Monday, August 25, 2014

Provo, Turks & Caicos - a report on some lovely lunches (Aug 12-19)-Greenbean Cafe/The Gansevoort's Stelle Beach Bar/Market Cafe/Las Brisas/Daniel's Cafe

My final report will cover the multitude of places we stopped for lunch while staying in Providenciales and other islands during our recent journey.
Samuel would want me to mention GREENBEAN CAFE first located at the Turtle Cove Marina about 5-10 minutes from Grace Bay at it's very west end.
It was the first place we went, and he repeatedly asked to go back. When we mentioned this place to islanders they seemed to frown, but then said they had tried pizza and burgers here, and we have
loved the WRAPS.
The Panini were also good, especially MUSHROOM, but if you wish to cut those carbs go for a Sundried Tomato, Spinach or Whole Wheat Wrap and get either the JERK CHICKEN WRAP or the Southwest SPICY CHICKEN WRAP.
These are huge wraps for $12 each and can easily be split if you are not that hungry. They are loaded with chicken, veggies and yummy seasonings. There is free wifi as well and the place is open for breakfast thru mid-afternoon.
After our initial visit, Samuel kept begging to go back, which we did the next week, but he still could not be satisfied with a second visit; he begged for more, but time did not allow a third visit!
 
One day we headed to the LEEWARD Marina at the east end of the island (also no more than 5-10 minutes from any point in Grace Bay) where the newly reopened BLUE MARINA Hotel sits near the hub of watersports (diving, fishing, snorkeling and more) making it the ideal location for those seeking just a bit more than a pool and beach. While there are some dining spots in the hotel, just across the parking lot is the MARKET CAFE, which has nice outdoor seating on the canal with views of the huge villas nearby. There are many items you can get here, but we loved the various burgers. There are many food items to buy as well since it is a full-scale supermarket.
 
One day while doing a site visit we were treated to a superb lunch at the GANSEVOORT Resort. Stelle is their fine dining establishment open for dinner only, but we sat outside just above the beach at the Stelle Beach bar and enjoyed a crisp refreshing cold glass of Perle de Rose 2012 Cotes de Provence Rose as we enjoyed the very pretty people walking by. Samuel (who is on a wrap trip) enjoyed the Chicken Wrap with Sundried Tomato, peppers & his favorite condiment, Pesto!
I loved the refreshing GAZPACHO with Goat Cheese Bruschetta and then went on the awesome CONCH FRITTERS which came with a mixed Green Lettuce Salad and Louisiana Sauce for dipping. Will had a superb fresh CONCH Salad with Lime Juice, Red Onion, Peppers, Croiander, Cumin and enough Jalapeno to make it just the right heat. Our server, Kim, was a treat and made everything we wanted happen, as she called herself, Kim-possible!
 
Heading to the South & West you might wish to spend a day boating on the CHALK SOUND, a remote part of the island about 10 minutes south of the airport where the water is milky white and the view from LAS BRISAS Restaurant at Neptune Villas (www.neptunevillastci.com) is quite different from the long sandy beaches elsewhere. As you know from my recent postings, Friday August 15 was the beginning of the local lobster season. So, while Samuel settled in with a superb Veggie Wrap, which came loaded with vegetables of all kinds and served hot, Will and I ordered the same with LOBSTER ADDED for an additional $5.00. It was our first taste of local South Caicos Lobster, which is apparently HAND CAUGHT. The cost was nothing for the large amount and large chunks we got in our tasty warm wraps! Las Brisas was worth the drive!
 
Our final lunch outing was part of an entire day tour to the more remote and fascinating islands of North Caicos & MIddle Caicos. North Caicos is accessed by air, private boat or a 25 minute ferry from the Leeward side of Provo. Cars can be rented here if arranged, but we chose to hire a guide and driver for the entire day and boy were we glad. The trip organized through a local tour operator was amazing. Our guide, Luke, picked us up and whisked us all over both islands (population of North Caicos is like 1500, and Middle rings in at like 300!). The highlight of the morning was a stop at the private home of Mrs. Susan Butterfield who welcomed us into her home for very strong tea (made from ginger, lemongrass, herbs and lord knows what else) with lemon cake. She told us her life story (she looked 90, but was only about 70!) and then offered us a huge soursop fruit cut right from her tree outside. It was awesome, sweet and sour and juicy and fun! We later headed south to Middle Caicos and the hamlet of Conch Bar which probably has about 150 habitants! Right on a cliff above the ocean is Daniel's CafĂ© where there are not too many items on the menu aside from Fried Fish and Fried Conch. They come in individual orders or platters, so we went in for the Conch Platters as Samuel munched the rolls and had a coke as he would have none of the options. The side salad was simple with lettuce, tomato and onion and the dipping sauce was Thousand Island, but homemade. This, of course, is then spiced up with local hot sauce, Louisiana hot sauce or other depending on the choices. I went for a scotch bonnet based hot sauce that was not too spicy from Trinidad! The conch was tender and battered nicely and fried perfectly. There was a side of rice and peas (those little beans that these islands always call peas) and there was a jar of "pickles" on the table which I opened and tasted some carrots, okra and other pickles from. There were awesomely spicy and then I noticed the little cut up scotch bonnet peppers in the jar that lent their intense heat to these little treats. Luckily the Ginger Beer was strong and there was plenty of rice and roll to cut the heat.
That was our last lunch out on the island as breakfast was included at our last hotel, so we often just ate no lunch as we slept late a lot!