Immersed in an idyllic white halo of sand on a secluded beach, with laid-back vibes, and an endless selection of beach bars and restaurants for flavourful Caribbean cuisine, I believe Anguilla's motto of "tranquility wrapped in blue," could not be more appropriate. An eight-minute puddle jump from St. Maarten, this culinary capital of the Caribbean is where we go to see and not be seen.
Island-trained chefs prepare simple local food at high-end restaurants and beach shacks. There are no international food chains because most of the food is imported, and it is the best. There are more than 100 restaurants for 15,900 residents, which means one restaurant for every 159 people. Competition demands high quality food and service.
What is Anguillan cuisine? Chefs tend to be creative with what they've got, using spices and techniques from around the world. The menu at Veya Restaurant showcases local seafood in styles as varied as Creole, Moroccan, Vietnamese and Indian. Grilled watermelon with poached shrimp, sliced pecans and fresh mint, and conch fritters drizzled with lime chili aioli rev up our taste buds for giant grilled lobster with passion fruit mustard sauce partnered with gingered sweet potato and toasted garlic spinach.
Each restaurant boldly explores different ingredients and recipes to elicit true flavours. Pimm's, at the beautiful Moorish designed Cap Juluca, serves meaty olive, sesame and chive crusted grouper, tender olive-poached swordfish and dreamy lobster pappardelle with roasted garlic and champagne butter sauce. There is no shortage of flavour in a romantic candlelit dinner amidst rustling palms at Blanchard's. Chunky lobster and shrimp cakes, plump mussels luxuriating in sweet coconut curry and a Caribbean sampler of oven-crisped mahi mahi, citrus splashed crayfish and jerk chicken with cinnamon rum bananas are palate-exploding delights. At da'Vida, the menu is deceptive, a complete reinvention of classics. Caesar Salad Pizza with grilled and spiced shrimp combines two iconic dishes into one Caribbean twist that I obsessively devour. Island cocktails are an extravaganza of colour and flare. After platters of savoury steak sandwiches and chicken pineapple quesadillas, I need to roll over onto the beach and hibernate.
Each hotel is a destination. Ultimacy Villa Retreat overlooks the renowned and pristine Shoal Bay Beach. Private villas with butler service and personal chefs attract Hollywood A-listers who want seclusion, anonymity and all the joys of luxury.
One main road leads us to art galleries, hiking trails and local street food. Delicious conch soup and lobster quesadillas at Hungry's Food Van, tender charcoal-grilled snapper on the beach at Uncle Ernie's, lip-smacking smoky barbeque ribs at Ken's BBQ, hot wings with tangy Caribbean sauce and pizza chock full of fish at Corner Bar & Pizza. Off the beaten path, and off the shore, is the restaurant at Scilly Cay. Upon arrival by boat at this sun-kissed sandy island, I am handed a colossal rum punch in which the punch is just for colour. Who can choose between chicken, crayfish and lobster? Now it's time to lay in the sand, swim and snorkel. Lunch is served. Grilled on the barbeque, lemon curry crayfish are ample and tantalizing, and a "small" sweet lobster weighs in at six pounds. I am told a "large" Anguillan lobster can weigh as much as 12 pounds!
And here, there's always time for tranquility. I walk far out into the turquoise water, float peacefully and breathe in the warm ocean air.
