, and my new favorite for just coffee and pastry, Jules, it's a hard decision!! lol

The coffee is excellent at Zee Best (thought I like an Elmo Fizz), and it comes from his wife's family farm.

We love Zee Best and will be going back there in a month or so. As soon as the waitress comes with the pastry basket we politely tell her no thanks. We don’t eat them in the first place and that leaves more room on the table. The eggs Benedict are very good and from what a lot of you are saying we’re going to try them at The Simpson Bay Yacht Club.

SMYC eggs Benedict are very good.

The LOLOs in Grand Case and the airport have restrooms to wash up.

What is SBYC?

We saw a sign down by Top Carrot and Zee Best. Not to confuse with SMYC.

Whatever you do...don't get Eggs Benny at Chesterfields. Worst I have ever had.

Supposed to be SMYC. Corrected it. Thanks. I knew you'd catch it. LOL

X2

So does Zee Best.......

Yep. But those sticky fingered customers touching the pastries are what we are talking about.

I find those baskets of pastries analogous to nuts, snack mix, etc sitting on a bar. Or mints in a bowel at the exit of a restaurant. Many hands go in. I know it's not something I want to eat.

That said, that does not make the rest of their offerings something that you should discount. I'm tired of hearing this come up every time Zee Best is mentioned (aimed at no one in particular).

I’ll go back.

Yep and the big guy checking everybody’s hands been washed properly on the way out.... Lol!
I remember my best experience to date was at the Gus beach bar. He was standing behind the bar making cocktails for the happy hour. Gold bracelets on his hands and rings on every finger, cutting fresh fruits and putting them into the blender. The juices running down his hands, he would ignore it or wipe them of with a towel. I doubt those fruits were washed before cutting. But these were the most delicious drinks I ever had! And all the people who were lined up to the bar waiting for the drinks didn’t mind his methods of preparing drinks.

To each there own. Sanitation in a Third world country at its best.

you think it's better in the US, You have got to be kidding. Just because they have a sign in the bathroom that employees have to wash their hands ( which we have in St. Martin too) doesn't mean they do. NY top restaurants have the dirtiest kitchens and the most health violations over and over.

The only place I've eaten in US where I felt the kitchen was very clean was Commanders Palace in New Orleans. Maybe that's because you have to walk thru kitchen before being seated.

Sorry gang, that was my fault . I called them Simpson Bay Yacht Club. The restaurants name is Sint Maarten Yacht Club. By the way, it took us 14 years to visit them and have a meal(and buy a t-shirt). We finally did during our last trip in 2017. You can be sure we’re going back again for a lot more meals. We probably thought you had to be a member and Yacht owner to get in the place!

Bingo!

What Zee Best does is re serve the pastries in the basket that was not eaten...........

Yes, we are well aware of that fact. It has been like that for a long time.