CaribbeanSoul
SBH Insider
We decided after a morning and early afternoon of hanging by the pool at the villa that we would drop down to SB for a late lunch. We really aren't "lunchers" but on St Barths we make exceptions from time to time. Seated at a great corner table looking down the main restaurant with a great breeze. We decided to order a couple of glasses of white wine and take it from there. Service seemed okay at first. We shared the tuna tartare and despite my wife's distaste for ginger, it was a nice appetizer.
I ordered the lobster salad, my first time this trip, and Kimberly ordered the mahi mahi burger. Unfortunately, that's where things started to go downhill.
My salad came drenched in a champagne butter dressing, with four small lobster medallions and zero tomatoes. I had a bite and, thanks to my wife, sent it back. I hate being that guy. I've learned my lesson at this place over the years. Keep my mouth shut and let the boss handle any discrepancies. It came back with the dressing on the side, still no tomatoes (ugh) and less lobster, but I made it work.
Kimberly's mahi mahi burger had a fishy taste, and there's no way I would've put that on a plate if I owned a restaurant. But I don't.
It was mediocre at best and, compared to the mahi mahi burgers at Pearl, there's no comparison. Don't waste your time ordering either of what we had.
What continues to frustrate us about SB is that this feels like a pattern. After the food issues, the service turned noticeably dismissive. I'll leave her name out of it, but there was no eye contact and very little attention from any of the staff. Which was odd because we were obviously enjoying ourselves and making the best of it.
Our glasses sat empty on the table for about 15 minutes before anyone acknowledged us. So we ordered a bottle to take that element of service out of the equation.
This was our fourth visit in the last two years. I think lunch around this same time last year was perfectly fine, but this visit, and honestly our last two dinners there as well, have been big swings and misses.
They can do better. At this point, though, they have the crowd and the reputation, and I'm still trying to figure out why. Other than the location, of course.
I ordered the lobster salad, my first time this trip, and Kimberly ordered the mahi mahi burger. Unfortunately, that's where things started to go downhill.
My salad came drenched in a champagne butter dressing, with four small lobster medallions and zero tomatoes. I had a bite and, thanks to my wife, sent it back. I hate being that guy. I've learned my lesson at this place over the years. Keep my mouth shut and let the boss handle any discrepancies. It came back with the dressing on the side, still no tomatoes (ugh) and less lobster, but I made it work.
Kimberly's mahi mahi burger had a fishy taste, and there's no way I would've put that on a plate if I owned a restaurant. But I don't.
It was mediocre at best and, compared to the mahi mahi burgers at Pearl, there's no comparison. Don't waste your time ordering either of what we had.What continues to frustrate us about SB is that this feels like a pattern. After the food issues, the service turned noticeably dismissive. I'll leave her name out of it, but there was no eye contact and very little attention from any of the staff. Which was odd because we were obviously enjoying ourselves and making the best of it.
Our glasses sat empty on the table for about 15 minutes before anyone acknowledged us. So we ordered a bottle to take that element of service out of the equation.
This was our fourth visit in the last two years. I think lunch around this same time last year was perfectly fine, but this visit, and honestly our last two dinners there as well, have been big swings and misses.
They can do better. At this point, though, they have the crowd and the reputation, and I'm still trying to figure out why. Other than the location, of course.
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