Mid-Trip Report

EGW

SBH Member
Greetings, all, from beautiful St Barth.
We've been on-island for five days now, and since trip reports seem a little scarce these days, I thought I'd share a few observations.
1) Getting Here:
Is it as easy as usual? Probably not (but it's still worth it).
Got the COVID test. Finding a quick turnaround testing clinic in Michigan wasn't easy, but we managed it. We filled out SXM's EHAS form on-line and got approval back in less than an hour. Not bad for a Sunday night.
On travel day, we were up at 3 am and on the ATL flight by 6. So far, so good. Next flight from ATL to SXM not so much. A small mechanical problem snowballed into a bigger problem. After about 90 minutes of dissembling, Delta decided they needed a new aircraft. But with the late departure, we had no chance of making our SBC flight or a later Winair option. Reports of rough seas from the approaching Elsa made the ferry (aka, "Vomit Comet") a no-go.
Urgent phone calls to the travel agent resulted in being re-routed through San Juan and on to SBH the following day via Tradewind. But the required overnight stay in SJ meant that our COVID test results would expire (beyond the three day window), so we needed to find another rapid COVID test near the Atlanta airport. Luckily, Vision for Hope (678-705-3814) is located about 10 minutes from ATL, has shuttle service, and will get you antigen results in about 20 minutes.
Entry into PR was easy. They have a form which is quit similar the SXM's EHAS, on which you enter you vaccine documentation and (if you haven't been vaccinated) your COVID test results. Once you complete the form on-line, you receive approval and a QR code. On arrival in PR, they simply scanned the code and we breezed through the terminal.
Thankfully, the Tradewind flight the following day went smoothly. Evidently, we has used up all of our bad travel karma by then.
Like I said earlier, not as easy as usual. Now for the good stuff...
2) Villa
All I can say here is that the incomparable Rosita has once again provided a beautiful place to stay. It's a second home for us--one that we've missed for almost two years. It's great to be "home". Of note, she and Jean-Paul have just put the finishing touches on a fourth villa (3 BR), overlooking L'Orient. We got a tour earlier--It's just as spectacular as her other properties.
3) Restaurants
--Bagatelle: Yes, I know--The glitzy and (at times) over-the-top eatery/nightclub. But if you're not into nightlife (my bedtime these days is 10 pm at the latest), it's an excellent (and relatively quiet) restaurant if you go at 7-7:30. It also has a killer view of the harbor if you dine "a l'exterieur". This time around, it was great as usual, albeit with a scaled-down menu. I can particularly recommend the beef carpaccio and the veal. Sadly, my favorite, the cote de boeuf, is currently missing from the menu.
--Orega: The tuna/foie starter and quail breast special were spectacularly good, the staff gracious, and the ambiance casually elegant, as usual. As with Bagatelle, the menu has been scaled back, with the wonder sashimi plate missing. Enjoyable evening, in spite of a tab that came to 320 Euros plus tip for two, without dessert. And in all honesty, I did leave still a little hungry. Probably not a bad thing: Maybe I won't gain the usual five pounds this time around!
Francois Plantation: One of our perennial favorites, but unfortunately a bit of a disappointment on this visit. Gone from the menu is the sole meuniere, with the offerings limited to four starters, four mains and three desserts.
--La Langouste: Boudin, crab starter, grilled lobster, all great as usual. The place was slammed with customers, including several large tables, yet the kitchen and wait staff kept up remarkably well. Although I didn't recognize anyone from past years, they were pleasant and attentive, even while running (literally) between tables. Langouste seems to fly under the radar at times, but it's one of our perennial favorites.
--Next: Eddie's, Tamarin, Robuchon, and ???
4) Beaches
Saline and Gouverneur so far. Sargassum has been knee deep in places at Saline, likely due in part to the high winds from Elsa over the weekend. The poor tractor guy is struggling to keep up. By contrast, Gouverneur has been untouched. They're both on the same side of the island, so go figure.
5) Etc.
In some ways, the island seems busier than in past years, with traffic being particularly heavier. There's construction everywhere--hotels, villas, roads. The Camaruche detour is indeed a pain for those needing to travel past JoJo Burger.
With a few exceptions, the restaurants are busy, although reservations a day or two in advance have not been a problem. After the high winds of Elsa , the weather has been perfect.
For those needing to get COVID tested for the trip home, the Red Cross station in St Jean still seemed to be in operation as of late yesterday. Alternatively, as noted earlier, the pharmacy across from the airport also offers testing, albeit at a price.
So... Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to include as much detailed info as possible. In sum, St Barth is still a wonderous place to be (once you make it here!).
 
Great post! No trip report is ever too long IMHO. Thanks for sharing and looking forward to the rest.
 
Great post, EGW! Thank you for sharing your experiences with us all. Looking forward to your next installment!
 
Appreciated the clarification with TW- if fully vaccinated- no Covid test required. Are you going back via SJU or your original planned SXM route?
We agree on ‘Vomit Comet’- my bride can verify that unfortunately.
Your report is wonderful. Can’t wait for next one. Sorry Francois let you down. And for 320 Euros, plus tip and no dessert- leaving hungry isn’t right. If you had told Greg, he would have given you another course- no charge. He has done it for us without even asking!:blush-smile:
 
Enjoyed your post, kudos to your travel consultant for the reroute. Hope return home is easier, less stress than the outbound.
 
A great trip report! Filled with info that’s informative, colorful, helpful, & fun to read . . . looking forward to the next installment!
 
I think it is awesome how you fought through adversity and what I'm sure was a really stressful day and made your way and didn't let it affect your vacation once you arrived! :up:

While I do agree on Orega being the combo of a little pricy and not exactly filling, depending on what you order, we absolutely love it. Probably tied with Tamarin for our favorite dinner spot (love the "window seat"). We mostly just get small plates there and treat it like a tasting menu and I have to say every bite is usually fantastic. They have even made our favorite dishes for us when they weren't on the menu that night.

After reading your post I checked the Bagatelle menu. I didn't realize they served pizza there. That may open it up as a possibility for us now. My daughter is a tough one to find something to eat on a lot of the St Barth menus - no fish and no steak/veal/duck/lamb/etc. It will be burgers, pizza and pasta, but without some of the more flavorful sauces that many places serve and only so many hamburgers and pizzas we can expect her to order. It's kind of like finding a children's menu for an 18 year old :D
Which brings me back around to my question...anyone know how the pizza is at Bagatelle?
 
..anyone know how the pizza is at Bagatelle?
Excellent, IMHO.

On our last trip, we got two pizzas for take out to eat at the villa. The truffle pizza is incredible with just the right amount of truffle oil.
 
Wowza…what a travel day! I’ll echo what others have said about your perseverance! Happy to hear that you’ve settled into the island vibe.

Thanks for sharing your experience this far.
 
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