TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin In-room meal suggestion

Headed to SXM in a few weeks. Not sure this is the right forum for this, but here goes...

While I love going to Grand Case, etc for dining, I sometimes like to lay low and prepare a meal in the room. I'm trolling for suggestions on what others have successfully made using ingredients available at Carrefour. I will not have access to a conventional oven. Stove top and microwave only. Also, I will be carrying-on everything for my flight, so I can't pack anything like spaghetti sauce, etc.

What tasty meals have you prepared on the island?

If you want to do spaghetti, just buy all the ingredients on island. Very easy. Anything you can make at home on top of the stove, you could make on island, IF you have cooking pots. Will you have cooking pots? I think that might be your biggest issue. You could definitely do sandwiches, etc., with cheeses/pate/etc from the store also. We normally stay at Beachside Villas, and they have a full oven, as well as a grill, which is what we use most of the time to cook on, as well as lots of cooking pots. You should be able to find some pre-made things you can microwave also. DEPENDING on where you are staying, you might be able to buy a small disposable grill to cook on, IF you have appropriate outside space.

OK... thanks.

I'm travelling alone for the first time. I plan to do what I did on previous trips, when I was still married. Typically, we would pack up a cooler with lunch (sandwiches) and beverages, and head to the beach. Grab some croissants on the way, and have breakfast on the beach. Back to the room in the afternoon, then dinner either in or out. Dinners out add-up pretty quickly, and eating in can be more relaxing. So that's my plan.

Anyway, I'm looking for suggestions for something to make for 3-4 dinners in my room. And, yes, I'll have pots and utensils. Also, while a grill is a good idea, it gets a bit complicated, because I have to purchase the grill. And the charcoal. And the lighter fluid. By the time I add that all up, it's cheaper to eat out!!

Another thought - we use Shopndrop to prestock our room but we also sometimes pick up items at the grocery store deli departments. This usually includes a baguette (or two?) along with some deli roast beef and ham and cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo and mustard. You can try doing your main meal as a late lunch and do baguette sandwiches in your apartment for dinner. We actually enjoy doing this and particularly having a ‘no effort’ meal without having to go out for it. It works for us.....

As far as a grill being complicated, not really. They sell really small disposable ones, and then you just buy match light charcoal.

We have changed how we eat out also, as Pat suggested, often eating a larger lunch out, then something simple for dinner, or even leftovers.

Enjoy!

Where are you staying - they may have a grill. If you have a cook top. Make up a pot of sauce. And grab meatballs and sausage. Have spaghetti once night, grinder the next. Maybe get some chicken breast and make chicken parm - melt cheese on top in micro. Get fresh salad and bread. All set!!

Not sure where you are staying ("love GOING to Grand Case") but if near Grand Case then the lolo's offer decent meals at a very decent price...or, as mentioned. the Carrefour/Super U have ANYTHING you will need for a simple (or complex) meal

Another thing to consider is IZI has a lunch menu--specials every day for $9.95. Way easier than making things--just reheat. Maybe during the day while you are out, just go and pick up a few and have them in the fridge for when you need them. Pretty sure the meals would be way better than jar of sauce. Having said that, I used to do the spaghetti "eating in dinner" almost every year for awhile, but knowing that IZI has everything prepared and such a bad cost--that would be my choice now.

Good ideas. Thanks.

I'm staying in Oyster Pond area, so I have easy access to both Orient Village & Philipsburg. Grand Case and Simpson Bay are a bit of a drive.

BTW, I did make saucepan lasagna last week, and it turned out very well. Found the recipe in the grocery store. PM me and I'll share. I'll prob do that... it'll be TWO dinners.

As stated before you can cook anything you cook at home on the island, some units the prior renters leave a lot of spices, oils etc so you don't have to buy those items. Also if you get food to go at the lolo's it's usually a lot that can be two meals, a large pizza can also be two meals.

Despite my best intentions, I've only prepared 2 hot dishes--Mussels and Du Puy lentils. Fairly easy, but they do need spices and aromatics. Get the Bouchots if they're in season. In the past, we'd go to the Marigot market and pick up some boudin--both white
and blood--and heat them for dinner. Also kept a supply of cheese, deli meats and pates, smoked salmon and picked up a fresh baguette prior to dinner.

I'd say our best meals were the reheated leftovers from an previous Yvettes meal.

n Orient Village is On Dirait le Sud. They have home made pastas, including excellent lasagna to take home and bake. Also sweet & savory treats. Very personable proprietors.

We always get a whole grilled chicken and use for a dinner and sandwiches later. Stateside you can buy packaged mix of dry pasta and sauce-- Knorr makes a good alfredo one-- package fits easily in carry-on. Drive by a lolo and take back to your room.

If you were in the Maho area there's a small market right at the rotary that has a hot bar for take-away meals.

Someone mentioned Shop N Drop but there's a minimum order so that option may be too much for you unless you're staying a couple of weeks.