Just some short reviews on the restaurants we have eaten at during our recent 14-days stay, in the order of my verdict: :-)

Paradise Moon: Starters good, main courses very good, desserts very good, drinks average to good, reasonable (though not cheap) prices. Service was good. Nice location (except for the restrooms), but lots of mosquitos. I was already most pleased by its predecessor "Papaya Moon" in 2008.

It Rains Fishes: Starters and main courses very good (Soups: excellent!), dessert and drinks "only" good. Service was very good and quick. Very nice location. Pricing somewhere between Paradise Moon and "La Balandra".

La Balandra (inside Harbour Village Beach Club): Starters, main courses (except for the Marlin), desserts, drinks - all very good, but the number of choices is very limited. Very nice location, very windy - which is good for fewer mosquitos, but wind may become strong enough to be an annoyance. High prices. Service very friendly and fulfilled even special wishes but was also slow. Significant plus: Warm meals offered at almost any time - so we could get a lunch there after diving, much unlike in many other restaurants. Try the incredible Lime cake. Nice breakfast also available.

Capriccio: Starters very good, main courses good. Service was very good and especially very quick. Dessert (Tiramisu) was a little disappointing given that this was the only original Italian restaurant we visited.

Patagonia: The steaks were good, but not too surprising as this is a steak house, the other offerings were not interesting. Service was ok, a little slow. Prices IMHO a little high for what they have to offer.

Boudoir: Lunch was good, as was the service. A second try to lunch here failed due to the short opening hours.

La Barca: The pizza was good, but everything else only ok-below-average, and the choice of drinks was poor. Service was ok. We may have gone there with a wrong assumption on the niveau of the cuisine.

Eddy's Restaurant: Lunch was ok but just "fast food". Didn't try dinner.

Sense: Starters ok, main course disappointing, drinks of abysmal quality. The service was sluggish. This is obviously a place for certain people considering themselves "hip" to see and be seen, but not for quality dining.

Eli Deli: We got chucked out as the waitress didn't like our attire. Well, nearby La Balandra was probably the better option to lunch at anyway.



Bottom line: We visited "Paradise Moon", "La Balandra" and "It Rains Fishes" as often as possible, they are my clear recommendations if you are into quality dining.

what were you wearing or maybe not wearing to get kicked out of Eli Deli?

Thanks for the report

@Jason: Does that really matter?

If one of us had worn a burqa and this would have caused refusal of service, would you consider that justified?

If one of us had been swart and this would have caused disgust by the waitress or other guests, would you consider refusal of service justified?

To me such details don't really make a difference. It was our legal right to wear what we were wearing, and it was the shop owners legal right to not want us as customers.

But to satisfy your curiosity: We came back from two shore dives 30min before lunch time ended at this shop, and two of us didn't have a dry t-shirt available for wearing. Whatever irrational religious beliefs this may have contradicted, I am not inclined to consider them.

So we returned to our hotel, where, indeed, we still got a more upscale lunch meal than we could have ever ordered at the Deli (and at La Balandra this was possible even after 4pm).

Karl, Jason asked a question many of us were thinking out of nothing more than curiosity.

I think your analogies based on religion and color are a bit off base here. I know where I live and I can pretty much guess where you live too, unless you are on the beach the policy is "No shirts, No shoes, No service. No hidden agendas no double entendre's. Just courtesy.

I'm glad you found a suitable place that you enjoyed in the end.

RosAnne, I can only hope he's referring to Balie Swart, but why anybody would have anything against footballers is a mystery to me....

(Message edited by barbara_gibson on May 24, 2010)

HAHAHAHAHAHA!! Something tells me thats not what he was thinking! LOL

[We came back from two shore dives 30min before lunch time ended at this shop, and two of us didn't have a dry t-shirt available for wearing. Whatever irrational religious beliefs this may have contradicted, I am not inclined to consider them. ]

Karl..I don't understand why you would conclude that the fact that the merchant did not want to serve you was an "irrational religious belief".
Can I assume from your posting that you were shirtless?

If you want to appear to be a slob, walk into this deli (where I know that they work their butts off to maintain their new business) shirtless, it is certainly their prerogative to show you the door.

Basically I cringe when I'm in town and some of the folks from the cruise ships are walking around shirtless showing absolutely no regard to the locals. You know the saying about "ugly Americans"? Well I for one have seen them..unfortunately they are indeed a ubiquitous lot.
I'm certainly glad the good folks at Harbour Village provided you with the upscale meal you felt you deserved.

Vince, I'm definitely not on Karl's side on this. Obviously they were wearing something inappropriate for an eating establishment. (I'm going to take a wild guess here and lay money that there were Speedo type swimsuits involved too.) And his immediate switching of the argument to something of race or religion is disturbing.

But his us of the word 'swart' and some other phrasing choices make me think that he's not American. There are enough ugly Americans out there without assuming this is one as well.

American's get a bad rap but there are plenty of ugly {insert nationality of choice here}s out there to go around.

e.

zwart means "black" in Dutch...
But let's give the guy benefit of the doubt, being a newbie to BT and maybe(?) on his first trip to Bonaire.

(Message edited by tschamp on May 25, 2010)

Correct. Not a term that an American is likely to use.

And I think the "benefit of the doubt" was granted in Jason's original question. Karl opened himself up for criticism in his religious and racially charged reply.

e.

Well e you could very well be correct on that. Nevertheless, as I stated, personally I cringe when I go through town & see some of the "pod people" (yes I realize it's derogatory) jumping from merchant to merchant, with their shirts off, bellies hanging out, sucking on an ice cream cone etc etc. I'm sure you've got the picture.

And as far as the term "Ugly Americans" goes, indeed boorish behavior is not the sole providence of us Americans. Unfortunately it is a perception since there are so many of us internationally and some folks are just clueless. I have certainly seen my share in Europe and on Bonaire.

"Swart" is also a word in Afrikaans, but it's not a very nice one in this context....

Vince, I'm with you on the cringing. I like folks who try to be good ambassadors; even if I pretty much hate putting on the knee length dress to go to town, I do it.

I need to try this deli, by the way. Everybody seems to like it. That end of the island seems to just be exploding...

I can't think of any restaurant, of any style, (other than a burger bus at the beach), here, where you would be served wearing soaking wet clothing.

@Karl,

First of all I plan on going to this establishment when in Bonaire in a few days and wanted to know the appropriate attire or in your case inappropriate attire. I was not trying to judge you or make a argument over what is or not appropriate.

How does serving a black or dark skinned person have anything to do with not wearing a shirt or a very wet one? Very racist thing to bring up out of nowhere. Maybe you need to vacation in Iceland, very few "swarts" there. It sounds like since you were not clear that you either had no shirt or it was wet which both ways I agree that if it is inside seating that no service was called for. Go to Sorobon and eat at the beach if thats what you intend to wear.

Man what is with the attitudes..I go to Bonaire to get away from nonsense like this just to find Bonaire is beginning to be over run with them. I will spend as much time underwater as possible.

Jason

Let me clarify that I said "you" in the universal (anyone/everyone) context.

CB, the deli is really great! I highly recommend it.

Vince, thanks. I too try to avoid K-town when the pods are in. The podists are bumbling, rude and often, quite stupid. (What can you expect from people that pay money to spend their vacation in a floating shopping mall.)

I also try not to stick out like a sore thumb by wearing clothing that fits the island. And I attempt to learn a few phrases of the language wherever I happen to be and try to learn the local customs so that I don't become that ugly American. Having traveled to more countries in the world than most people, I have a lot of experience both practicing this as well as witnessing poor examples.

And my point previously was that the the poor examples are certainly not exclusive to Americans. So I didn't want an assumption made here.

(I actually saw a show not too long ago on the History channel where Europeans were polled about their opinion on who were the worst tourists and the overwhelming majority said it was the French. The Americans were up there but interestingly most of them were viewed more as humorously entertaining and less as offensive.)

e.

CB..You're gonna love Eli's deli. In Feb I met the owners for the first time and some of the cold cuts were fantastic. Authentic Prosciutto di Parma, and another type of ham (sorry can't remember the name). We were so impressed that we went back 3 times for the cold cuts. YUM.....

I did observe them working their butts off. For the owner to refuse to serve the OP, well I have no idea what they were or were not wearing, but I would surmise is must have been atrocious. After all, they are there to make money, serve excellent food & not throw people out.

I give big kudos to the new owners for bringing upscale culinary items to Bonaire. They deserve a lot of credit.

"e" We are in agreement.

Okay...I know we all make silly remarks about the "pod people" and I have had a good laugh at a few myself (simply visual entertainment at the time) AND I especially despise what is happening to the beautiful reefs of Bonaire because of the ships presence BUT I find e's remarks that "podists" as he calls them are bumbling, rude and often quite stupid almost as offensive as Karl's derogatory remarks.
Vince, I find you a very funny guy and mostly agree with what you post, do you really feel that people who take cruises are rude, bumbling and stupid? (did you know we have a few long time BT members who have enjoyed cruises?)
e - I have travelled the world, Europe, Asia, the middle east as you have, and one thing I have learned from my travels is NEVER generalize people, one size does not fit all. You partook in behaving exactly the way you ostracized Karl for. Name calling and stereotyping isn't my thing and I hoped this would not turn into such a travesty. You didn't like it when it happened to you.
I will visit Eli's deli (Vince, is it as good as a deli on Arthur Avenue???? )I will make sure I have a dry t and shorts on.

La Balandra is mentioned several times-- I think a great place for lunch. A lovely setting, and you can feed cucumber slices, lettuce and tomato slices to the iguanas who live there. The resident pelican is kinda cool, too. And you an ogle the mega-yachts as well. Never any pods...

Donna and Georgios doesn't get much mention in the restaurant discussions, but my wife and I love the place. It is pricy, we always get reservations, and a pitcher of the house wine goes down very easily. We go at least twice every visit. Some evenings there is really funky music. I recommend the spaghetti with meat sauce. Yum. Also, the ONLY place, EVER, in 25-30 trips to the Caribbean, that we've seen the notorious and elusive Green Flash.

The wood fired pizza and the salads at Captain Don's are good, as is the cold beer. The crowd, and there generally is a crowd, has always been convivial.

Kon Tiki is in the middle of nowhere over by Lac Bay, and is good for both lunch and dinner. One can dine indoors or outdoors. My wife says the tapinade (sp?) is to die for. Service can be slow, but at dinner, what's the hurry? For that matter, on Bonaire, what's the hurry?

Speaking of Lac Bay, we've enjoyed several pretty good lunches in the restaurant (more a snack bar, I guess) at Jibe City.

And we enjoy City Cafe. We can generally eat lightly, the wait staff are fun, the food good, the beer cold. The noise level by the entrance and the bar can be mind-numbing, but back at the tables, it is much better.

Our experience after 15 or so visits is that the most difficult thing on the island is do dine lightly at dinnertime. Lately, however, we've found that if we ask as we go in, they will let us have just a salad and a bowl of soup. That leaves more room for a trip to Loves...

It goes without saying that one doesn't approach K-burg for anything when cruise ships are in. Fortunately, we can see them from the beach at Harbour Village, and the presence or absence of cruisers generally determines when and where we eat.

Eli's Deli is a European style rather than a N.Y. style deli.

Thanks Brenda. NY Italian deli's are very European but NY Jewish deli's are totally different. I grew up in NY and my uncle owned a deli on Arthur Avenue for years (He set it up exactly like the one he had at home in Palermo). I spent MANY hours working/eating in it...AHHHHH MEMORIES...LOL I can smell the cheeses!

Well, here I go again, why I do this I do not know...

As a new diver, trained and only ever to dive on Bonaire I hope to never see it's aquatic beauty dim. But Eric, my partner of 24 yrs, his parents (of great service and importance to this country), and his well educated siblings, "stumbled upon" Bonaire on a Regent cruise line.

Their family cruise was the reason for our becoming divers. It was the impetuous for putting in the many hours I do here on BT to be of help to new comers... and most importantly made Bonaire a place of beauty full of wonderful people that I appreciate and hold very, very dear.

I would ask that you be a little wider in your vision of our world and its realities. It benefits not only you but has the potential for helping to more accurately assist with the views of all with whom you come in contact with.

There's no personal beef here but your generalization of the pod people went a step beyond reality.

---

quote:

The podists are bumbling, rude and often, quite stupid. (What can you expect from people that pay money to spend their vacation in a floating shopping mall.)

---

I have a client who is in her 80's and isn't a candidate for backpack traveling any more, but she finds cruises are a way for her to satisfy her need for travel and still have a familiar bed to return to at night. She's a person I'd spend time with any day. And I've had some fun conversations with podists at Karel's, usually husbands waiting for their wives to finish shopping. Nice, funny guys, all.

I'd rather Bonaire were like it was when I started going, which wasn't that long ago, early 90's. But I don't blame the podists...they're having their experiences, too.

RosAnne, Vince, someday I''m gonna call your bluff on that dinner on Arthur Avenue....

[ do you really feel that people who take cruises are rude, bumbling and stupid? ]

Hello RA.. Just getting a chance to catch up on this thread. The short answer is "NO". As you have pointed out of course it's not proper to generalize (unfortunately we do have a tendency to do it, myself included). But I do believe (generally speaking )that they have a very different mindset from the average dive or snorkel tourist on Bonaire. Yes, some are humorous to look at, others...well...When the cruise ships are in town we generally eschew it (unless my wife wants to shop for jewelry).

I can state definitively that being on a cruise ship, with hundreds of other passengers, many of whom are waiting for the next meal to be served, does not appeal to me in the least (and I love food). When I see a hundred of them in the water at Windsock all with their little yellow flotation vests on, well I'll let you figure out what I really think. Unequivocally, I do know it's certainly NOT for me.

Now on a more gastronomic note, the best pizza I had was at the Half Moon (I believe that's the name) on the corner of Arthur Ave. And of course some of the best meats coincidentally I found at Vincents. Normally I leave there with a large bag of veal shanks for Osso Bucco (amongst other things). I'm sure you do indeed have a lot of happy memories of your time spent there.

I don't know what is meant by the word 'SWART'. In the English language, this is a very old word that is seldom used. It can mean Black or dirty or indeed swarthy. I assume that it was meant to be Zwart(e).

That aside, I would congratulate anyone who enforces not just a dress code but the respect of other diners and indeed the local population.

Many of the older residents of the island find people wearing swim suits or men being shirtless, disrespectful.

From the point of view of a diner, I personally don't want to see an excessive amount of flesh when I eat nor do I want to sit on a damp seat.

We certainly do live in a declining society if it has to be pointed out to us that we are not properly attired. Nobody is expecting patrons to wear a dinner jacket, just to cover up bare flesh and put on some dry pants!

You are right. I reread my post and I neglected to insert the word "some." I did not intend to generalize the entire population of cruise ship passengers (since the word pod is apparently no longer pc here, as of this thread.)

Just remember, I am just one in a VERY long line of cruise ship passenger disparagers. I even have a few very close friends who have been on cruises so I'm busily writing them all apology letters right now.

Thanks for the vector. Now sweep up the eggshells.

e.

Does my heart good to see you still stepping in it. And I have not forgot your rude email either.

Please note:

We will keep this friendly, right?

Thank you all.

MBZ...you got it! You will be very happy with Elie's deli. My Dads office was in the Emp.St.B., while I grew up. Really miss the European aka Italian delis. None here.

PATRICK!!!!!!!!! STOP

Very cool Brenda...the Empire State building was such a fascinating place to go as a child!

Vince I was thinking you and I would be in deep SH*T if people started generalizing and making stereotypical statements about our ethnicity! LOL

e ~ none of us were questioning your use of the word "pod people" and I've said before I like a good joke as much as you but when it becomes degrading, not funny anymore. I hope your hand isn't too tired as I suspect you've been writing throughout the night to get all those apology notes finished up. And your welcome for the vector, I generally solve them without issues, I hold an engineering degree from a pretty decent school so I'm good at it. No eggshells present either, just some courtesy to one another. I do not believe in double standards, why would it not be okay to insult one group of people be it based on religion, race, etc...but okay to insult another because you personally do not like them? Anyway...I hope we move on beyond all this and all I know is I'm going to be enjoying a nice relaxing meal on Bonaire very soon.
Peace

So true MBZ, the gated elevators complete with the e-operator in his splendid suit! Dads office was just above & overlooking the airplane!

Anyway, also be sure to get breads/rolls/treats from the bakery just across the street from E's (the old Sand Dollar mkt,same building as M's Chat'N Browse). Yumm

Patrick, Eric, DO NOT POST ANOTHER WORD ON THIS THREAD.

Oh, so many choose to fight
Who to say who's wrong or right
Most minds are a muddled fright
In this time of fists or flight
Hard to hear our thoughts are right
With our lacking typing might.

by me, Bre


My attempt at levity!

If I don't get to go to Eli's Deli pretty soon, I'm going to have a fit. AAAHHH...I need a vacation.

Ok, now I'm wanting to see that pic somebody, maybe Brian, posted some years ago of two folks in day glo orange floral patterned shirts and pants. And white shoes and socks. That pic just cheers me up no end...anybody know where it is?

As a side, 3 years ago our luggage was a few days late getting to Bon.(yes I know its a surprise). The next day we went to the airport without shirts and were asked to leave. We told the security guard the problem and still were told to leave. We couldnt even check to see if our luggage had arrived...so we went back, got our dirty shirts and went back to the airport... No shirt - no service - no big deal. Just the rules.

DBe.

CB, key "pod people"

I can't find it, Jerry. I had that pic printed off and stuck on my fridge for the longest time. It just cheered me up to look at.

I don't know what happened to it, but I'm betting Eric took it down when I wasn't looking...

i've been going to bonaire since 1986 and from the beginning we were told to please wear proper clothing when downtown or at restaurants or eating establishments. we usually stay at the divi and even with their casual dressing never went to restaurant in bathing suits always shorts and shirts
just saying
es

Presently I am one of those stupid pod people who will be visiting Bonaire in October. Owing to numerous physical limitations of a medical nature I find it impossible to visit by air and stay as I have done seven times in the past to dive originally and subsequently limit myself to snorkeling ( (my favorite was Ulf & Dee on the Woodwind).. This situation will not however prevent me from enduring and making the most of each and every day.As such I take umbrage at the generalizations of the pod people noted here. The overriding reason for my selecting this particular cruise is that it does stop on Bonaire, the only port on this cruise where I will leave the ship, providing that I am allowed to by the pod police. Seriously, I certainly accept chiding in its proper spirit but do resent the continuing negative commentary. I personally conducted myself properly as a renter previously and as a pod person on a subsequent cruise but do feel that I am now obligated to act differently so I fit the profile of a pod person. Where are those horrible shorts, let me get my bullhorn to announce my arrival, for I am expected on Bonaire on October 15th. By the way, I will also be wearing a New York Yankee hat, if that is ok (Once a NY'er now a Floridian) See ya'll then.

mtnest, the board is full of generalization. Hopefully you understand if you are not the generalization they describe. I happen to only have found Bonaire because of my partner's annual cruise with parents and sibling. They cruise so everybody can have what they want to eat, no one has to clean up, and since they move from port to port it's better than meeting at a hotel or Disneyland.

In short, I found Bonaire because of my pod partner and his pod family. I also found diving because of it. And I will be FOREVER grateful to my pod partner for that. No amount of mockery, generalization, or narrow mindedness from others can change that. Have faith brother! You are not alone!

mtnest: This thread is full of entertainment. When I looked up the phrase "pod person" in the Urban Dictionary http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pod%20person I found that the third definition presented there kind of precisely describes the attitude of those despising visitors in the above statements.

Well, those mindlessly following the wondrous dogma of "no shirt, no service" will certainly not come up with rational reasoning, anyway, so never mind!

Time to inject my thoughts. We have had the pleasure of spending time with Bill and his partner Chip. Chip is not a pod person that we see on Bonaire. The pod people, or BOAT PEOPLE, look for three things when on Bonaire.
1. REST ROOMS
2. THE SHOPPING MALL
3. REST ROOMS.

This is not, or will ever be Chip.

All pods are not alike! Thanks Jerry. And that is the point I was trying to make for mtnest.

"Pod Partner".....Bill, you're killing me...

And to think I was looking for restaurant reviews. Why do these threads always end up in personal discussions having nothing to do with the thread by the same people over and over? At least Karl was kind enough to give reviews. I fully support "no shirt, no service" in a restaurant. Don't know where the deli is located (as I haven't been to Bonaire yet), but if the predominate tourist is a diver and there is outside seating, and it is billed as a "deli", then ...

P.S. I'm an American, but nobody looks good in a speedo. Can't understand the Euro obsession with wearing them.

Welcome to BT, Peter.

Straight answers are uncommon. Answers without an opinion are rare. Sorry.

e.saDB

(Message edited by down deep on June 14, 2010)

Short Reviews:

Bobbejans: Yes
Rains Fishes: <yawn>
Lions Den: Nope
Cactus Blue: Yes
Watta Burger: Yup
Casablanc: Yes
Maiky's Snack: Yes (BTW, it's not really that hard to find)
Passa Bon Pizza: YesRib's Factory: <yawn>
Zeezicht Seaside: <yawn>
Lover's Ice Cream: Yes...and of course Ice Cream can be a dinner.

If you can't see your own Speedo, no one else wants to either.

More on topic, we stuck our heads in Elli's Deli and were impressed. It wasn't lunch time, but next visit we'll definitely try it.

Bobbejan's ... not to be missed. Only open on weekends.

We love Bobbejans.

We also really love Bonaire Grill (white truck in the POST parking). Sate', ribs, chicken and garlic sauce for the fries. Opens ~ 7pm. Ask for Michael. Monday-Sat.

We love the ribs truck too.
You can call ahead and he will give you a time to pickup. Great idea when ordering for a group.
Yummy ribs and chicken, great value !
Other favorites are:
Mona Lisa (the "bar-hop" is a delicious "lighter" dinner) ask about it.
Bobbyjeans
Donna & Gorgio's
La Barca great fresh itialian food, delicious deserts! Original mediterain dishes and tasty pizza instead of bread.
Rumrunner's(at Habitat) beautiful sunsets for special occasions. Ask for the tables on the lower deck. Get the special dessert platter. The tarpon are fun to watch in the shallows too.
Unbelievable (enormus portions and delicious). Eat upstairs outside on the poarch.
We had a long breakfeast on the pier at Karl's, but it was so beautiful sitting out there early
The taron under the dock and the pelican kept us well entertained. Great brekfeast if you not in a hurr
Bistro de Paris (onion soup and other wonderful dishes), loved the lunch specials !
I have one compaint, that there are so many great resturants, that it's hard to visit them all in 2 weeks.

[I have one compaint, that there are so many great resturants, that it's hard to visit them all in 2 weeks]

Lorraine it's really quite impossible..One of the reasons folks keep on returning to Bonaire..Notwithstanding how many times we've been there we still haven't tried them all.

Fresh Fish!!!!!!!

If you love fish, try the kibbeling wahoo at The Wind and Surf Beach Hut at Sorobon. The huge chunks of delicately coated wahoo are wonderful. Of course the wonderful view and breeze is tough to beat. Along with the 5-star tartar sauce.
Kibbeling really reminded me of my study days in Holland where we got "lekker gebak" along the seacoast.

Ets smaakelijk.
Bud

Twenty five years ago it was peanut butter with chicken and over cooked fish.


We are now blessed!