Well folks, this time I am separating the dining portion from the regular trip report. We normally get an apartment with kitchen for the breakfasts and lunches, and eat out every night. :-) After all, it's only money, and you can't take it with you when you go. So here goes...

On our fifth trip to Bonaire, we ate at the following restaurants: Tipsy Seagull, Casablanca, Kon Tiki, Garden Cafe, Chez Lucille, Le Flamboyant, Lion's Den, Lost Penguin (breakfast), Chibi Chibi (lunch) and Rib Factory (lunch). Amazingly, at every place Patty was able to find vegetarian food this time (except Rum Runners had a BBQ night one night and it was carnivore city).

First night was Tipsy Seagull; this is our traditional first night dinner place. Eclectic menu (they offer deer; not venison, it's 'deer'.)
You don't see Tipsy Seagull (or as Patty calls it,
the 'Drunken Parrot') on this board much, but the seating is outdoors, overlooking the water, lighting is low, food is reliable and it's a great place to start the vacation. Don't be intimidated by the long walk from the parking lot of the Plaza Resort if you're not staying there. Oh, they got my order wrong (I ordered the fish carpaccio (eel, barracuda, salmon) and got the salmon carpaccio but it was still excellent.

Second night was Thursday, had to go to Casablanca and wolf down huge pieces of meet from the mixed grill for two. Left the blood sausage for the local canines, thank you, but even with three people sharing the mixed grill for two, I had two days worth of lunches left over. And there was a vegetarian pasta dish for Patty made special. Incidentally they are moving next door to a bigger version of exactly the same building.

Third night we visited our friend Raja and his wonderful group at the Garden Cafe. Raja offers his version of the Argentian Grill, comes out on a hibachi, you can get it for one or two people. It tastes a little different than Casablanca, but goes down just as easy. Patty loves the hummus and ethnic food (most of it is vegetarian, as is Raja). Everything is extremely fresh, and made to order (even the salad), and Raja is quick to point out that his food is not the chepest on the island but it is the freshest and made with love. Whatever, it tastes great. They have fruit smoothies and fantastic french fries.

Am I the only one who loves the French Fries on the island? I have never had bad french fries anywhere.... the Dutch really know how to make great french fries. One of the owners of the Le Flamboyant told me the Dutch like them crisp on the outside and fluffy inside.

More in Part 2, before this computer craps out...

You're making me hungry Carl!! Yup...crispy on the outside and soft on the inside sounds fine to me, but I think the Dutch like them with mayo and not ketchup as we Americans eat them! LOL. How about some red wine vinegar, too?

Sounds like a nice variety of chow for you guys. Glad Patty was able to enjoy herself, too. This is very, very important to have your significant other "happy" at all times! Patty deserves to be happy on vacation and enjoy her meals, too. Glad she was able to find so many places to choose vegetarian dishes.

You and Joe are both meat mongers, obviously! I can handle it now and then but never as much as you guys.

Now on to part two......Carole

Ah Carl,,,,I know how Patty feels! But being a Veggie also I have always found a great meal on Bonaire..if nothing says veggie on the menue...just ask, I have always had a wonderful meal "thrown together" that was totally veggie.

I'll bet that the Dutch aren't worried about being politically correct and frying everything in vegetable oil either. Macdonalds used to have WONDERFUL french fries until they were busted and couldn't fry everything in wonderful, cheap but tasty beef tallow anymore. Lard is a wonderful thing.......I personally prefer it for taste, but for ease I like the stuff we pour out of a bottle.....

Actually, the absolutely best fries I've had anywhere were at Maiky Snack!!! They don't always have batata hasa (I had to keep asking) but when they do get em! Cooked in peanut oil I think. And put Matouk's mango pepper sauce on them. MMMmmmm. Goes extremely well with the kabrito stroba.