Paul's Culinery Observations

Your questions and comment on restaurants and dining out
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Paul Tallet
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Paul's Culinery Observations

Post by Paul Tallet »

Here is a review of the eating places I visited during my recent stay (Dec/Jan 2013/14)

3 Top Places

It's difficult to separate these 3:-

Kings Bay Cafe
Fishpot
Castara Retreats

If you are a fish lover these 3 should not disappoint.

The Fishpot does nice (sort of) lunchtime snacks ... their evening options are more expensive and I have not been for dinner ... but the lunches are very good value ... don't get there after 1300 as there is a risk they have run out of fish.

The only negative is they say they are open 'anytime' ,,, they are not, so don't be misled into thinking you can turn up 'anytime' and get what you want.

Kings Bay Cafe ... it does not matter what fish is available, it's always cooked to perfection and very good value.

Castara Retreats ... a little more upmarket and not necessarily Tobago ... but good value for what you eat ... this is the type of place where you try their dishes and swap with your Partner ... the food is really good no matter what you order ... the chef also appreciates feedback, they really do care.

The only negative is there are 2 menus so you will have exhausted most of your options by your 3rd visit ... so why not?

Also ... do not compare Castara Retreats to the other Castara Restaurants ... there is no way you can compare.


Castara Restaurants

This is difficult.

Go to the Coffee Shop for breakfast ... easy recommendation.

Lunch and Dinner ... difficult recommendation.

Castara Restaurants charge extortionate prices with the exception of Shirma's on a Friday night.

We need to understand that the hostelry's such as Castara Retreats, Naturalist, Sea Breezes, Angels Apartment, Blue Mango and many others provide the business for Castara Restaurants ... the Restaurants are literally dependent on the hostels to provide the dinner business and it is about time the hostels started telling the restaurants that they are giving utterly bad value for money.

I do not want to pay 90 or 100tt for a pile of rice, veg and a very boney piece of Lamb/Goat whatever ... the restaurants need to take note otherwise you will rip off a tourist for their first night and they will not return.

I noted one establishment had no diners in their premises all week and then suddenly 3 tables were occupied on the Saturday night (after the last flight) ... then no customers the following week.

Accordingly, I go for lunch elsewhere in Tobago where the prices are 50 or 60tt and then when I come home to Castara for the evening I get the toast and spam out and absolutely refuse to pay silly money for a load of dross.

The exception to this is Marguerites ... she charges the same rates but, at least, her food is good but still too expensive.

While I was there I heard that one establishment was charging 200tt for a barbecue ... get real Castara ... not all tourists are that stupid !!

Other Observations

Went to the Cafe Caio in Scarborough. Lovely Coffee, nice ice cream ... but when I asked for Wifi access they said that their 'facilities are not available to the public' ... OK, so I won't be going there again ... strange isn't it, how nice it is to have a coffee break and to catch up on your life ... idiots !!



Went to the Steak & Lobster Grill in Crown Point. Got excited because I don't often get an opportunity to have Lobster.

Anyway, we got the Menu ... what a laugh!!

Yum Yum ... we will have a Lobster to share.

'There is no Lobster'

Ok ... not too upset ... we could try your Steak?

There is no Steak.

'Oh Ok, how about the rack of Lamb?'

There is no Lamb !!

'OK, here is your menu back ... could you go speak to your chef and find out what you have?'

20 minutes later ... we have chicken, lamb, goat .... aaaaaaargh !!

Anyway, by this time we were served we were already half cut from 2 rum punches so we ordered something that I can't remember.

Trust me ... THIS PLACE IS DIABOLICAL !!


Sharon and Phebes ... I really don't understand this. Sharon served us herself. The food here has been very good in the past but, on this occasion, it was utter crap ... my fried chicken was cremated and not edible.

Also there is something wrong about Charlottesville in my sixth sense. The fish market is being renovated or replaced ... everyone there looks totally pissed off ... any comments anyone?

I hope that people find my comments to be constructive ... I don't mean to diss anyone but I am saying it how it is.

Regards
Paul Tallet
Public Relations Consultant for Mother Nature
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Steve Wooler
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Re: Paul's Culinery Observations

Post by Steve Wooler »

Hi Paul

Well said! I couldn't agree more with everything you said.

The various guest houses and rental properties we list for Castara offer nightly accommodation for up to 245 visitors. This increases to 327 if you add in immediately surrounding areas like Englishman's Bay and Parlatuvier. At this time of year, all the decent accommodation is fully booked. If we took even a VERY conservative average of 50% occupancy, that still means that Castara will have had 150+ visitors plus staying in the village and immediate area in recent weeks. You could be excused for thinking that only 30-40 visitors were staying in the village. It's just SO sad.

Anyway, your comments and opinion are appreciated. Don't forget to cast your votes in our RSR polls though. Rather than trying to vote by clicking on individual icons, your best bet is to head over to the main RSR Poll page (menu: Welcome > Reader Satisfaction Polls) or www.myTobago.info/surveys/ where you can vote for all the restaurants (for example) in one go.
Steve Wooler
myTobago.info - the definitive Visitor Guide to Tobago
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Paul Williams
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Re: Paul's Culinery Observations

Post by Paul Williams »

So true Paul, sadly the best food we have ever had in Castara was cooked by ourselves.
It really only needs someone to offer good value food using all of the wonderful constituents that are available and they will have a very good clientele but sadly I do not think it will happen.
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