|
Spice up your life with a True Blue Taste of GrenadaBy Jane CassieClose your eyes and let your imagination take you to a tropical place where aquamarine seas sparkle in the morning sun, floral scents hang heavy in the air, and balmy breezes provide a warm embrace. Add to it coral reefs teeming with multi-colored fish, spicy and flavourful Creole cuisine, and people that are as friendly as long lost relatives. Then click your heels three times, and if you’re as lucky as Dorothy was, you’ll wake up from your dream at True Blue Bay Resort & Marina on the West Indies isle of Grenada.
We discover during our week long stay that owners Magdalena and Russ Fielden really know how to do things right. Since purchasing this property in 1999, they have not only earned the distinction for creating top notch accommodations but have also developed a waterfront restaurant that is rated, by the Grenadian Tourist Board, as one of the top three places for dining out. Cantilevered decks extend well beyond the craggy shoreline to capture the True Blue Bay feel and while feasting on culinary creations that range from Caribbean classics to a mix of Mexican, nautical activity provides ongoing entertainment. Most nights offer a different theme, and whether it’s Tuesday’s Grenadian gastronomics, or Thursday’s curry creations, Chef Charles and his team of culinary experts make sure that there’s something to please every palate.
During the week we seem to be mesmerized, by a number of other aromas while touring this island dubbed the ‘Isle of Spice,’ and like spellbound victims of the Pied Piper we are lured into other delectable diners. Here are a few other flavouable favourites that we discover. The Aquarium Restaurant
Bel Air Plantation / Water’s Edge Restaurant
Patrick’s
Laluna
Morne Fendue Plantation House
The island jewel of Grenada is located one hundred miles (160 kms) north of Venezuela in the Eastern Caribbean. To Get Around Grenada:Henry’s Safari Tours Restaurant Contact InformationTrue Blue Bay Resort and Restaurant The Aquarium Bel Air Plantation / Water’s Edge Restaurant Patrick’s Laluna Morne Fendue Plantation House Jane and Brent freelance for a number of publications and can be contacted at janecassie@telus.net IMAGES BY BRENT CASSIE AND COMPLIMENTS of AQUARIUM RESTAURANT |
|
TM
Feathery
palm fronds, deep green sea grape trees and a rainbow of tropical blooms
adorn the boardwalks and terra cotta pathways that lead to the thirty-one
unique accommodations. They range in size from intimate guest rooms to
larger style villas and whether perched just above the water’s edge, nestled
among tropical garden settings, or next to one of the two shimmering pools,
each is cloaked with bright Caribbean colours and commands an exquisite
south coast view.
Grenada’s
main hub of St George’s and famous sandy strip, known as Grand Anse Beach,
are conveniently just a short drive away, and for those who prefer to stick
close to home base, there’s lots of water fun in store. As well as
complimentary kayaks and hobie cats, the marina and Aquanauts dive shop is
at their front door. Here, they can arrange a tour to either cruise above
the aquamarine waters, or check out the bountiful sea life beneath. Others
may choose to languidly spend their days next to one of the two pools. The
infinity pool appears to spill into the embracing True Blue Bay and its
rimming sandy strip is the perfect spot to splay out on a beach towel or
shovel sand into a bucket. A tropical splash can also be enjoyed in the
hillside pool, where shading cabanas offer a reprieve from the sun and the
elevated perch boasts a vista that stretches over bobbing boats to the
Caribbean’s horizon. 
Brilliant
fabrics add Spanish splash to the tables during Friday’s Mexican night when
we have the privilege of dining with Magdelena and Russ. They both exude a
genuine interest in their guests and it’s obvious that their homespun
hospitality and personalized service is a secret to their success. “Meeting
our guests is the best part of running the resort,” Magdalena shares. “And
because our focus is so personalized, we have repeat guests coming back
again and again.” The lively activity around us attests to this fact. During
the course of our meal, most of the tables become occupied and the adjacent
jetty perch, where Stuart’s bar serves up casual fare, is bustling with
business. …And as we dine on scrumptious chicken enchiladas
embellished with an array of fresh vegetables (one of the many recipes
passed down from Magdalena’s grandmother) and melt in your mouth khalua
cream cake, we realize that the Fielden’s success is also attributed to a
number of other tantalizing ingredients. 
The
brochure provides a pretty accurate account by describing that this dining
establishment is in a jungle by the sea. Swaying palms throw shade over lush
tropical undergrowth and a trickling waterfall resonates with the rolling
surf. While fronting a pristine strip of Grenadian sand, and integrating
divinely into the lush tropical landscape, this open-air restaurant imbibes
the very relaxed West Indies feel. Long time island resident, Uli Kuhn, is
the brainchild and creator of this quintessentially Caribbean eatery where
epicureans flock for innovative fare that ranges from West Indian to
classical European. “I wanted to create a restaurant where folks could enjoy
the setting and even bring their families,” Kuhu shares. While some come
just to dine and admire distant night lights of St George’s, others combine
the daytime meal with a bit of beach-side snorkeling or a paddle in a kayak.
Callaloo cannelloni, cilantro Thai chicken, and shrimp lightly doused in a
coconut sauce are just a few highlights, and during our Sunday evening visit
we discover that both the grilled swordfish and lobster barbecue are worth
writing home about too. 
If
you’re in search of a secluded setting, head out to Grenada’s southeastern
shores where this fine dining establishment and luxury retreat snuggles up
to St. David’s Harbour. A fiesta of tropical blooms sprawl over the eighteen
picturesque acres and Caribbean-inspired colours broadcast a warm welcome.
The Water’s Edge Restaurant offers innovative cuisine that is infused with
the abundance from the sea, gardens and local farms, and Chef, Craig
Copland, entices with his signature specialties ranging from Grenadian
traditionals to international delights. A bouquet of garlic and nutmeg
flavours the unique breadfruit soup and both the lobster and Waldorf salads
are superbly prepared and presented. While some choose to join us on the
restaurant’s wrap around verandah, others go al fresco on the waterfront
patio. The upper floor also houses a lounge where ceiling fans whirl above
rattan and mahogany to create a Casablanca feel. Nutmeg shells trail to a
glistening infinity pool and well appointed hillside accommodations where
goose down drapes four posters, Italian tiles embrace oversize whirlpools,
and private decks lend that awesome water view.
This
owner’s vivacious personality matches the flamboyancy of his tangerine shirt
and his infectious laughter is as inviting as his cuisine is Creole.
Patrick’s history goes way back to when he worked with ‘Mamma’s’ restaurant
and learned all the tricks of the trade. For the past eight years, he has
offered Grenadian gastronomics a true taste of traditional treats
accompanied by his exuberant love for life. His simple pink and white
clapboard cottage advertises the best Grenadian home-style cooking there is,
and that’s exactly what you’ll get, but don’t forget to make reservations.
As well as limited space, there’s no set menu in store, just a sampling of
everything and more. And it just keeps coming. Cod fish fritters, lambie in
Creole sauce, fresh water crayfish, deep fried plantain and green papaya in
cheese sauce were just a few of the twenty two authentic favourites that
were served on mass. Patrick advises, “Don’t eat lunch if you’re joining us
for dinner. Make sure you come hungry.” Thanks for the words of wisdom,
Patrick. We’ll make sure to remember them next time. 
Discreet
sophistication could be the watchwords of this boutique-style property that
snuggles up to its private strip of sandy shore. Tropical breezes flow
through the thatched roof open-air restaurant where up to forty-eight guests
can revel in the exploration of fine Italian cuisine against the backdrop of
billowy palms. Thai pumpkin and ginger soup, spiced island sushi, chilled
seafood salad, spicy Thai peanut chicken curry and bananas flambé are just a
few of the tantalizing options. The beach front setting is magnificent, the
ambience is relaxed, and as we enjoy exquisitely crafted courses, music
flows mellifluously over the sound of lapping waves. “People come here to
totally get away from the formalities and stress in their lives,” Managing
Director, Charles Hossle confirms during our visit, “and we’ve designed a
resort so they can do just that.” Guests may also choose to mingle and munch
beyond the shimmering pool where the lounge’s Thai-style furnishings and
overstuffed lounges entice the laid back lifestyle. Or menu options can be
delivered to any one of the sixteen Indonesian inspired cottages that dot
the lush hillside. 
A
roadbed of nutmeg shells trails to this eighteenth century plantation house
located within the northeastern area of St Patrick’s parish. Blooming
bougainvillea trellis over its masonry stone exterior and Royal palm fronds
sway above vibrant poinsettias, virgin white oleander and Japanese umbrella
plants. Although the property is a living work in progress, visitors are
lured by the intrigue of yesteryear and cuisine that is distinctly
Grenadian. A lesson in history reveals the plantation’s early sugar cane
industry, and includes stories about Betty Mascoll, philanthropist and late
founder of the guesthouse. It’s accompanied by a lunch buffet where the
ever-popular callaloo soup, stir fried plantain, peppered pork, and
Grenada’s signature creation, oildown, made with breadfruit, sweet potato,
yams, callaloo, fish, spices, curry, and coconut milk is a definite
potpourri for the palate. As well as five rooms in the plantation house, the
quarters that once housed servants have been transformed into eight
guestrooms. While imbibing the feel of bygone days, they each lend a
panoramic view that stretches over the lush hillsides to the distant
Atlantic.