TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Jai Restaurant

Last night we ate at Jai Asian Fusion Restaurant. Behind "Matin" breakfast place and next to Pizza Italy. Very good. Moderate prices, ample portions. I had Short Ribs with Black Lentil Dal. My wife had Duck Breast. Both very good. Owned by Juggies' son per a friend.

Glad you enjoyed it. Always good to have a nice, new experience.

Please excuse my ignorance--what does "Asian Fusion" mean?

Asian combined with non asian herbs and flavors. Appetizer was Fois Gras on Nan.

OK thanks.

Wow what an interesting combination! I still remember another restaurant in the same area, Fusion. Was our favourite place for a few years until they closed….
We are planning on visiting Jai in a few days also.

Boris,

Fusion was a great restaurant, tucked in right behind Izzi. For a couple of years it was the only restaurant we would visit multiple times on a trip.

We enjoyed Fusion a time or two as well. IF I recall correctly, didn't they start out in the Maho are prior to locating behind Izi?

Great memory. For a year, or a little longer, they had a second restaurant in Maho that was named Fusion Too.

I believe they actually had three locations. They started in downtown Phillipsburg if I remember correctly. Then Maho. Then above IZI. I was saddened when they closed as I always had great food there and went there multiple times per trip.

And I believe you are correct on that as well Linda.

We ate at Jai last November. Many of the menu items had Indian flavors or ingredients but presented more upscale (and expensive) with innovative presentations or combinations. We though it was good, but we love traditional Indian food as well. The restaurant is relatively small, and the night we were there they had a group of a dozen people seated together at a long table, plus another table or 2 in addition to our group of 6. The noise level was horrendous, and we couldn't even hear what the waiter was trying to tell us about the menu. The noise of the group was amplified by the open kitchen area and the glass windows, etc., It was so bad that we ended up moving out to the patio, which does have an overhang over the table, even though there were rain showers. It was the only way we could manage to have a conversation. I don't know if the noise level is a problem if there's not a large group, but I don't think they had done anything to temper the noise. I remember Izi had the same issue when they first opened, until they hung the sound baffling fixtures from their ceiling.

We thought the wait staff was working hard to be attentive and it appeared our young waiter, who was being monitored by a more experienced woman, had been well trained and was just figuring out how to apply what he'd learned. They hurried to try to get our order placed before the large group sent theirs in. Unfortunately, it didn't help because the kitchen, which only seemed to have the owner/chef and one or 2 other helpers, was slammed and our food took a long time to get served. I'm assuming the slow service wouldn't be as big an issue if they weren't so full.

We'd give it another try on a future trip. Our visit was early enough after their opening that they were still trying to get everything running smoothly.

We ate outside. Not very busy. Service was good.

Was going to say same thing as Linda. All three different locations at different times. LOVED fusion. Food was superb, service as always great, and the quality was as good as the quantity of food for the money!! Wish they would come back.

Totally agree. I really miss that place.