TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin restaurant questions - French side

1) at what restaurant can I consistently fresh LOCAL seafood? French side

2) what is a can’t miss restaurant with a view (thinking sunset meal)? French side

3) what are your top two Orient Bay restaurants (in village, not non-beach bar)

cheers!

1) L’Auberge Gourmande
2) sorry can’t help with this one
3)Maison Mere and Le Piment
I know you ruled out “beach bars” but we ate twice recently at Aloha on the beach. This is not beach bar food. I had the mahi in a ligh sauce both times and wife had a chicken dish each time. These meals were as good as most restaurants serve in the village and you get an ocean view to go with it. The price was very reasonable and it is nice to occasionally have a nice meal earlier in the day and just a snack in the evening.

So we are having dinner here tonight
https://www.lacigalerestaurantsxm.com/
It is technically on the French side and is located on the Simpson bay lagoon.
They advertise sunset views

While both are actually not in the "village"
Astrolab and Les Galets (across street form main entrance from Orient)
Les Galets offers something different than the usual with the best cheese cart

Also Bacchus for lunch is outstanding

Also I wouldn't miss Le Pressoir in Gran Case

Ocean 82 Grand case for sunset meal.

So you decide if this is a possibility for a sunset view.
The food was awesome

We just left Le Pressoir in Grand Case and top of line . Great food , atmosphere and service . Just 4% added to the bill and you should add the tip accordingly .
Enjoy !

What’s that supposed to mean?

Leslie, can you actually see the sea from Le Pressoir? Ate there long ago and cannot remember.

Also, does anyone know the name of the place near LePressoir that is run by Chantal formally of Sunset cafe GCBC?

Actually no Dear but its very Classically refurbished .
Plus its listed as # 1 on a Carribean listing page .

Lesley--that 4% is the local french side TAX. There actually is a tax on the French side. Tipping on the French side is totally at your discretion.

1) I could be wrong, often am, but I don't think most restaurants on SXM serve local seafood, other than lobsters. I believe that most seafood served on island is brought in from France. Bistrot Cariabes does a wonderful Caribbean lobster.

2) Ocean 82. But I do echo someone else's suggestion, go have a big meal for lunch on the ocean somewhere.

3) We haven't made it Orient Village for a couple of years, and our favorites have closed. But not sure why you are ruling out beach bars, as many of the beach bars can rival the food in Grand Case. Most them are not open for dinner though, if that's when you want to go. Unless you're going in dead high season, just drive to the Village and park. Walk around and look at the menus and decide where you want to go based on what looks good.

Yes Dear and we did tip them nice due to the great service , atmosphere and food as much as the bill was big due to our Daughter's Birthday bash dinner.
Also they have a new additional Chef from the U.S that we are personal friends with him and his Family , A.J ! Formerly from Roxxy Beach Restaurant .

Le Bistronomme is Chantal’s restaurant. It is excellent.

Triggerfish and red snapper are fresh fish served in many restaurants

mahokid--but are they local fish?

Mahi should be mostly local. Go to the Simpson Bay Fish Market and you will see a lot of fish, including red snapper.

So how was La Cigale? I only went there once, loved it. But when we travel with a group, which we do of late, that is not practical.

Assuming that I have seen these fish at the market in Marigot, these would be local fish
There were many others available but not found in most restaurants

I try not to order any fish in a SXM restaurant that I can find at home and more "local"
Although I have enjoyed the the French mussels on Fridays, imported Dover sole and some wonderful scallops that Le Pressoir has imported from the Boston area
and are quite expensive for them to purchase

Thank you Panda for Chantal's restaurant info. We ate there last year and I wanted to return but couldn't remember the name to make RSVP.