Rouselle's

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Paula Wood

Rouselle's

Post by Paula Wood »

Does anyone know what has happened with this Restaurant? When we were in Tobago the summer of 2001 we went to there (twice). It was located in Scarborough - right off the Ocean (a few blocks from the market). It was really really great (did I mention just how great?). I didn't see this listed in this site's restaurant guide & when I search for it on the web it seems to have moved into the Hilton (now called Rousell's 19th Hole). We are wondering if it really moved and, if it did, if it even remotely resembles its old self.
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Steve Wooler
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Post by Steve Wooler »

Hello Paula

This is a bit of a sad story, I'm afraid. Bobbie and Charlene closed their original Scarborough restaurant a couple of years ago, following a vicious burglary. I believe they left the island and intended to re-open somewhere else. The call of Tobago was too great and they returned and took over the Tobago Plantations Golf & Country Club restaurant. Sadly, for contractual reasons, they currently only open for breakfast and luncheon, to keep the golfers well fed. They are not open for dinner, where their real skills would show. Hopefully this will change soon, but in the meantime, the Golf & Country Club restaurant is a great place to visit for a light lunch. You don't need to be a golfer - simply roll up and enjoy the restaurant and bar.

Sorry that I hadn't included them in the Restaurant listings. I've corrected that immediately. I'm still wading through the long, long, long list of notes and reviews from our last visit and simply hadn't got round to that yet.
Steve Wooler
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Paula Wood

Post by Paula Wood »

Steve,

Thanks for the update. That is really terrible - I never met him, but she was wonderful. Her personality, on top of the great food, made it a place we went to multiple times in our short 1-week visit. I can't imagine how they felt after the burglary - I'm glad they weren't hurt. I’m glad they came back to the Island. We’re pretty sure we’ll be going back to Tobago this summer, and we are golfers, so we will definitely get over to the new Rouselle’s. If it’s a shadow of the old restaurant then I’m sure we’ll go more than once.

On the subject of food……..When we were there, we accidentally landed in a restaurant called Café Callaloo in Crown Point. I didn’t see them in your listing – are they still there? And, it looks like Jemma’s isn’t so special any more but that Bird Watchers Restaurant & Bar is a must instead. Is that right?
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Steve Wooler
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Post by Steve Wooler »

Hi Paula

Neither have I - but it’s a "she" not a "he" I believe.

Cafe Callaloo has closed. The premises are now Panache - well worth a visit if you like Creole-style food.

Jemma's has become too commercialised. All the tour buses stop there. Apart from anything else, tour buses are anathema to Tobago – look how gross Pigeon Point becomes when the cruise ships come in. So, apart from the crowds and noise if you hit Jemma’s at the wrong time, I feel that the catering has suffered too. The last meal I had there was lukewarm and the rice cold. I’m afraid that Speyside is not noted as the friendliest village on the island and I have always found the staff at Jemma’s to be particularly surly and unfriendly. The Birdwatcher’s or Simply Redmans (next door) may not have as interesting a location, but the service and food are arguably better – although Jemma’s side dishes are still tops.
Steve Wooler
myTobago.info - the definitive Visitor Guide to Tobago
Paula Wood

Post by Paula Wood »

Hi Steve,

Oops............ I should have known from the spelling. I probably did meet them both, then.

I noticed Panache on your list. We'll definitely go there.

As for Speyside - we didn't spend much time there either - we went to snorkel and see Little Tobago (or Chicken Island as we affectionately named it) and eat at Jemma’s. We will have to hit Bird Watchers instead, especially if there is a bus in the vicinity (I can’t actually imagine seeing a tour bus on Tobago – it defies sensibilities. We picked the Island because of the lack of hordes of tourists and their buses.).

Thanks for you help,
We’ll be sure to post when we get back.
Paula
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Kevin Hampson
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Tour Bus?

Post by Kevin Hampson »

Hi Steve,
I'm not too sure if your use of the words Tour Bus is the best description of the 8 seater we saw parked a Jemma's when we were there last November. I think the main problem is a lot of the guides and divers coming up from the other end of the Island also use it and it gets a bit hectic and the staff gets fractious.
Lunch times did tend to get a bit fraught and after one meal we started going to Redman’s whenever they were open.

The evening meals are a lot better at Jemma's and I even got a smile out of the staff on one occasion. Redman's is not always open and I never did work out what the opening times or even days were meant to be.

Regards
Kevin
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Post by Steve Wooler »

Hi Kevin

I was far from referring to the 8-seaters - they're neither here not there. I was referring to the maxi-buses - the same size and type as used as 'buses' on the island. They're used by the biggest tour companies. I'm not sure how many seats they have, but they must be 16-24. Thank God they don't have proper coaches over there, but just one of those maxi-buses can totally ruin a trip to Jemma's.

Yes, as you say, Redmans can be a little erratic in opening hours I hear.
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Kevin Hampson
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Post by Kevin Hampson »

Hi Steve Thanks for that,
I must have been lucky in November, I dont recall seeing a Maxi Taxi at Jemma's. I can see how she would be mobbed with that many turning up for lunch.

Still it could be worse I have seen a 60 seater coach parked outside a small cream tea shop on the edge of Dartmoor.


Regards
Kevin
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