Sunshine Restaurant, Bloody Bay

Stephen Turner · Post by **Stephen Turner** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 5:19 pm

We ate at the Sunshine Restaurant, Bloody Bay. The food was good and it's nicely located, looking out over the forest canopy. But I would not describe it as "very reasonable", as it says in the restaurant guide. We paid TTD 300 for a one-course lunch for two.

There seems to be another restaurant a little bit further up the road in Bloody Bay, called the Innerforest Restuarant. We didn't go there though, only drove past it.

Paul Tallet · Post by **Paul Tallet** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 10:05 pm

We have been to Sunshine many times over the years but less and less as each year goes by because the eating out options have improved considerably in Castara where we stay.

Nice place ... at night you see spectacular firefly displays there and the sounds of the rainforest are equally amazing.

The food is good and the lady that runs the place has made every effort to cater for the kids with burgers and chips. When I last saw her she said she was planning to open a resturant in Castara.

I am a little surprised about the charge of TT$300 ... unless you both had lobster platters or similar !!! ... cannot recall having paid much more than that for my family of 5 before ... from my experience it should have been no more than TT$160 plus any drinks or maybe they have put their prices up?

Regards

Stephen Turner · Post by **Stephen Turner** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 8:45 am

It may have been partly our fault. We both had prawns, which are probably more expensive than chicken. Also, we did have all the sides, which was presented as the default option, but was probably a mistake. The menus (on blackboards) don't have any prices on them -- had they done so, we might have been more careful.

Don't get me wrong, we had a good meal, and the owner was very friendly. I just felt it didn't exactly correspond to the description in the restaurant guide.

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 9:09 am

Hi Stephen

The comment in the Restaurant section says

"Described by one visitor as "delicious, hot and very reasonable".

In other words, that's the only report we've had. I'm not familiar with the place myself so can't comment. Like so many of these smaller local restaurants, I am totally dependent upon the input of readers. It raises the question of whether it's better to show no information, or publish unvalidated and possibly unbalanced comments from visitors. So, please, please, please everyone - let me have your comments on EVERY small local restaurant on Tobago. It is only weight of opinion that can help me to produce a meaningful guide.

In the interest of balance, Stephen, I have added your comment to the entry (on the new site, which comes out in about a week). I would value comments from other visitors about prices at the Sunshine though.

Paul Tallet · Post by **Paul Tallet** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 10:23 am

Stephen makes a very good point about the fact that the prices are not shown on the menu.

This is typical of many small establishments in Tobago. Like Stephen, when I am in holiday mode generally I forget to ask for prices but when I have 5 mouths to feed I have got into the habit of asking for the prices where this applies.

I recall a string somewhere in this forum regarding a resturant in Castara that, for instance, charged different prices for residents and visitors and this could be a clue as to why prices are not displayed because they are serving visitors as well as those in their local community.

Thus said, I have no objection to paying a premium where I am benefiting from local services in Tobago ... in any case it is normally much cheaper than hotel services where the profits are less likely to benefit the local community.

However, it can be offputting when prices are not shown or where I visit an establishment more than once and pay different amounts for the same meals.

If this practice is to be the norm, that's fine, but to be as fair as possible under these circumstances, the smaller establishments that wish to benefit from visitors' custom could consider displaying tourist prices and then discretely negotiate their terms with their regular local customers.

Unless any one has any other ideas?

Stephen Turner · Post by **Stephen Turner** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 11:51 am

Steve, it's definitely better to put one comment when you only have one. I'm sorry if it sounded as if I was complaining about the restaurant guide -- quite the opposite, it's an excellent resource, and in this case I fully understood that it was just one person's view. I just wanted to offer a second opinion, to help make the guide more comprehensive.

Andrew Prince · Post by **Andrew Prince** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 4:04 pm

We used the Sunshine restaurant on our recent trip (back 21 Jan 05)and checked on the prices when ordering. The Chicken or fish of the day together with a plateful of assorted and very tasty veg was 50TT Prawns were 80TT and local special extra large prawns caught in the local bay were 120TT. I guess they defaulted to the most expensive dish if you did not ask the price. Also from memory they add 10% service charge to the bill. As a stop off for a meal while touring round the island it offers good value and excellent local food as long as you choose the cheaper meals.
I think there is a general issue on restaurant pricing policies which should be aired with its own thread, maybe I have given myself a job here!

Stephen Turner · Post by **Stephen Turner** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 5:21 pm

That would explain it then. They were very good prawns.