TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Sat-Tues, Days 12-15.

We finally moved into our own studio on Monday for the last 9 nights of our stay. There really is a big difference for us between a garden and a waterfront, and I am now at peace with the world, well, except for those damned scooters with a death wish. The 2 male cats have noted their new dining location, but Picasso insists on us delivering her nourishment to the prior location. She's always mumbling something about cats once being worshipped in ancient Egypt.

Dinner Tuesday night was at Bistrot Caraibes and we decided to have lobster, which we really haven't had for quite some time. We chose the half grilled half thermidor option, which was excellent, making me wonder why we hadn't had it sooner. Oh yeah, the price, but only due to a brain fart on my part. I thought we had a 1.8 kilo guy at €7/100 g. Turns out, Thiebault quoted me 1.8 POUNDS, not kilos as the weight, so I was expecting the tab to be 70 Euros higher. The final bill came as a complete shock to me, about which I had them recheck the weight, but was assured it was proper. The mussels appetizer was different than before--in cream, tomatoes, and garlic. A new way for me to enjoy them. Dinner was topped off with their excellent creme brulee and two decaf cappuccinos and a leisurely walk back to GCBC.

The prior night we had dined at Spiga, a restaurant that for some reason fell off our radar screen (I suspect because we ate at Piazza Pascal instead), but has now been restored to must-eat status. Beef carpaccio app, seafood medley over risotto for me and lobster ravioli for Mrs Cruzer, finished with a hazelnut tiramisu and decaf cappuccinos. Oh, and they have a cat, Mr. Grey, for whom they named one of their cocktails. He wasn't there that night, recovering from a stepped on tail.

This week seems to be our gourmet focus. We'll do L' Auberge Gourmande later this week.

Saturday we repeated lunch at Tropicana, and were just as impressed as the first meal 10 days prior, picked up some boudin and mauby from Miss Ebbys, some bush tea ingredients for MC's home remedy for aches and pains, and some items from the arts & crafts ladies. Took advantage of the final day of Le Gout du Vin's 25% off sale with 2 bottles of champagne and 2 of Cote du Rhone.

Sunday and Monday's breakfast was the boudin and mango we bought Saturday, a nice change from croissants and baguettes we eat most mornings. And, Tuesday I discovered the Chinese market on the main drag around downtown Grand Case sells patties in the morning, my preference being the salt fish variety. Pretty tasty, and reminiscent of Hilma's Windsor Castle. Well, without the Dutch Coffee and company of Hilma. I also bought a package of Oscar Meyer Bacon for my future dining pleasure.

Sunday's lunch was at Hercule's Resto Creole. MC was in the mood for a burger and fries, which was a bargain at 10 Euros, and I had my standard griot, picliz, and banan peze. As good and tasty as always. Unfortunately, Hercule wasn't there nor any of the usual help. The server spoke minimal English, which isn't a big problem as I am getting pretty competent in menu French. My accent stills sucks, as the server thought I was ordering creole, not griot. At least she didn't ask me to point at it on the menu.

As you may have noticed by now, food is one of my passions here. This trip, we are happy to spend most of our time at the resort, spending a bit of time in the water, despite the seasonal chill to initial beach entry--a very brisk 81 degrees, but warming during the day. Actually, the pool seems to approach bath water temperatures in the late afternoon.

Sunsets tend to be a bust, but that doesn't stop me from sitting out enjoying the onset of darkness. But, our new location's view of sunset is blocked by the point at GCBC, so I have to trek some 75 feet to view it. Life is rough.

After numerous days of sufficient sleep, I seem to be reverting to my normal sleep patterns--highly erratic and probably because I'm catching little catnaps during the day. Really no big deal as I guess I can enjoy more waking hours in paradise.

cruzer--so glad you were able to get into your unit. A little sad that there were no pictures, especially at Bistrot Cariabes, which is one of our favorites! Enjoy!

Wow! I'm getting very hungry reading this!!

Sounds like a wonderful time.

Great choices Cruzer!

Bistro Caraibes is usually a 'go to' for us but couldn't work out the sand gravity days to make it work this time. We're definitely going to do Tropicana again next trip since we found it for the first time this go around.

We're spending the last 3 days on the Dutch side in Simpson Bay for a change of pace.

Enjoy!

Ben, in the past we have always topped off our trip with 3 or 4 days at Marys Boon, for a different experience. We still have a $350 pandemic credit to use there, which I'm thinking for our September trip. Then drunken ribs at the Palms isn't an ordeal of a night drive from Grand Case.

We're staying literally about 50 yards down the beach from Mary's Boon and it's a great location! I definitely agree about not driving across the island for a dinner. That's just not a smart option for me given the road conditions, lack of lighting and scooters without lights. Since you frequent the same spots on the French side, what's your 'go-to' good place over here?
We went to Isola last night and it was really good! We're thinking of Greenhouse tonight for the prime rib but haven't made reservations yet. This is our last night here so I want to have a great memory for the trip.

Thanks!

For a very good ‘last supper’ you might consider Sublime at Maho. Good happy hour and very good dining. Convenient parking on the third level in the Maho carpark and if you get your parking ticket validated by your server, dinner parking is free.

BenP, my go-to places are more basic on the Dutch side. Other than once at Marios, which we really enjoyed, we either eat local foods or go to Marigot for dinner, but only Bistro Nu or the Moroccan place next door, as we can park in the fairly well lit stadium parking lot across the street. The Palms is our usual go to,--with me ordering the drunken ribs and Mrs. Cruzer having one of the vegetarian Trinidadan offerings, and final night on the island is usually at Karakters, more for the last chance BBCs rather than the food.

Since you mentioned beef for tonight, one of my favorite beef dishes is Churrasco Steak Tataki at Balls and Wine.

LINK - Balls and Wine menu

Thanks Cruzer! Palms is one of the restaurants in the running.

Jazzgal, that looks like a really fun and exotic menu! South American inspired sushi and tapas doesn't do it justice. I may have too many choices if we go there.

Thanks!