| Most visitors recognize a pina colada, have certainly
sampled chicken legs, may be familiar with baked plantain, might even had had whelks Øn
rice. But how many know kallaloo, saltfish pates (pronounced: pat-ays), tannia, johnny
cake, souse, cassava bread. Fried or boiled fish is not rare but have you had it with
fungi (pronounced: foon-gee)? Then there's guava tart or soursop ice cream. And for a
mid-afternoon snack, sugar cakes--delectable concoctions made from boiled sugar and fresh
coconut. Many island recipes come down to us from the "make do"
days when imports were far from plentiful and what grew locally (tropical fruits, root
vegetables, pigeon peas, chicken, fish, goats, spices and leaves) were staples. Some
recipes are based on Africanfare, some arrived with European housewives, others took root
in imagination.
Maubi, a foamy local drink, is made from the bark of the maubi tree, herbs and a
bit of yeast. Souse, appearing at all festive occasions, is a stew of pig's head, tail and
feet liberally flavored with lime juice.
Simmer local greens, okra, boned fish, ham bone and hot pepper and you have
kallaloo. Fungi, a corn meal dumpling, requires a deft hand to give it the right, light
texture. The tannia root makes good soup, as do pigeon peas. Johnny cakes (unleavened
fried bread) and pate turnovers (pastry filled with spiced beef or saltfish) are
everybody's favorite. These are often sold at sidewalk stands. Seafood is on the menu of
almost every island restaurant. Conch (islanders pronounce it "conk") is a
favorite in garlic sauce as a starter, served cold in a salad, hot as a main dish. It also
appears in conch fritters and a delectable chowder. Grouper, snapper, yellowtail and tuna
are menu leaders along with lobster (ours is warm-water langouste).
The native-style restaurants can be counted on the serve West Indian fare, among
them Eunice's on Smith Bay Road and Gladys' Cafe in Royal Dane Mall in town which has
island specials. So does Cuzzin's, also in town on Back Street. Every Friday Bluebeard's
Castle puts on a West Indian buffet lunch and Elysian does a dinner buffet. The ritz
Carlton's Caribbean night each Monday also includes a lively show.
|
    
St. Croix:
Indies Restaurant...(340) 692-9440
If you are on St. Croix and are looking for authentic Caribbean food, one of your choices
is Indies restaurant. Set in a quaint courtyard overlooked by 18th-century buildings, this
is definitely an experience.
Duggan’s Reef...(340) 773-9800
For a variety of foods from fresh fish to racks of lamb, try Duggan's Reef which overlooks
the beach and Buck Island.
St. John’s:
Paradiso...(340) 693-8899
When in St. John's and in the mood for a specific wine and Italian food, a great place is
Paradiso. Though only open for dinner, Paradiso furnishes an expensive wine list.
Palm Terrace...(340) 775-3333
If you would like to enjoy the tropical weather while gazing upon the blue ocean, try Palm
Terrace, where you can dine upon fresh seafood.
St. Thomas:
Blackbeard’s Castle...(340) 776-1234
For visitors on St. Thomas, a fun place to dine is Blackbeard's Castle, where diners look
out upon docked cruise ships just like Blackbeard himself!
East Coast Bar & Grill...(340) 775-1919
Another entertaining restaurtant is the East Coast Bar & Grill. Most nights there is
live jazz music playing while you dine on a choice of everything from fish to burgers. |
