Cow Wreck Beach

As I mentioned on Saturday, HB and I took the iSpeed to Anegada on Sunday to check out the 2nd-largest and lowest-lying of the British Virgin Islands for ourselves. With a population of 200, Anegada is definitely low-key, but there are still some cool things to check out -- like the pink flamingo population in the salt ponds, and the nursery housing several critically endangered Anegada Ground Iguanas. HB and I opted to do none of these things. Instead, we hopped a ride to nearly-vacant Cow Wreck Beach, and there we stayed until time to return to Tortola.

It was a fairly cloudy day, with rain showers off and on, but it was actually pretty perfect weather for strolling along the sand and sitting in a chair with a book. Warm, not too breezy, and not so sunny that I got heat exhaustion. The water was a lovely, inviting shade of green, and the miles-long stretch of beach was empty.

The intermittent clouds kept us from swimming in the clear green water, but HB and I occupied ourselves by digging with our toes in the high-quality, sugary-textured, beautiful white sand -- probably the second-best sand I've encountered in the BVI, next to Long Bay West.

We ate lunch at the Cow Wreck Beach Bar & Grill -- you know you're in a boater's paradise when VHF channels are as prominently displayed on signs and advertisements as phone numbers.

The quiet bar & grill provided three incredible fried fish sandwiches for HB and I to gorge ourselves on, along with a steady supply of Corona and limes, and some sturdy adirondack chairs to relax in. The entire vibe was pretty much perfect, and I would recommend the spot whole-heartedly to anyone looking for a place to spend a laid back day on the sand.

Sunday Brunch

Since trying their mojito happy hour last winter, we've long been fans of the location of the Clubhouse at Frenchman's, and our visit last Sunday only reconfirmed what a beautiful spot they have, with a view to the South-East over the Sir Francis Drake Channel, and wonderfully manicured grounds surrounding the restaurant.

The location alone is almost enough reason to return to the Clubhouse, but we had an unfortunate experience at dinner over the summer, so it took a lot of convincing for me to get HB to return for Sunday brunch. Only the multiple reports from many different quarters of the deliciousness of the brunch food prevailed on HB to give the Clubhouse another try. I think both of us were happy he relented, as not only did the service at brunch show an improvement over dinner, but so did the food.

Frenchman's offers a three-course prix fixe brunch menu, including one "libation" and coffee, for $24 per person. Even if the food were mediocre, it would be a pretty good deal, but as it stands, this is probably one of the best restaurant values on Tortola.

First courses range from house-made duck liver pate to a New York style bagel with dill and salmon cream cheese, while second courses offer a wider variety of both sweet and savory options. My Belgian waffle was nearly transcendent, it was so light and fluffy and creamy. I seriously have never had such a delicious waffle, nor known that they could even approach such deliciousness.

I expected the "libation" included in the prix fixe menu to reflect the weak pour we experienced at happy hour, but, happily, the opposite was true. Similarly, the coffee was Grade A Blue Mountain, freshly brewed in a French press -- by far the best cup of coffee I've ever had. I would almost say you should go for this reason alone, but unfortunately, when we ordered a second cup, it seemed more like Folgers grounds than the Blue Mountain we were expecting.

Dessert did not quite live up to the standard of the rest of the meal, with somewhat uninspired choices (key lime pie or passion fruit cake). The cake was a little dry, but ultimately, I was too stuffed from the rest of my meal to properly enjoy dessert anyway.

If you happen to be on Tortola on a Sunday, brunch at Frenchman's is highly recommended.

Mermaid's

HB goes to Virgin Gorda about once a week for work, and so at the end of our anniversary day on Virgin Gorda last weekend, he took me to one of the many restaurants he frequents.

Mermaid's Dockside Bar is one of the more popular local watering holes on Virgin Gorda, and there was a lively game of dominoes taking place when we arrived.

The draw for me was the location. The restaurant is situated on a pier, completely surrounded by water. No other restaurant I've encountered in the BVI can quite match this literal, "on the water" feel.

We had a few beers and watched the impending sunset until our food arrived. We had to wait for the pizza oven to heat up to the appropriate 900 degrees, but with views like these, we weren't in any rush.

Of all the pizza I've had in the BVIs, the pizza HB had at Mermaid's was probably the closest thing I've had to Stateside pizza. Even as good as it was, it did not compare to the tastiness of my entree: whole, steamed red snapper with fried plantains and mac 'n' cheese. Too intent on devouring it to take a picture, let me reassure you that its eye was all the clue I needed that it hadn't been out of the water for very long.

For a combination of ambience and fresh, local fish, I have yet to find Mermaid's equal in the BVI.

Trellis Bay Kitchen

I have been wanting to write about Trellis Bay Kitchen for some time, and every time we eat there I think, "next time I'll bring the camera and write a post." And yet, I continually fail to bring the camera, probably because we often choose Trellis Bay on the spur of the moment.

Known throughout Tortola for their "Famous Awesome Sandwich", after three visits, I have yet to try anything else, because the sandwich is truly awesome. The sandwich comes without any sides, although you won't miss them, as the sandwich is more than enough to fill you up. With the best multi-grain bread I've ever had serving as palate, the sandwich has melted cheese, veg, and an option of six different types of fish, or ham and turkey. The flying fish has been rumored to be the best, but there's been a shortage of flying fish in the BVI for six months now, so HB and I have had to opt for snapper and smoked wahoo, both of which were great.

The location and vibe of Trellis Bay Kitchen offer encouragement of their own to visit. Located at the far end of Beef Island, you can't really go any father East on Tortola. The kitchen sits on Trellis Bay, and offers windsurfing equipment and lessons, along with a cybercafe. It's a great spot to spend a relaxed afternoon, enjoying the tastiest sandwich on the islands.

Deli France

Located across the street from Tico, in Wickham's Cay I, Déli France has become a serious food resource for me. While I've stopped in at Déli France many times in the past, usually to pick up some prosciutto or pancetta, only recently have I started visiting on a regular basis.

As the sign says, the deli functions as a bakery, charcuterie, and cheese shop, along with offering lunch sandwiches. The wide variety of European meats and cheeses often helps me complete my grocery shopping. The fresh croissants and pastries make a quick, inexpensive, and delicious breakfast option. Other European products, like Fage yogurt and Illy beverages are also available.

The French Bakery, as I call it, is open from 8am to 6pm Monday through Friday, and 9am to 1pm Saturday.

Spaghetti Junction

I realized last night as we considered restaurant options for dinner that I haven't posted about my favorite restaurant on island, Spaghetti Junction. Open for both lunch and dinner, Spaghetti Junction succeeds where few other restaurants on the island do, in having distinctive and delicious menus for both meals.

By night, Spaghetti Junction suits its name, serving primarily italian-style fare with a Caribbean twist. HB and I have eaten dinner there three times, and haven't had anything less than stellar. My favorite entree, the gnocchi gorgonzola, is unfortunately temporarily off the menu while the proprietors try to find a more reliable source for the ingredients; but until they do, their other entrees, like tiger prawns and jambalaya pasta, are more than suitable substitutes.

I think HB likes Spaghetti Junction for lunch as much as I like it for dinner. Their standard lunch menu of slightly-upscale sandwiches and salads is daily complimented with their specials board, which usually features a mix of Indian and West Indian cuisine. The platter of goat curry HB ordered there has been one of his most memorable meals on island, bones and all.

Located on Wickham's Cay I very close to the cruise ship dock, Spaghetti Junction is highly recommended no matter what time of day.

Official Holidays

Back in October, HB wrote about all the special holidays we celebrate in the BVI. However, since he hadn't actually experienced a holiday here, he wasn't able to write about what you might expect should you find yourself in the BVI on an official holiday.

The primary thing you will note about an official holiday is that pretty much everything is closed. Offices, shops, restaurants, some grocery stores. Now you may be used to stores and offices being closed on major holidays, like Christmas, but this applies to ALL official holidays. When we celebrated H. Lavity Stoutt's birthday and Commonwealth Day in March (the BVI equivalents of Martin Luther King Day and President's Day, respectively), pretty much everything was closed.

The exceptions to the closures are what you might expect. Some restaurants will be open for dinner. The restaurants and maybe one or two shops closest to the cruise ship terminal will be open if there are ships in. They will only stay open until the cruise ships leave. The large Riteway and OneMart in Pasea Estate are open shorter hours (Riteway is usually 9am-7pm).

You will also note, should you be unfortunate enough to arrive in the BVI on an official holiday, that the streets are very quiet. If, as HB and I often seem to do, you elect to take a drive on an official holiday, the only other people you will see are expats and cruise ship passengers. On the other hand, should you wish to go to the beach, you will immediately realize where the vast majority of the population has opted to spend their holiday. Brewer's Bay usually has about 10 people using its lovely sandy beaches, but on holidays, that number is more like 100.

The last thing to note about your BVI official holiday experience is in relation to Good Friday. Not only do all the above rules apply to Good Friday, but there is an additional rule in effect on this official holiday as well: alcohol may not be purchased in the territory before 6pm on Good Friday. It cannot be served at bars. It cannot be sold at grocery stores.

I feel strident sympathy for the passengers of the two cruise ships that arrived in Tortola yesterday, on Good Friday. They're on holiday, they get off in the port, and everything's closed. No shopping available to them, many of the shore excursions are not operating, as it's a holiday. They try to go to the beach and at least enjoy the sun, but the beaches are crowded. And they can't even get a drink.

Restaurants

I've written several times about specific restaurants that HB and I have visited, but nothing about the restaurant culture on island in general. What kind of experience can someone expect when they go out to dinner (or lunch, or breakfast) on Tortola?

There are essentially three types of dining establishments on the island: those that cater to visitors and expats; those that cater to West Indians; and bars. Government prohibits franchises, so all restaurants are pretty much one-offs, except Pusser's, which is a locally owned chain.

Service pretty much everywhere is slow and rarely customer-oriented, which can be a big difference for someone from the US or Canada, but is not unlike service I've encountered in Europe. The exception to this rule on Tortola at least is the Sugar Mill. 

Bars provide pretty much the sort of bar food you would expect, with burgers, sandwiches, pizza, and the occasional roti or pate thrown in. West Indian restaurants, unsurprisingly, offer a variety of West Indian cuisine, like ox tail stew, curried goat, ginger wine chicken, and shrimp creole. Entrees at bars and West Indian restaurants generally start around $10 and go up from there, with large pizzas typically costing around $20.

In sharp contrast are the restaurants that cater to visitors and expats, which provide a pretty standard rotation of continental fare, with the occasional French or Asian fusion flair. Sky Bar is perhaps an exception to this, as they specialize in teppanyaki and sushi. A visit to one of these restaurants is usually accompanied by a fair bit of sticker shock on my part, as vegetarian and chicken dishes usually start around $20. While often the quality of food is not much different from what you'd find at an Applebee's for half the price, there are a few of these restaurants that offer a better overall value through higher food quality or better service.

Red Rock Restaurant

When we were looking for a place to watch the football games back in September, I read somewhere that Red Rock Restaurant and Bar was a good option. A glance at the menu on the website though made us reconsider the likelihood of its nature as a sports bar. The menu did, though, pique our interest in dining there.

So last Friday, as an end to our day together, HB and I headed to East End to check it out. The location of the Red Rock, waterfront on Penn's Landing, overlooking Fat Hogs' Bay is hard to beat. Even though the restaurant looks south, the colors of the sunset on the water, clouds and mangrove made for impressive views that almost make it as good as Bananakeet for sunset dining.

Our fresh lobster ravioli appetizer was good, well-presented with excellent light Italian flavors, although the lobster itself was a little overwhelmed by the basil. My Veal Escalope was a pleasing, upscale version of jager schnitzel, but HB's Crispy Seared Mango Prawn was one of the best entrees I've had on island.

The only downside to the Red Rock for us is its location in East End, about a 20 minute drive from the house over roads we aren't familiar with. Despite this, I'm sure HB and I will be eating at Red Rock again.

Local's Corner

We started our day off together on Friday with breakfast at the Moorings' Mariner Inn in Wickham' Cay. It is the nature of the tourist complex that many of the best restaurants on the island are connected to hotels, but most do a good job of giving their restaurants a distinct character apart from the hotel. So it is with the two restaurants at the Moorings.

Having previously eaten at Charlie's, the Moorings' Italian restaurant, we decided to eat at the Moorings' main restaurant for breakfast. The menu looked pretty appetizing, with a varied selection of traditional American and Continental breakfast items. But my attention was arrested by the "Local's Corner" portion of the menu.

While I realize the US is unusual in its preference for sweet breakfasts, and that savory breakfast is preferred in much of the rest of the world, entreés such as "Pigs' Tail Souse" and "Locally Prepared Saltfish" did not seem like acceptable additions to the category of "breakfast" in my definition. Sauteed liver and onions may be delicious, but it's generally not what I'm looking for as a morning meal.

HB had a hankering for the rum-soaked french toast, which he had tried previously and thoroughly enjoyed, and I was simply not brave enough to try any of the offerings from the "Local's Corner", so I cannot report to you on their viability as breakfast, or meals for other times of the day. I can, however, recommend the Mooring's restaurant for breakfast, as the french toast and coffee was delicious. Just be prepared to spend some time there. Service was a little slow, but with views of the marina and a lovely relaxing breeze, it's almost forgivable.

Bananakeet Happy Hour

With our inability to see the sunset from our house, HB and I have been on the lookout for a good place to watch it. We both enjoy the lovely sunrises in the morning, but at heart, I think, we're both sunset people. I'd heard since we arrived on island that the Bananakeet Cafe had great views for sunset, and so on Friday evening, we went to their happy hour (4:00-6:00 pm daily) to check it out.

We were not disappointed. Perched on a cliff overhanging Carrot Bay, Bananakeet Cafe is outdoor dining in a casual setting around the pool for the adjacent Bananakeet hotel. The views are to the West, over Carrot Bay, with St. John in the distance, and several small islets dotting the waters in the foreground.

As the sun sets behind St. John, the haze around the islands starts to accumulate, and soon you fancy yourself in a scene from South Pacific. I was only mildly disappointed that the islands obscured the actual moment when the sun touches the water, inhibiting the possibility of seeing the green flash. Nonetheless, you certainly can't forget you're in the tropics while watching the sun set from Bananakeet Cafe.

I'm sorry I forgot the camera again, but we'll be going back soon. Leaving for our dinner reservations elsewhere, we saw and smelled the food coming out of the kitchen there, and will definitely have to return to sample it, and enjoy the sunset once more. 

Crandall's

One of our favorite BVI treats is lunch from Crandall's.

Located on the west end of Road Town, across the street from the Riteway and Arawak Interiors at Prospect Reef, Crandall's Bakery is open Monday through Saturday for breakfast and lunch. Having never been for breakfast, I have no idea what they offer, but I know their lunch is as tasty as they come.

The high quality of the lunch is evidenced by long line that accumulates inside the small storefront every day between 11:00 and 2:00. I have never been in that there isn't a line of at least six or seven people, often more, which by BVI standards makes Crandall's one of the busiest places on the island.

What are all these folks eating? Paté.

Paté is the Caribbean version of the Cornish Pasty. A filling of spiced meat is surrounded by a tasty, rich crust, and given a crimped edge to make for easy, one-handed eating.



The beef paté above served as HB's lunch on Friday, while I indulged in a chicken paté. Crandall's also offers turkey and saltfish as fillings. The warm spiced meat and flaky crust is a delicious lunch with a price that can't be beat. Two filling patés and a johnny cake cost $7.50.

Happy Hour

A co-worker told me about the happy hour at the Clubhouse at Frenchman's Cay, so last night HB and I decided to check it out. The lure of $3 mojitos, and, more importantly, $2 fish tacos was too strong to resist. The happy hour runs from 3-7 Tues-Sat, but when we arrived around 5:30, we were the only people there. Still, the staff was happy to serve us, and we sipped our mojitos for a little while before ordering our tacos.

While the mojitos weren't especially satisfying for me, the fish tacos were tasty, and the closest thing to an Aurora taco truck HB has encountered in a while. Large, flaky chunks of breaded, fried fish were dressed with a large smear of queso fresco and roasted red peppers, and topped with shredded romaine. In warm corn tortillas, the only thing missing was a little cilantro and lime juice to sprinkle on.

Perhaps the best part of happy hour at the Clubhouse at Frenchman's Cay is the setting. Frenchman's Cay is a high-end resort, and the manicured lawns and gardens, and views over the salt pool and the Caribbean, made for an elegant, yet comfortable vibe. Leaving with mostly full tummies and a bill of only $16, I'm sure we'll be back often to partake of this happy hour.

Mulligan's

Since our cable still isn't installed, a circumstance I will explore more thoroughly in a future Futilities post, HB and I decided to try and catch the Bronco's game at a local sports bar. After asking around during the week, and looking online, we figured our best bet was probably Mulligan's.

The entrance to Mulligan's reminds you instantly that you're in the Caribbean. A sandy path leads from the gravel parking lot to the main structure, which consists of a wooden floor, approximately 2500 square feet, covered by a wooden roof.

Picnic tables are scattered about the large lawn outside, and there's a small kitchen lean-to attached to the building. But for the most part, Mulligan's is a floor, a roof, and a bar.

The blue sheeting behind the flags is a weatherproof fabric that the proprietor rolls down to protect the bar during rainstorms.

The major draw for us on this first Sunday of the NFL season was the gigantic outdoor screen.

It didn't occur to us that the screen would be much better for watching Monday Night Football, then a game on a sunny, Sunday afternoon. Luckily for HB, Mulligans has several smaller TVs stationed "inside" the building.

Mulligan's is most famous for its driving range, the only one on the island, as far as I know.

In keeping with island style, it's nothing too fancy. A couple of tees, and a net or two. But with flat land at a premium on Tortola, the proprietors had to be innovative with their range.

Anything you manage to hit more than 100 feet winds up in Sea Cow's Bay.

For those interested in checking out the driving range, or Mulligan's excellent Painkiller, from Road Town, take Waterfront Drive towards West End. Turn left into the entrance for Nanny Cay Marina. Mulligan's is immediately on your left.