Part 8 - November Trip Report

lvbookworm

SBH Insider
During the course of every vacation there is always a specific point when you realize that the “end” is near. This morning we awoke a little sad realizing that we’d only have one more stress-free wake-up. Our day began with our usual breakfast at Petite Columbe. We momentarily thought about trying someplace new but…no. Why fix it if it ain’t broke, right? Today’s visit was pretty much like any other, with the exception of our additional fun in the parking lot. We had a good chuckle after returning to our car to find this vehicle parked, well, a little close. The condition of the passenger side of the car *may* have been an apt indicator of their parking prowess.

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After breakfast we made a quick run to Marché U to pick up a few items for a lunch we would prepare at the villa. I had to snap a quick photo of the car in front of us on the way out of the parking lot. It was such an iconic image of an early-morning SBH baguette run.

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Once back at the villa we quickly settled in for a morning at the pool. There was a lot of boat activity and it was fun to use binoculars to watch all the comings and goings. Lunch that day was courtesy of our villa owners who had spent the month prior to our arrival on island. They were so gracious to leave us a cooked 2 kg lobster wrapped in the freezer, and today was the day for our feast! We enjoyed the lobster briefly warmed in a sauce of white wine, butter and tarragon, haricot vert sautéed with butter and garlic, and crusty French bread for dipping. It was out of this world! Neither of us are huge fans of lobster and, as a result, we rarely indulge. But after tasting this spiny Caribbean lobster we may be forced to change our ways.

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Our housekeeper’s early afternoon arrival was our cue to embark on a ‘round-the-island tour. We found a coveted parking spot near Zion and decided to spend awhile browsing through the nearby shops. We had a great time chatting with the shop owners and employees, and we found a few trinkets to take home. During our February trip we didn’t do much exploring and only made it as far as Le Bouchon in Lorient. It was fun to see parts of the island we hadn’t visited in over 10 years.

Our drive included a quick stop at L’Esprit to check out the space and the menu. It was obvious walking up to the reception area that this was a special place. Everything on the menu looked enticing, and we made a reservation to come back for dinner.

What was originally an inviting atmosphere by day turned enchanting and magical by night. The host gave us our choice of available tables (which I always love!) and we enjoyed a glass of bubbles while perusing the menu. We had a very difficult time deciding what to order because everything sounded so good. There was a rather large table next to us filled with smokers so we decided to take our time enjoying our aperitif while they finished their dessert and went on their way.

Highlights of our meal were the scallops with fennel and asparagus, and the shrimp ravioli. I can’t remember the actual description on the menu, but I do remember thinking that the description didn’t do the dish justice. Perhaps it was because we were given English menus that, more often than not, tend to lack something in the translation. Dessert included the fig tarte and a trio of sorbets including raspberry, rhum raisin and a third that neither of us can recall.

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As we finished paying our bill our waiter asked if we would kindly take a few moments to say hello to the owner. I was quite charmed by the fact he took the time to individually meet with his guests. We had already decided this restaurant would be added to our list of favorites, but our brief conversation with Jean Claude only served to solidify our decision.

Back at the villa we took some time to take in the lights of the cruise ships anchored below and, for the first time that week, enjoyed the fact we could finally see lights on the distant islands. The clear skies meant we would most likely not be treated to soothing sounds of rain, and we were reluctant to head to bed knowing that tomorrow would be our final “full” day.
 
Amy . . . you & Kelly should be publishing your trip! Beautifully told & illustrated. Of course, you probably also know that L’Esprit is one of my top two island venues . . . explained by food, hosts, staff, ambiance, settings. I’m so glad that you shared in the wonderful experience that it offers.
 
Of course, you probably also know that L’Esprit is one of my top two island venues . . .

Trying to divine the second of your two island faves. :thinking1:

With La Gloriette gone . . . perhaps Al Mare at Le Sereno ? Maya’s ?
 
I agree Amy but we do not dine there as frequently as we would like. The stairs are a killer on Anita's bum knees.
 
I worry about those steps and hold on tight to the bannister. One step at a time works. I get sad if I think about one day when I am not able to enter that establishment. As Phil says, so many restaurants! But it is now a current treat for us, and an island gem IMHO.
 
Family Traveler,
We go twice to Sante Fe each trip, once for lunch and once for dinner.

Kent,
La Langouste is also very special however, not the same for us after Benjamin left for Miami, IMHO. We enjoyed having dinner at La Langouste on his departure night, how special it was. We miss Benjamin greatly, he was so gregarious and fun to spend time speaking with whenever we dined there which was many, many times. During his stewardship, I ranked La Langouste just behind L'Esprit, no longer.

Our recent visit last week was slightly disappointing, the three ladies running the floor were a little snippy and appeared disorganized and chaotic. Granted we were a group of 11 but there were only 4-other couples dining for a total of 8 other diners. When one of our guests brought to their attention, upon delivery of his meal, "this is not what I ordered". The waitress was aggressive and said "this is exactly what you ordered", even though, we all heard him place his order which was not what she delivered. Begrudgingly, she said "I will get you what you think you ordered".

The setting is lovely, we will give it another try on our next trip in March. Stay tuned!
 
Listing favorites is such a hard task because, for us, it is so dependent on what we happen to be hungry for that day, what mood we're in, what the weather is like (if outdoor seating is desired), whether or not we have to "look nice", and on and on. There are still so many restaurants we have yet to discover, but based on recurrent mentions on this forum we have already started our list for June (with L'Isola right at the top).
 
We haven't visited since Benjamin left. He had such a flair when he allowed Denise to choose her lobster. The entire restaurant was enjoying his performance. Where else would you choose for lobster?
 
Hi Kent,
We enjoyed a wonderful grilled lobster at Santa Fe. David lets you select the one you want from their tank.
We also enjoyed a nice grilled lobster at Lil' Rock. Fish Corner never disappoints with their grilled lobster.
 
I'm so glad everyone is posting their favorite spot for lobster. Now that we know what we've been missing it will be easy to find a place to indulge. However, my mind is coming up blank - what is GDS?
 
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