<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />The intent was to do a trip report right after we got home, because we had a trip to Vegas planned for 4 weeks after SXM. Well, like most things that I plan, that never happened. Being our trip was in July, a trip report now would be of little interest to anyone, so I thought I would just write about the restaurants we went to and the food we had.
One of the things I love about TTOL is all the restaurant information I gathered from this site before we ever went to SXM. Just from reading the trip reports and restaurant reviews I knew if a place was something we would be interested in or not our cup of tea. That is the purpose of this little essay. I hope I don’t bore you. This is just two people’s opinion, not the definitive “Zaget Report” for SXM. As you can tell from this report I am a foodie, and we love Italian food.
The trip was July 14 thru the 21st.
Breakfast:
ZEE BEST- Simpson Bay area.
A small place with seating outside on a porch and patio area. We ate here twice and got stuff to go back to our villa once.
Take out-
We got 1 Goat Cheese/ Ham, and 1 Spinach/Onion Quiche, plus the usual Brioche, Croissant, Almond Paste thing, Chocolate Croissant.
Eat in-
The first time we sat out toward the parking lot. We had the basket of pastries and coffee for both of us.
The second time we ate on the side by the driveway. Mary had Eggs and Bacon, croissants and coffee, and I had Eggs Benedict croissants and coffee.
We both thought that the pastries were not as good as last year (different owner). We felt most things were tougher than before but still about 100 times better than anything we can get here in the armpit of the world. The Eggs Benedict were as good as any I have ever had. Sitting on the side was quieter and more out of the way than out front. Sorry but I don’t remember how much we spent there.

ATLANTICO BAKERY- Simpson Bay area.
A small place (smaller than Zee) without, I believe, outside seating.
We bought some bread, rolls, and pastries to eat at the villa. The bread and rolls were great. I toasted the bread and served it with French Jam and Butter. The rolls I served with Dry sausage and Baked Brie that I picked up at Match in Marigot.
The few pastries we got were ok but not as good as Zee Best.

KISSING FISH BAR-Cupecoy area
A hard to find place within the Summit resort that is really worth the effort to find. The place is decorated with fish everywhere and the view from the deck is fantastic. Nice place, great view, and a great couple who own this place (even if he is way too happy this early in the day). Although now that I think of it, if I could wake up every day and go to work with my wife at my bar in Sint Maarten , you would need a hammer to make me quit smiling too.
Mary had-Eggs over easy (over way too easy, sent them back at the owners insistance) and Toast
I had- French Toast with Peanut Butter, some Bacon, and a Bloody Mary
Total $18,

MARY’S BOON-Simpson Bay area.
A small hotel with a nice restaurant overlooking the water (ocean side).
Mary had-Scrambled Eggs, Bacon and Toast
I had-a Sausage and Cheese Omelet, Bacon (it came with it) Toast and a large OJ (fresh squeezed, but $6) Total breakfast was $25. Mary said it was the best scrambled eggs she’s had in a long time. We both thought that bringing the toast out before the eggs was a little strange, but “when in Rome” etc.

LA CROISSANTERIE- Marigot Marina area.
A small, plain, unadorned room.
Mary had - Scrambled Eggs, croissant
I had- American Breakfast (2 Eggs, 2 Croissants, Bacon, OJ, Coffee) $14.50 total
Good food, but great croissants. The service was a bit “uninterested”. Just like the stereotypical idea of a French waiter serving an American, but we weren’t there for the service so we didn’t let it bother us. Plus, when you can bake like that you can walk around with a bad attitude.

Lunch:
LIDO LOLO- ? On the main road between Simpson Bay and Philipsburg?
We got 1 rack of Ribs with Rice, Mac & Cheese, Scalloped Potatoes and Salad plus an order of Mac & Cheese and an order of Scalloped Potatoes, to take back to the villa, all for $12.00. The Ribs and the Mac & Cheese were good, the Potatoes and the Rice were better than good. This food, eaten on the deck 25 feet from the ocean, with a bottle of Asti makes this a great lunch.

MARK’S PLACE- Grand Marche plaza, at the roundabout, Philipsburg area (I guess)
A nice Bar/Restaurant that looks bigger inside than it seems from the parking lot. Lots of plants around the entrance area.
Mary had-the Cheeseburger with fries.
I had- the Curried Goat, fries and a beer. It was very good and cheap, $19.
Mary said the cheeseburger was good, tender and not greasy. The Curried Goat was tender and well spiced without over doing it. Portions were good sized for lunch.

PIZZA PASTA- Maho area, next to and behind the casino.
A very small place, maybe 10 tables, that is decorated in the “checkered tablecloth, candle in the Chianti basket bottle, neighborhood Italian restaurant “ way.
1st time-Mary had- the homemade Ravioli, a big bottle of San Pelligrino to share
I had Veal Picatta with a side of spaghetti. The bill was $36.
The Ravioli were medium sized with a creamy Ricotta cheese mixture inside. The Red sauce was smooth and lightly spiced. The Veal was an ample portion that was quite tender with a light lemon sauce.

2nd time –We each had a bowl of Pasta Fagioli, and we got a pizza with Prociutto.
The soup was a good blend of pasta and beans with a tasty broth. The pizza was a round, semi thin crust with a regular pizza sauce and a good amount of cheese. The prociutto was just ham and not real prosciutto, but at the price for the pizza I didn’t expect the real thing. Took ½ pizza back to the villa. The bill was $22

BANANAS- Simpson Bay area.
A Bar/Restaurant right near the road with a nice bar and a few tables in the front and a good-sized room in the back.
Mary had- a Ham and Cheese sandwich with chips, and a Sprite
I had- the Fried Oysters with fries, and a vodka and lemonade. The bill was $36
The sandwich was OK, nothing special. The Oysters were lightly breaded and fried to perfection, not over cooked or greasy. They tasted very fresh and although a little pricey at $18 for a medium size portion, they are something you don’t see a lot of (especially in SXM).

PEG LEG PUB- Simpson bay area
Like the name says, it’s a Pub with a covered deck overlooking the lagoon. It has a good size bar with a good selection of draft beers. Service was not so great, but not bad enough to ruin the meal.
Mary had- a Toasted Ham and Cheese Sandwich W/ Fries and a Ginger Ale
I had-a Caesar Salad W/Grilled Shrimp and Anchovies plus a Hinnyskin. Total was $26.
The sandwich was messa-messa with a large portion of fries. The Caesar Salad was a large size with about 6 or 8 large shrimp grilled perfectly and a decent amount of anchovies. The dressing was great. It was creamy, garlicky and cheesy in the perfect proportion, like a Caesar dressing should be, but hardly ever is. I don’t know how the croutons were, because I gave all of them to Mary. She agreed with me about the dressing. I have had my share of Caesars in my days, from made at home ones with bottled dressing to fancy restaurant- made at the table in the huge wooden bowl ones and this was the best Caesar Salad I have ever had.

CALAMOS BEACH BAR- Grand Case
The bar isn’t much but the beach is great. We got chairs and drinks. Sunned, swam, then had lunch.
Mary had- Baked Potato w/Sour Cream
I had- Mix Plate ( Grilled Mahi-Mahi, Swordfish, Shrimp, w/Salad and Basmati Rice) The fish was great, and eating on the beach was life at it’s best. Very Good.
A dip in the ocean (very warm, very clear, very calm), another drink, pay the bill- $40- it doesn’t get much better than that.

Dinner:
SPIGA- Grand Case, just off the main (restaurant row) street.
A small place, in a little house, with tables on the front porch. No bar. Nicely decorated, I wouldn’t call it elegant or stuffy, I think classy would be the best way to describe it. We had a nice table in the corner away from the porch. Now for the food. The food was out of this world.
We started with Nippozanno Chianti, a wonderful value at $42.
I had a Shrimp/Scallop/Prosciutto appetizer and we split a Manicotti sort of thing that was stuffed with Cheese and Eggplant. The Manicotti was great and perfectly spiced and the Shrimp/Prosciutto was about the best appetizer I have ever had.
Mary had -Chicken stuffed with roasted red peppers, cheese and basil plus mashed Sweet Potatoes.
I had -Filet Mignon with Risotto –The filet was cooked a perfect medium, and very tender. The risotto was alla Milanese, cooked al-dente with an ideal blend of saffron, garlic and onion. Both entrees were fabulous.
We had Tiramisu for dessert. Before this meal, the best Tiramisu we have had was from Palio in NYC. It was $14 but worth it. We both agreed that Spiga’s was even better and the BEST we have ever had, and at about ½ of Palio’s price. Perfection on a plate. Finished with a Lemnocello. The bill was $136-- $160 with tip. Worth every cent. PERFECT

TEMPTATION- Atlantis Casino complex
A very nice place with a modern décor. A nice bar area plus outside seating (sort of) for dinner. I had explained it was my wife’s ??th birthday, and requested a romantic table, 2 months in advance. When we got there we were taken to a little table right next to the kitchen door. I asked that we be moved and we were taken “outside” and seated in front of the water feature.
Mary had 2 appetizers for dinner- Grilled Portobello Mushroom, and Homemade Spinach-Ricotta Ravioli
I had- Grilled Peaches for an appetizer., and Osso Bucco. The peaches were topped with Blue Cheese, glazed Pecans and Rosemary. The Osso Bucco was done in a red wine sauce and was very tender with a deep rich flavor.
We shared 2 large bottles of water and the Crème Brulee Sampler, which was good but not exceptional. Total was $98.
Food was very good, nice place, service was just so-so. I do think that it is overrated. Spiga and La Gondola IMHO are a better choice.

LA GONDOLA- Atlantis Casino complex
A small to medium sized restaurant. Décor is Italian elegant, stopping just short of the “Capodimonte” style overindulgence of some fancy Italian restaurants. The hosts are two brothers that are very friendly and really seem to enjoy having a restaurant.
Mary and I- Split the Brusshetta and the Eggplant Parm. – The Brusshetta had fresh Mozzarella on top, and then they stick it under the broiler to melt the cheese. The Eggplant was sliced very thin and had a great Tomato sauce on top. We thought we would get the two appetizers brought out with the Brusshetta on one plate and the Eggplant on one plate and little plates for us to put it on to eat. Instead, they split the appetizers up, but they came out with each of us having both on our own serving plate, complete with the whole presentation thing for each. Each appetizer had 3 or 4 dabs of the thickest Balsamic Vinegar I have ever seen. It tasted like chocolate, and must have cost about $500 a quart. It was an unexpected surprise that shows the attention to detail and the desire of this restaurant to please the customer.
Mary had – Gnocchi w/Tomato Basil Sauce
I had- Veal w/Gorgonzola Sauce
The Gnocchi was the ideal bite size, not too small or too big, and light as air. The sauce was smooth and the exact accompaniment the little pillows called for.
The Veal came out with a fantastic presentation of sides (5 in all) arranged around the plate, and consisted of Roasted Potatoes w/Rosemary, Polenta, Frittata, Vegetable Crepe, and some kind of Carrot Ricotta. The Veal was fork tender and the sauce was thick and creamy without being overbearing.
We had a bottle of Nippizanno wine and San Pellegrino water.
We each got free Tiramisu, and Mary got a very loud Happy Birthday song and a sparkler on her dessert, and a free Amoretto, and a free Lemoncello for me.
Fantastic dinner for $112 plus tip. A STEAL as far as I’m concerned.
5 STAR – EXCELLENT food and service. Great Hosts.

LAGUNA RESTAURANT: end of runway by the car rental places.
This place has a nice Italian neighborhood restaurant look and feel. Nothing fancy, just a clean, open room with deck seating overlooking the lagoon, and Sinatra playing on the stereo.
I started with the Prosciutto and Melon.
Mary had- Angel Hair Pasta with Tomato Basil Sauce
I had- Braciole and Gnocchi Pomadorro
The pasta and Tomato/Basil sauce was good and tasty, in a comfy neighborhood way.
The Braciole was 6 pieces of steak cut very thin and rolled up with cheese inside and then grilled or sautéed, instead of braised in sauce as I am used to. I was worried they might be tough but they were excellent. The Gnocchi were light and cooked just right.
We ordered 1 Tiramisu and 1 Crème Brulee and split them. Both were very good with the Crème Brulee being a touch better. A bottle of Pellegrino and a bottle of Aziano to drink. Total $104. Very Good meal.

SPIGA again:-
This time we sat along the outside wall where the tables are closer together and in a row. This wouldn’t be our first choice for a table but it was fine. To eat Spiga’s food I would sit next to the dishwashing machine in the kitchen.
Mary had- Grilled Vegetables for appetizer.
I had- Lobster Ravioli for appetizer.
The veggies were simply grilled and lightly seasoned and the Lobster Ravioli was 3 or 4 large ravioli with a good bit of lobster in the filling and a great pink cream sauce.
Mary had- 2 kinds of Crepes (Manicotti) for entrée.
I had- Roast Pork Tenderloin w/Pancetta and Mushrooms for entrée.
We weren’t sure of everything that was in the Manicotti, but we know there were eggplant, mushrooms, cheese and other things. All of them delicious.
The Pork was sensational. It was as tender as butter and had a depth of flavor that almost made me cry. Dessert was Tiramisu for both. Nippizanno wine, Pellegrino water.
Total $127
UNBELIEVABLE MEAL. The Pork was “off the chart” Best thing I ate on SXM.

MARY’S BOON- Simpson Bay
This is a little hotel right on the beach that serves breakfast and dinner (I don’t think they have lunch), in a good sized dinning room that has a separate “honor bar” area for drinks. The bar is well stocked and as the name suggests is on the honor system. You get or make whatever you want to drink and then tell them at the end of the meal what you had and they add it to your bill. Last year on our first night in SXM we ate here and I had arranged for our dinner to be on the beach. We were literally 30 feet from the water at our table, under a canopy, with candles and all. This year I made the same request. Because of the wind we couldn’t really eat on the beach, although the guy offered us a table on the side of the building.
The guy remembered us from last year, telling us what wine we had last year. He was very accommodating and we got some pictures on the beach with the full moon behind us. We went in to the honor bar for a glass of wine and met a bunch of people staying at the Belair Beach Resort. . We talked with them until dinnertime. I think this is the whole idea behind the honor bar, meeting and enjoying other people. We were escorted to a nice table by the window, and then the owner slid another table over to join our table to give us more room.
Mary’s Boon serves 2 entrees every night. One is always Grilled Chicken Breast and the other changes every night. The food is served family style with seconds a must (or you catch hell from the servers). On this night the main entrée was Veal Dijonaise.
We got a bottle of Bordeaux Superior and then the food started coming.
1st.- an Onion Quiche over salad.
2nd- Rice, Haricot Vert, Fried Cabbage, then-
Mary had- Grilled Chicken Breast.
I had- the Veal Dijonaise – MMMMMMMMMMMM
Apple Pie ala mode for dessert.
The Chicken Breast had an oriental barbeque taste. The Veal was tender and the sauce plentiful and tangy. The Rice and Fried Cabbage were both very good. Total includes tip, $107.75, I left $5 extra. Good meal, we like this place a lot.
The lady bringing out the food remembered us from last year, commenting on us sitting on the beach the last time there. I am amazed that two people remember us from last year.
Mary’s Boon is not fancy, and doesn’t have the best food, doesn’t have the best prices, doesn’t have the best view or the best beach, but I love going there. The whole being greater than the sum of its parts.
Well that’s it. I know I used the word “best” a lot but it is true. Was it maybe being on the island that made things seem better? I don’t know. I only know they were. We can’t wait to go again this year, so we can discover more “bests” and then bore you all to death with another insanely late report.
Till then,
Our Best Regards,
Phil and Mary