TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Wednesday, November 13

It’s our last full day on the island, and finally, a beautiful morning with lots of sun! It didn’t appear to rain overnight either. Marc and I took a short stroll to the local bakery, where I enjoyed a warm and oh so very decadent chocolate croissant.

We drove to Orient Beach and settled in at Chez Leandra. We were going to try Joa, right next door, but while their menu was great, it was more than we needed for lunch. We wanted a light lunch as we were planning one last large dinner out.

I believe there were 4 or 5 ships in port, and most of the beach was bustling with activity. It was so nice to witness that. Jen and I took a walk down to Coco Beach Bar and back. The ocean was warm, had a minimal amount of seaweed in it, and provided manageable wave action.

Lunch was at Chez Leandra. It was busy inside the restaurant, and I think there were only two or three people working there. Needless to say, the service was unorganized and very slow. We waited 30 minutes for a beer/soda/water order and an hour and a half for wraps (Jerk Chicken, Caesar, Lobster Salad and Grilled Chicken). When the food finally appeared, my order was wrong. I kept my mouth shut and ate the frozen fries instead of the rice that I ordered. I didn’t want to waste any more time inside. The bartender/waitress apologized a few times, and while the food was OK, I’m not sure we’d return.

Dinner was at Orient Village, where it had rained just before we arrived. Fortunately there were no raindrops during dinner, and the light of the almost full moon illuminated the Village. Several vendors, selling unique items, lined the square. I forgot my bag at home, so no food pictures.

After looking over several menus, our friends selected Le Bouchon for tonight's meal. Our meals consisted of Pig Trotter Sausage (strange consistency), Beef Cheeks (a little chewy), Sheperd’s Pie (a little dry) and Prawns (probably the best of the 4 dishes). All meals were OK, but the service was friendly and efficient. Would we rush back to this restaurant? Probably not. But their food offerings are interesting. We chatted with people at the next table who happen to live in our small state, and who are frequent visitors to the island.

It was a short ride back to Grand Case, where we shared a couple of pastries from Sebastien Quillere Patisserie (located near Leader Price in Cul-de-Sac). The guys beat the gals in cards (Pitch). We drank more wine, finished the Ma Doudou rum supply, took a nice dip in the pool and then turned in for the night.

It was a busy, bittersweet and beautiful last full day in Saint Martin!

I have enjoyed your reports; thanks for bringing us along. Safe travels home.

Thanks for the reports—I enjoyed reading them! It’s a shame about Chez Leandra, especially since we’ve always had great meals there. However, we’ve noticed that when they get busy, there’s usually a wait.

Thanks for the reports as well, and good choice on the lemon - that is my favorite of his by far.