ok...we`ve just returned and have eaten at some of the local establishments and have this to say.....as good as some of the appetizers are [shrimp fritters@ wills/ salad @ cactus blue and some of the entrees .....the beef on bonaire stinks!! I`ve said this elsewhere on this site. Its tough and chewy...this was confirmed to me by a gentleman who owns a rest on the island.......prime is just tooooo expensive for the local rest.s to buy and serve. ya want a great hot dog? the Ice cream shop they`re almost as a good nyc dirty water dog. The best burger [only in my humble opinion] wanna burger. Oh and wanna quiet drink w/out the resort crowd? stop in at mona lisas in town and have one.

Steven, I found that if you boil the meat for a few hours, it becomes a bit more tender.
I always look for the whip marks just in case.

Good thing I don't eat meat anymore ;-)

so the rumours about the great south american beef...? i was actually thinking of trying a big steak at one of the fine beanerys but would you recomend chicken and seafood? thanks

Ever try a donkey steak?
No you say, I'll bet you have.

You need say no more , a wise man long ago warned me , " when in the caribe , eat the fish and the chicken , if it walks on four legs forget it " thanks for the wake up call

Didn't eat a lot of beef on Bonaire when we were just there, but I wouldn't blame it all on the south american beef. Now don't get touchy gang, but there's a fabulous Argentinian restaurant in Aruba called El Gaucho, and the meat is to die for. I don't normally eat much beef (has a tendency to usually have a hint of liver flavor to me - yechh!), but I've never had more tender and tastier beef. To my mind, you're in Bonaire - eat freshly caught fish!

Bobbejan's has a good steak! Cheap too!

We think Casablanca has smokin' rib eye!

There is Argentinian Beef and Brasilian Beef on Bonaire .... the Argentinian is a much better quality than the one from Brasil. There are also in Argentinia differente areas with different qualities of beef. It all has to do with how hot or cold the area is and how much natural grazing the cow is doing .... I personally never use the beef from Brasil, but it is cheaper than the one from Argentina ...... so ....

Okay I gotta jump in...I am a huge carnivore (figuratively, lol) and I love the beef in Bonaire ! My favorites are Cactus Blue (definitely #1), Patagonia, Casablanca. It definitely tastes different, but it's a good different. My only negative experience was at El Fogon, but I shouldn't have gotten the beef there, I should have gotten the fish ! Live and learn..

Lots of good sauces too, esp. the mushroom sauce. You can't go wrong with a filet and shrimp at Cactus Blue.

OMG I'm HUNGRY now !!

I just read this post to my husband and he reminded me... one word... RICHARD'S ! Richard's filet and shrimp is to die for !

I have to jump in as well. La Flambouyant (sp, I never do get that one correct), Patagonia, and el Bistro has quality, suculant (sp) beef...mouth watering. I've had the filet mignon at La Flambouant (sp, see, I told you) and Patagonia, and the Tenderloin something at El Bistro...melt in your mouth...geez, now I'm hungry! Kelly, ya up for a nice big chunk-O meat? lol!

OH, I haven't had the beef at Cactus Blue, so I can't comment on that, but Kelly is a beef critic, so if she says it's good, I'll take her word for it

Brigitte, as usual, thank you for the good info Question, if I ask, say, at More for Less, where their beef is from, will they tell me? Is there a better market on Bonaire where we can get good Argentenian (sp - i't early and I haven't had my coffee) beef?

For the BOAT LADY. More for Less, ask the butcher for the PRIME cuts from Argentina.

I normally buy the frozen meat out of the freezer, mostly from TIS, and the origin is on the label.... the meat the butchers in the super markets sell came to Bonaire also frozen - and my experience is that their answers are not automatically right ....

Make friends with one of the chefs on Bon, ask when the good stuff is coming in and where?

Brigitte, where is TIS?

Cyndee

TIS I think is The Island Store

Yes, TIS is the Island Store, just a littler further down the street from Warehouse Bonaire...

Ah...yes, thanks!

The Island Supplier / They have all sorts of meat. Also at Tropical Flamingo they have sometimes beef that is flown in from Colombia and has not been frozen. Good quality beef.

Most of the fresh meat is sent to the restaurants. They don't have a meat counter as do warehouse and more for less...

5 days and counting! This will be our 6th trip to Bonaire and I'm not sure where Cactus Blue is. Maybe I need to keep my eyes open wider when in downtown. Could someone give me directions, maybe using Cappriccios as a landmark. Thanks..

Jim, Cactus Blue is on the main road that runs parallel to the shore road between the Divi Flamingo and town. You might remember where Casablanca is located. Cactus is right there.