Il Forno

Have you heard the annoying commercial on the radio for the new Il Forno restaurant? Well, I have, and I went there last week with my prince, his mother and little sister.

The atmosphere was very nice. Like many Bajan restaurants, it takes advantage of its surroundings and is on the coast. I always try and sit facing the water because its still new enough for me that I enjoy watching the waves crash onto the beach.

Dinner was nice. There was an anti pasto bar which was basically a bunch of grilled vegetables. While I truly enjoy grilled vegetables, I can make them at home. I chose to eat them at this restaurant however because nothing else on the menu looked very appetizing. Although I do enjoy pasta, I do not enjoy the weight gain effects of eating 5000 calorie pasta dishes. So, when I go for dinner I try to stick to something a little healthier. And while vegetables dipped in oil and then grilled isn't low calorie, it's still not chicken alfredo.

The grilled veggies were very nice, and filling. As was the shrimp dish I shared with my almost mother in law.

If you are feeling like you don't want to cook, go to Il Forno. If you want a really good dinner, go elsewhere. Unless you LOVE Italian (which unfortunately is what my man tends to crave)

Rating: 3 maki rolls

Cafe Luna

My prince took me out for Valentine's yesterday. We like to go out on Valentine's day because it gives us an excuse to get dressed up and eat good food.

The restaurant, Cafe Luna, was on the very tip of the south coast. We parked by the side of the road and walked across the street to a nice little hotel. The hotel, The Little Arches, looked absolutely lovely! We walked upstairs to Cafe Luna, which was located on a rooftop patio. There, we were seated under the moon. The tables were tiled with different patterns. The chairs were wicker with cushions. The moon was shining down upon us, and as I looked across the table to my prince, I knew it was going to be a great Valentine's dinner.

I started with a Cosmopolitan. It was delicious! So good in fact, I had two. I'm not a big drinker, so this means they must've been great.

My prince started with spare-ribs. They were delectable. We both had some. I ordered the seafood chowder. It was not the New England seafood chowder I'm used to. It was still creamy with fish, but it had more vegetables and far more spice. It was a nice twist on an old tradition. For my main course I had the New Zealand Rack of Lamb. It came with roasted vegetables on top and mashed potatoes. I had no idea it came with the mashed potatoes, and I couldn't see the pile under the pile of lamb. But when I put something soft and tasting like blue cheese in my mouth, i figured it out. Not being a fan of blue cheese I quickly moved the potatoes aside. However, on a cultural note, most restaurants put blue cheese in their salads and mashed potatoes here. I think on a whole, it's more widely eaten. I just don't like it. My prince had a lovely steak with mushrooms and onions and mashed potatoes that he loved. Wonderful!

After the main course we sat and talked for a while. It was quite chilly on the patio. The host came by and asked me if I would like a shall. I did, and it warmed me perfectly. It was very thoughtful.

For dessert, we shared a dark chocolate cheesecake with a white chocolate patte. It was delicious!

On a whole, Cafe Luna was a wonderful experience that I look forward to repeating.

Ambiance: 4 Maki Rolls
Food: 4 Maki Rolls
Service: 5 Maki Rolls

Accra Beach

Accra Beach, also known as The Rockley Beach is located on the southern coast of the island.

The beach itself is quite large. The sand is white and soft and there are always plenty of chairs available, for a price.

If you get thirsty there is a drink stand in the parking lot. The coconut man will also cut you a coconut for some coconut water whenever you want.

The water is warm and beautiful. During high tide the waves are perfect for body boarding and playing in. Although there can be a strong current, it's far out. So, you don't stray too far out, you're all good.

During low tide, the water is calm and pleasant.

Whether you like calm water or something a little more rough, Accra has something to offer at various times of the day.

Kempai @ Josef's

Appropriately, I will start off my blog by critiquing a sushi restaurant in Barbados. My prince and I went for dinner last night at Josef's in The Gap.

As we entered the restaurant we were greeted by a smiling hostess who was ready to seat us immediately. We walked through two sitting rooms and came out onto a back deck full of small tables covered in white linens. The chairs were merely metal lawn chairs covered in white linens to create an appearance of elegance. We were seated in the middle of the deck, away from the sea.

The menu was either a 3 or 4 course Japanese sushi meal or a 3 or 4 course Asian inspired meal consisting of lamb, chicken, duck or fish. I chose to start my meal with the vegetarian tempura. When it came, it tasted more like french fries than tempura. It was merely a very fried piece of vegetable. Each type of vegetable was indistinguishable from the next.

After waiting around 40 minutes our entrees arrived. Mine was served on a lovely wooden plate. I had orderd three maki sushis: Alaska Maki, California Roll and Spicy Tuna.

The Alaska Maki was described in the menu as salmon and avocado in a sushi roll. In fact, the Alaska maki was a piece of salmon wrapped in a lot of rice. There was no avocado.

The California Roll was described as crab, celery, fish roe and avocado in a sushi roll. My California roll was less California and more crab. Just crab.

The Spicy tuna was exactly that. A piece of tuna with spicy sauce.

The sushi was forgettable. Next time I want some sushi I may have to step into the kitchen myself!