Top 5: Grenada

If Chu on This had a frequent flyer program, Sean would be the most loyal member. He’s an old friend who’s guided me through Montreal’s dining scene and also dined with me throughout New Orleans, Toronto and Ottawa. Sean is now a medical student living in Grenada in the West Indies and has learned a thing or two about the best places to eat on the island. I’ll let him take on the rest of this post:

Name: Sean Yaphe

Occupation: Medical school student at St. George’s University

Hometown: Montreal, Quebec

Current City: St. George’s, Grenada

A little background: It has now been almost two years that I’ve lived in Grenada and there are just a few weeks left of “fun in the sun” before I return to North America. I have not only discovered so much about the island during this time, but also about myself.

To shed some light, Grenada is located in the Caribbean approximately 150 km off the coast of Venezuela and a 30-minute flight from Port of Spain, Trinidad. St. George’s University has been around for almost 40 years and encompasses both a medical school and veterinary school, as well as many undergraduate programs, MBA and MPH programs, and graduate studies, with over 5000 international students on the island.

A day in the life of a med student is a simple schedule: class, study, exercise – rinse and repeat every day. Of course, for the sake of mental health, it is important to break from the routine every once in a while and enjoy living in paradise, particularly once exam weeks are over and long weekends arrive. For a small island of 100 000 people and minimal resources, foodies definitely are not ignored. This is the Spice Island and flavour abounds in everything that you eat, especially if you like hot sauce and nutmeg!

Top 5 Places to Eat in Grenada

1. Country Kitchen: Whenever I speak to someone from Grenada, they are always amazed that I know of this place. Thanks goes out to Candy, an employee on campus, for mentioning this place to me! This is considered the best restaurant on the island for rotis, a local dish made of roti skin filled with either chicken, beef, or lambie (conch), as well as potatoes, vegetables, and a curry sauce. Go on a Wednesday, Friday, or Saturday and you also can try their amazing oil down. Oil down is a Grenadian delicacy consisting of curried pork belly, dumplings, breadfruit, and vegetables. The restaurant is located in St. George’s city on St. John’s street.
2. Le Papillon: Who would ever think you could brunch on this small island! The owner, Kathy-Anne, Grenadian-born, spent much of her life living in Toronto, but decided it was time to return home and escape the cold and opened up shop by the Spiceland Mall. Her son is a sous-chef at Noma, in Copenhagen, Denmark, one of the best restaurants in the world. Twice a year, he comes down to update the menu and train the staff. I’m sure by now you can imagine what an experience it is to have brunch here. This is home to the best cinnamon bun I have ever had as well as delicious banana bread. Everything is made from scratch, in-house, every day.
3. Oui Papa Ice Cream: Who doesn’t love ice cream!! After a week of studying 12-16 hours a day, this is the best thing to look forward to at the end of he week. This may be one of the best ice creams I have ever tasted!! Oui Papa makes delicious homemade ice cream every week at the Container Park. Friday nights are always an amazing treat when they come up with creative flavours, such as vanilla honey crunch, fully baked, and fresh jouvay chocolate mint. Be sure to try their ice cream cookie sandwiches: two thick double chocolate cookies sandwiching a great portion of ice cream. Available Friday’s from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
4. Rhodes Restaurant, Calabash Hotel: The Calabash Hotel was rated one of the top 25 hotels in the world this year and rightly so. Acres of land sit along a beautifully calm beach in the Lance aux Epines region of Grenada. If you are looking for a date night, more upscale place to eat, this is your restaurant. The restaurant overlooks the lush grounds and beautiful flowers while live music plays in the background. Chef Mark B. lays every plate out perfectly and every mouthful is an explosion of flavours.
5. Patrick’s: If you want a great introduction to local cuisine, Patrick’s is the place to come. For 60 EC ($30 CAD), you get a tapas style dinner of around 18 local dishes ranging from vegetarian, to meat, to fish. Try some refreshing papaya salad, curried chicken, fish cakes, and lamb. This restaurant is like eating straight from your grandmother’s kitchen! If you’re a large group, this is a fun and exciting place to check out. Reservations are necessary and be sure to request oil down when you call as it takes a while to prepare.

Honourable Mention: Esther’s: While in Grenada, there is no question that you will land up at Grand Anse Beach, which is considered one of the top 10 most beautiful beaches in the world. With its pearly white sand and calm, crystal clear, turquoise water, it is the perfect place to throw all your cares away and soak in the sun. Esther’s is hidden in the arts and crafts market. This is the place for a great mojito and Esther will serve you with a great smile!