Vist Report on a Great Trip

Manfred · Post by **Manfred** » Mon May 22, 2006 8:01 pm

Well, we’ve been back from Tobago for well over a week now so had better get some thoughts down. We were there for nearly 3 weeks and it was our 6th visit in 5 years.

Regarding the crime debate, it all felt as safe and friendly as ever. As Londoners we’re fairly security aware and feel even safer in Tobago than we do in SW London. There have been a couple of incidents this year but the fact that so much has been talked about them indicates how relatively rare serious crime is on Tobago.

I did 14 dives this trip with Sublime Scuba. This makes a total of 72 dives with Sublime and I must say that they are my favourite dive operation of any that I’ve used anywhere in the world. The water was calmer and clearer than we’ve seen before which made for great snorkelling (Arnos Vale was amazing) as well fabulous diving.

We used our favourite restaurants and tried a few new ones, here are some comments:

Panache: not used before and what a find (thanks to myTobago). Very good 3 course meal (soup, salad and catch of the day) for TT 100. The fish was very good and not over cooked.

Café Coco: not bad and worth a visit but not much to write home about. Good cocktails.

Colours: Good local food at reasonable prices.

Pelican Reef: still puts out good food at reasonable prices.

La Terrazza: now moved to Tobago Plantations. The food remains very good and reasonably priced but we worry about the new location. It’s not really a golf club menu and there is too much emphasis on pasta (albeit very good) and not enough meat/fish main courses. Impressive wine list.

Melange: one of our old favourites. The food is very good but overpriced. The wine list has improved but is still too expensive. The new curry room upstairs looks very nice but we didn’t eat there.

Indigo: excellent food, mid priced. Possibly the best cooked fish we had. We don’t understand the myTobago comment regarding prices, maybe something went wrong the night you visited? When we were there, there were more tables with locals than tourists, which must say something. The bar is very friendly with a good mixture of locals and visitors.

Bamboo Mile: nice new place. Food good and reasonably priced but go for the steamed rather than grilled fish as the latter was a little overcooked. Happy to use again.

Bonkers: didn’t eat there this time but the staff in the bar were very surly on both our visits. Best avoided.

L & H, Castara: We love this place for lunch. Just ask for the fish lunch and enjoy real local food done very well.

Arnos Vale: we were there for snorkelling but the staff at the beachside bar and restaurant were very accommodating. We had a nice lunch and a few beers.

The Shade: new bar/nightclub. We saw no trouble but we understand that there was an incident here a while back between two locals over a girl. It appears that this has led to people being warned off and explains the security at the entrance. We liked it, although we tended to visit early. Great cocktails.

Alternative: new bar at the beginning of the Shirvan road. Quiet the evening we were there but looks like a nice place (run by ex policemen) and seems to have a good reputation.

Lals (in Scarborough): our favourite roti – we love the veggie version. We would often drive to Scarborough just to get these. We tried a new place, Renas, but found long queues, more expensive and not quite as nice.

Our favourite bar is Ocean View (close to Indigo), not to everyone’s taste but perfect for a couple of beers and the view.

Best deal: doubles from the lady by the airport selling from the back of her car – just look for the small crowd. Prices have risen 25% but at TT 2.5 each, the are amazingly good value.

Brian Taylor · Post by **Brian Taylor** » Mon May 22, 2006 10:40 pm

25 pence for the doubles is still not bad.

I think she has the best doubles. and did you try her pies? scruymptios.....

Bill B · Post by **Bill B** » Tue May 23, 2006 4:27 pm

Hi,

Please excuse my ignorance

Could you please explain what a double is?

Thanks,

Bill

Phil Dean · Post by **Phil Dean** » Tue May 23, 2006 8:54 pm

It's a "large as opposed to a "standard" measure of spirits.

oh the joys of nearly having the same language.

Bill B · Post by **Bill B** » Tue May 23, 2006 10:08 pm

Phil,

We use the same term "double" to refer to a larger alcoholic beverage but then when I converted the price of 2.5TT to US currency it came to approximately 40 cents and felt this was way too cheap to be so. What types of spirits does she serve at these prices?

Bill

Brian Taylor · Post by **Brian Taylor** » Tue May 23, 2006 10:10 pm

in tobago it is two pieces of a do (size of a small handpalm) with som channa in a kind of a curry sauce between it... very tasty!

D. Gould · Post by **D. Gould** » Wed May 24, 2006 1:29 am

Doubles are an east indian "snack". It consists of 2 round roti-like breads called bara, with a curried chick pea (channa) filling. They use 2 baras, hence the name "doubles". Very good with pepper sauce.

Bill B · Post by **Bill B** » Wed May 24, 2006 1:26 pm

Aw, shucks! Here I was hoping to get cheap drinks

I thought it sounded too good to be true. The doubles sound good though and I'm sure I can find a cheap Carib somewhere nearby to wash them down with.

Eight months to go and I can't wait. We're really looking forward to coming to Tobago again and particularly our stay with Brian & Steph.

Bill

Brian Taylor · Post by **Brian Taylor** » Wed May 24, 2006 3:07 pm

from all this talk about it I developed an appetite. wednesdays the doubles lady in the airport is usually not there, so I did not bother. but there is a guy at pennysavers who has decent quality, too. did not wash them down woth a beer, but surely could have with penny savers next door... yummy!

Phil Dean · Post by **Phil Dean** » Wed May 24, 2006 3:25 pm

gutted, I thought it was 25p shots of spirits.