Back in time to Ottley’s Plantation Inn, St Kitts

On my last day on St Kitts we hired a car and did a mini tour of the whole island. Our first stop was the Brimstone Hill Fortress on the Atlantic side, where the English used to hide behind walls and fire guns and cannons at the French, when they weren’t killing the indigenous Amerindians or making money out of the Africans they kidnapped. It put things into perspective – put simply, the slave trade helped fund the industrial revolution. Where would we be now if that had not happened? Making that link was quite a disturbing realisation, and one I am sure I should have had before.

Fitting, then, that our next stop was Ottley’s Plantation:

 

It’s an idyllic setting. The colonial house overlooks a pristine lawn, with the brooding mountains in the distance, surrounded by vast fields of sugar cane. But imagine the scene in the 17th century – not so idyllic for most of the residents.

The restaurant had a quiet air of decadence and tranquility, with white western diners ranging from amiable, boisterous Scots, to polite English visitors to snooty Americans. The staff were kind and considerate and generously squeezed us in for a late lunch at 2.59pm. The food was flawless. My Coconut Crusted Island Chicken with fried plantain was perfect in every way. Sweetness has emerged as a recurring theme on She likes Her Food, and is one of the reasons this meal really hit the spot. The crunchy, coconut crust was drizzled with soy and honey sauce, and with the fried plantain every mouthful was heavenly.

© Katheryn Rice 2007

Seafood at the Monkey Bar, St Kitts

Like all the bars in Frigate Bay, it’s got a pretty cool name. The Monkey Bar has also got a reputation as one of the best bars on the strip. It was pretty quiet when we were in there. The bar was well stocked, but our cocktails took twenty minutes! The poor waiter looked like he would rather be anywhere else but there, but he did manage to come over every ten minutes to update us on the status of our cocktails (‘they’re coming soon’). Of course it’s the Caribbean, and it’s all so chilled out man, and maybe that took a bit of getting used to at times.

The food wasn’t sophisticated. It was seafood and salad, but that’s what we were there for. Mr Rice had read about the Monkey Bar’s Shrimp cocktail, so we had to go there. The presentation was lavish, the shrimps were meaty and the sauce was sharp and pungent.

My main course was the Lobster special. Half a lobster, some of the aforementioned shrimps and some salad. What can I say? It was harmless seafood: sweet lobster, grilled shrimps, salad and the ubiqitous rice and peas.

© Katheryn Rice 2007

Frozen Pina Coladas at Mr X’s Shiggidy Shack, St Kitts

The name alone should entice you into this lively restaurant and bar in Frigate Bay, St Kitts. Mr Rice is watching the Cricket World Cup with his camera, and he insisted that I join him. And big thanks to my boss, who let me off work at a week’s notice – thanks Louise!

St Kitts is really so beautiful, mountainy and hot. The beaches are sandy, the sea is blue and it is laid back, man! On my first day here our hangovers allowed us to amble down the road from the Sugar Bay Club just after midday for a refreshing drink and a filling brunch. Ok, so it’s not fresh Mango Daiquiries at the Oberoi, but a frozen cocktail really hits the spot when you are hungover and hot. Then fill up with some jerk chicken or spare ribs and look at Caribbean Sea as the Pina Colada kicks in. Finish with a frozen Mango Daiquiri and soak up the atmosphere.

Mr X’s Shiggidy Shack comes to life at night, with reggae to blast your ear drums, lots of people partying and lashings of tasty rum. In the evening all the meals come with rice and corn, and you can push the boat out with a very reasonably priced lobster.

© Katheryn Rice 2007