Restaurants long ago....

Anyone remember when Rainbow was an elegant hi-end gourmet restaurant? It was one of our favorites.

Absolutely. We had drinks up on the rooftop patio--expansive view of all of Grand Case--before a lovely meal.

We did the same. Loved it. I remember when they first opened and did not ahave a telephone. Write a letter ahead for reservations. We must have had a missing link then as I would never do that again.

And in speaking of reservations, usually our first Sunday morning we would take a drive around the island and fill in our reservation requests on their weekly rosters as few places had phones back in the day. How did we ever stumble on to some of these places.....Grand case was easy because even back then, it was known as the dining center of the Caribbean and the roads, such as they were, connected easily to all the major areas, but Marks original location was out there in the hinterlands yet we found it and loved it, even before it moved to the parking lot. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Since some people seem to get upset when threads go off kilter, I decided I would make this it's own thread... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Pat--are you talking about a location for Mark's BEFORE Cul de Sac? If there was a location for Mark's before Cul de Sac, I don't know where it was, so it must have been before my time..

No, I'm talking about Cul de Sac but our first trip there was, I'm thinking, about the mid to late 80's and if we hadn't stumbled across it on that Sunday morning island drive with the girls, we would never have set out from Mullet to head that way in the dark to look for it back then.

Yes, you were way before me, in terms of staying on island, for sure.

Pat you say Cul de Sac---do you mean Le Taiitu, the restaurant on left side of road to Mt Vernon?

We discovered it by driving by and it was great! Guests at the next table turned out to be a couple of guys from Mt Vernon. They said if we loved the food here to go further down road to Sol e Luna. Glad for THAT advice---the best!

Most places we loved seem to have gone by the wayside: Poisson D'Or, Sebastians, Pinocchio's just to name a few.

And in speaking of reservations, usually our first Sunday morning we would take a drive around the island and fill in our reservation requests on their weekly rosters as few places had phones back in the day. How did we ever stumble on to some of these places.....Grand case was easy because even back then, it was known as the dining center of the Caribbean and the roads, such as they were, connected easily to all the major areas, but Marks original location was out there in the hinterlands yet we found it and loved it, even before it moved to the parking lot. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> [/quote]

We used to do that also. I memorized: Je voudrais rent en table pour la semaine prochane (lundi, Mardi, Mecrede...) a huit heure which means I'd like a reservation for next week on Monday Tues or Wednesday, at 8 o'clock. First time they laughed at me at L"Auberge Gormand then said "IN English please." Come to find out all was okay except I had asked for a rsvp for 8 in the morning!

And at the market I'd ask for: Une tranche de pate, sil vous plat, to get a slab of pate. Now they all speak English!

I believe we visited Rainbow on our first visit to the island and thoroughly enjoyed our meal. We meant to return to go up to the rooftop but never made it back.

Fabila it's just as well you never got rooftop because now you don't know what's missing or have to dwell on what not longer exists. It's bittersweet to keep going to an island and find things you love have gone.

How about the Crocodile on the outside of the then Pelican Casino overlooking Simpson bay before the Villas were constructed. The place was cheap and cooked great chicken and pork jerk along with yummy johnie cakes. Wash it down with a cold Carib for a perfect lunch.

We remember Le Piccolo. Really liked that place.

Yes, excellent food there..

how about Lynette's lobster crepes...??

What I really miss is West Indies Tavern (now Guavaberry, I think). We'd go at 4pm for the .99 happy hour drinks--5/8 booze 3/8 soda, mixer etc. And their St Patrick's Day celebration serving corned beef & cabbage!

We also loved the lobster crepes at Lynettes along with the Caesar Salad created table side as we watched.

And in speaking of West Indian Tavern, St. Paddys Day was a hoot but the meal there I'll never forget was their seafood cassoulet.

And then there was Felix, Paradise Cafe, Zaccharys and the original Frigate at Mullet Resort along with Maison sur la Port in Marigot, to mention but a few more oldies, gone but not forgotten.

So many wonderful places and all but lovely memories today.

Pat, you hit two of my ABSOLUTE favorites....
Lynnette's and Frigate.......WOW, what memories, thanks!
Enjoy every moment you're there, BobD <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" />

And nobody has yet mentioned Alabama and the lovely, elegant Karin and her husband Pascal.

Ah, we were just talking about them the other day. One of our favorites.

Pat, what about the banana flambeau (sp) at Lynette's, and they would prepare it at the table? Beau Beau used to perform there.

Oh yes - though not being major dessert eaters, we enjoyed seeing it done at nearby tables, but the making of the Caesar Salad dressing table side was more up our alley. It was a great place in its day and we were so sorry to see it close like so many of the places of that time.

And do you remember Bertines in La Savanne? That was another favorite back in the day. Our kids loved the two big old labs and lived to watch them play with the rocks in the driveway or chase the lizards in the yard. And for the adults entertainment, Sundowners on the grass and finally, dinner on the porch for everyone. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

I think the first St Martin restaurant we ever ate in was the Fish Pot. At least the "Fish Pot" dish still lives on at Ocean 82.

.....and those RUDE parrots at the Paradise Cafe!!!!
(remember sign out front saying "no parking during snow emergency".
BobD

L'alabama was our favorite! Karin and Pascal were wonderful.

Also, on the other side loved the coconut shrimp and the conch chowder at turtle pier.

How about Sam's Place (with Bob in the kitchen) at the head of Front street?

I'm surprised no one has mentioned l'Amandier ... or, did I miss it?

l'almandier was our one "fancy" dinner we had on our first trip in 2001. It was a wonderful meal in beautiful setting. I also remember Portofino at the one end of Grand Case.

Loved Rainbow......also a huge fan of L''Aventure, Le Poisson D'Or, and Jean Dupont, all in Marigot years ago......

How come the title of these posts change to "Umbrella ordinance...." instead of the original "restaurants long ago"?

Mark started out at the Grand Case Beach Club in what is now the parking lot. He moved from there to French Cul de Sac!!

If you will note, your response has the 'restaurants' title. This thread originally started off as a response on the umbrella ordinance thread, which I removed to a separate thread. However, I didn't bother to change all the titles of each note..

Scavengers on Dawn Beach. In the 80's there weren't a lot of options in the area. They offered reasonably priced and delicious lunch right there on the beach which was always great and you couldn't beat the view. (Went to the hotel in 1982 on our honeymoon and I think they were there then.) They survived Hurricane Luis and used one of the abandoned beach units until the Westin destroyed the beach and put up the "prison".

I know a lot of people enjoyed Scavengers. We didn't hang out on Dawn much, but we did enjoy Ms. B's, before the Westin put up the prison...

Thanks for remembering Scavengers!! We opened the bar after Luis in 1998 and indeed built the bar & grill area from the debris of the hurricane...hence the name!!

And who could forget Vince's Conga Cafe. Great food and good memories. Recall Vince serving wrapped in a towel because he just got out of the shower. When I ordered a drink he told me to get get it myself. Fun times.

Yup, great food, good times!

I loved that bar, and it was my favorite t-shirt! Until it wore out.

I remember bongo byrons on orient beach with the large parrot in the cage out front.

The old Le Bec Fin on Front street in P'Burg---not in Simpson Bay. And Wang Jang Doll on the same side of Front street nearer to Great Bay Hotel.

LOL. I remember that as well. We'd stop before going to the beach to make a rez....those were the good ole days.

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />
Contessa

Who could ever forget those parrots? LOL. And Reverend T Bone behind the bar. It was a great place.

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Contessa