My wife and I are Dutch and we have been on this island now for almost 15 years. We go out to eat a lot and have been in maybe all the restaurants. Most average to good and some bad. Based on some conversations in Bonaire talk and an article in the Reporter we decided to check out a couple of local places. Here is what we experienced.

Spanhoek restaurant ; this place is located coming from towncenter (Kaya L.D. Gerharts) going direction Rincon, just before the church on the right side. This is more like a take away place. Someone wrote an article in the Bonaire reporter saying (quote) they serve curry chicken the way I like women ; hot.
After eating the food, my conclusion was that the guy does not know about women. The chicken curry was just like in the other chinese places. I would not take it again. About the service, I could not call the waitress unfriendly because to be unfriendly I guess you need to at least say some words and the only thing she said when she handed me the food was (quote)fifteen. I guessed she meant fifteen guilders so I paid and left.
Not a repeater.

El fogon restaurant ; located near china nobo. Service friendly and fast. Prices low. My wife and I took the same kind of meat. She likes it medium, I like it medium /well. Hers was good, mine was badly overbaked and it seemed to have shrunk as a result of that. Overall I would still like to give them the benefit of the doubt. We will go there one more time to see if the cook made a one time mistake.

Anthonys extreme cuisine ; located entering the small street next to exito bakery in town center and just after a left turn on the right side of the road.
We were welcomed by Anthony himself. He offered us a 4 course menu for 20 US. We had a nice salad, a spicy pumpkin soup, 3 different kinds of meat, prepared in a wok with vegetables and spicy herbs, French fries and rice and a kind of haute cuisine looking icecream desert. During the meal he explained what kind of local herbs he used. The food was very very good, with a very personal friendly touch that we seldom experienced.
The only minus was that he charged 25 US per person while we were almost sure he told us 20.
But considering the total we did not care and paid.
Too bad we were the only guests. He told us he just reopened so that could be the reason. We think he deserves more guests.
I would qualify this place as ; quality local

What about Mi Banana, Miki Snack, The new place that opened we Barinki was (Lucielle is back!), Antriol Catering, the new location of Luigis where the Divi Divi Bar Rest. was, etc, the list goes on....

Lucielle is back?
Tell me more!

Yes, Michael, don't hold out on us! Great news! I have really missed Lucielle.

She opened a snack where Barinki Snak was. It is opposite the old office of Bonaire Tours. You take your next right after the rt that would take you to Subsway....bon apetit..

I would like to make a comment about Spanhoek. I have been there many times and not had problems, the food is always good.

On the subject of the curries, anyone who lives here will know that places do not automatically serve spicy food. If you want something hot or spicy, you have to ask. As a rule, a lot of Bonarians do not like spicy food, the snack bars generally cater for Bonarians.

Spanhoek, like other such establishments, serve an important sector of the community. If you are after ambience and smiles, and money is no object, Mona Lisa or Salsa maybe better suited. If you want a lot of food at a cheap price and cheap beer, the snack bars are the place to go.

Mr. Bond
A smile or a friendly word does not cost anything.
The only thing the lady said was fifteen and I did not see het talk much to the other customers either.

Maybe she was having a bad day! Perhaps you could give it another try one day.

Hope you have more luck with other places.

Tony............

Good work Mr. Janvanderlist.
I'm glad to have your viewpoint in addition to the reviews in Bonaire Reporter. Recently I did not agree with a review of a local eating place but I thought I was just picky :-)

How about a tad under cooked?

Sorry, here it is.

I think I would stick to the shrunk beef.