Eating With Ziggy

Three Queens – Your Island Freddy’s

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Ziggy

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, or in Provo Utah, you probably already heard of “House of Cards” and Freddy’s BBQ joint. Freddy’s is Kevin Spacey’s character’s secret local rib oasis. He goes there any chance he can to unwind, to get his favorite ribs, and see his friend. Everyone should have a place like this. I don’t when I think about it. Pure Thai Cookhouse is probably the closest as I’ve probably frequented the place more than any other but its very far from a hangout place like Freddy’s. BTW, one of the many folks I met while swimming in the ocean at the other Provo (Turks) recommended to me this great Thai place in NYC called Pure Thai which he found on EatingWithZiggy. But I digress

Three Queens is the Providenciales version of Freddy’s. Located in Blue Hills, 30 minutes away by car for the majority of visitors, and unlike similarly distant places like Bugaloos, and Conch Shack, most likely you will find only locals. In fact, you may be there just by yourself with Dick playing the roll of Freddy, who may join you and tell you island stories, like about the original Bugaloos where it was across the street (you can still see the sign). Or stories about the conch festival that Three Queens hosts annually. “Like going to someone’s house” is a cliché you see everywhere you travel these days pretty much, but I’ve never been to a place that’s deserved the cliché more. And if you still not feeling it, you will feel it when you meet Marta, the Chef de Cuisine whose extensive “all over Grace Bay” resume portrayed ever so cleverly through her cooking

Like any other typical Freddy’s, no menus here. Myself, Val from TurksandCaicosReservations, ttewks, Relayer, and Ttewks Junior (man power lunch) were given the 5 or so choices of the day. One of the menu items was a succulent curried goat which wasn’t supposed to be there that day. The previous day, I hinted to Val’s lovely wife Susan that my provo diet that week was badly missing curried goat since Jerkey’s was no more. Susan then told Val who then called Dick and voila… we are sucking on some meaty goat goodness. That goat never saw it coming. And on his day off, no less. The chicken curry was singing as well that day, and so was the oxtail (below). But my favorite dish was probably the grouper (above). Its fairly remarkable what freshness brings to a dish (family members own local fishing company.. helps) and how little messing around with it requires. You will be hard pressed to match this kind of flakiness perfection on the island.

Three Queens was born at the same year I was, 1970. Named after the owner’s three daughters. I don’t believe anyone at Pure Thai Cookhouse, the place I frequent so often, knows my name. Three Queens, after one visit, does. Like I keep saying just about after every trip I take, whether in Europe, New Orleans or just about anywhere else, places like this will enhance your vacation experience more than any other Three Queens Oxtail

TRIVAZ 2014 at Seaside Cafe

Posted on August 2, 2014 by Ziggy

A few weeks ago, on the island of Providenciales, a group of wacky Trip Advisor folks got together to celebrate vacation. The event, dubbed TRIVAZ after the 6 main planners including yours truly (I always get the rear) was held at Seaside Cafe. Drinks were flowing, the bites kept coming, and coming, and a steel drum courtesy of Val from Turks and Caicos Reservations got us groovin’. The beats and the Bambarra rum went hand in hand that night like Justin Bieber and public humiliation

Normally in events like this, food takes second stage, as you are having fun while nibbling on something here and there. Not here, no no! Every bite was a conversation stopper. From the Salmon, to the legendary Tuna Sashimi to the now world famous Conch Salad. Not to mention conch fritters, shrimp tempura (which was a big hit) and crafty bruschetta which kept coming and coming and coming until I had to cancel dinner (it takes a lot for me to cancel dinner). We chose Seaside and young stallion chef Francois for a reason, and we couldnt ask for anything more.

Special thanks to Ttewks1 and the lovely tewksmd for making it happen. Lets do this again sometimes!

Categories: Turks and Caicos | Tags: food, restaurants, Seaside cafe, Travel, TRIVAZ, Turks and Caicos | 4 Comments

Riding With Ziggy – Battle of the Bridges Part III

Posted on July 31, 2014 by Ziggy

Twice a year the Hummus Whisperer and I are freed by our spouses to ride with the winds between the boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan while enjoying culinary freedom. This time our tour included a neighborhood in Brooklyn, a romantic deserted island, a burrito, and a whole lot of butt texting. All photos and texting courtesy of an Iphone 5 fresh off a broken lock button, which meant butt calling and but texting galore before I realized that the top button no longer does it job. I would call people while talking to them.. “Excuse me… oh its you”.. “What?”

We parked near the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge as always, and this time we opted to stay relatively close for a breakfast snack and explore the area of Boerum Hill. Walking on Smith st reminded me how much I miss that area. I dont know if it was a hangover symptom but you can actually hear birds singing in some of the relatively quiet and tree lined side streets. Smith st. has some of the best concentration of fine dining/bars/food stores in Brooklyn. It was slightly truer before Michelin Starred Saul moved to the Brooklyn Museum.

Our first food stop was Shelsky’s, a mini Russ and Daughter’s with an attitude if you will. The plain bagel with cream cheese and a silky smooth Gaspe Nova was just what we ordered! Great loxy flavor without the R&D pain (I’m talking about both Russ & Daughters and the lox our R&D dep’t consumes).

After our little picnic in Brooklyn Borough Hall, we picked up a bike and crossed Brooklyn Bridge which was relatively quiet at 10 am. Plenty of bike lane wary tourists still but not wall to wall zoo as before.

On the Manhattan side not too far from the bridge I noticed a large Asian group practicing Falun Dafa (or Falun Gong) meditation. This practice which disciplines Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance, got so popular in china in the 90’s that it was quickly banned by the government as it was seen as a threat. I was told by a Chinese woman that a million Chinese followers have either died or imprisoned over the years and the rest of the world cant do much about it. Seeing this group was a sharp reminder that we take our freedom for granted.

Riding in Chinatown is not the most pleasant ride, but always interesting. There arent too many neighborhoods out there where you get a sense of community like here. At some point on Hester street we saw people dancing in a park. Where else do you see that at 10 am? HW and I debated whether to show them a few moves of our own but we had an appointment with dumplings, Prosperity Dumplings. Four meaty, greasy (in a good way) pork and chive dumplings for a buck. You cant get a better deal than this in NYC – its not economically feasible. Last week I tried the recently opened Mimi Cheng’s dumplings in East Village which is getting some press and lines out the door. While they were good, for $8 per 6, I would take Prosperity any day.

We continued to ride to the East Village for a desperately needed thirst quencher and its pretty clear where we are headed since we get this drink on every one of those rides. The Grasshopper at Liquiteria, a popular neighborhood fresh juice joint. They used to make it fresh on the spot but now you can find it in the fridge on the left. Try it with some Gray Goose for a much smoother Citibike ride

We now head North to the romantic portion of the trip to 60th, riding entirely on 1st ave which has a great bike lane btw. Both of us making it to Roosevelt Island for the very first time. I always thought I would make it with Mrs Ziggy one day, never with the romantically challenged Hummus Whisperer. It took us about 30 minutes of aimless walking and some bus shuttle hopping to nowhere to realize that god invented Google for a reason. Apparently we need to head to one of the ends, the closest one. So we head south and now I see what the hoopla is all about. Nice park along the water, another park, NYC’s only monument ruin (an old smallpox hospital), and right on the tip, FDR Four Freedoms Park. This is got to be one of New Yorks most stunning parks, and what a setting. FDR’s huge bust overlooking the island brought me back to my old FDR high school in Brooklyn where I learned how to write properly (you guessed it, the school is now closed!)

We headed back to the mothership island, and straight to a game I call Amazing Citibike Race. Its where we realize that the area around us is suddenly short on bikes and we have to scramble. For 15 minutes we had to scramble and run around while constantly checking the bike app. We split, we texted (both real and butt) and at some point some running was even involved, until we got the bikes.

We cruised 2nd ave all the way back downtown. I must say the east side (2nd and 1st) is much friendlier for bikers than the west side (8th,9th). Our best eating is still to come. Well, we haven’t eaten much as you can see and I’m approaching the elusive 1000 word mark (what the hell did I write about). We nixed the two Ivan Ramens and opted for an infamous burrito, and one particular place in Brooklyn that I feel embarrassed for visiting for the first time.

The chicken Burrito at Missions Cantina was a burrito revelation. I’ve had some crafty burritos over the years but this one may have topped them all. The main difference.. no rice. The lack of rice meant less heaviness (a welcome plus in the summer) letting the rest of the ingredients shine. And the toasty flour tortilla is crispy, thin but holds its own for pleasant mess-free eating. I want to come back for the wings and tacos.

You know that the burrito was good when the ride across Manhattan bridge becomes a little more difficult. I felt like telling everyone passing me “dude, I had a burrito.. without rice, more beans”. Manhattan Bridge is a solid alternative to Brooklyn if you don’t want to share the lane with pedestrians taking selfies of themselves getting hit by bikes.

Pok Pok, the Hummus Whisperer’s favorite restaurant in NYC was our last stop. Although I’ve been a big fan of Andy Ricker, I somehow never made it before. The new location in Red Hook looks like a simple diner, but the food is anything but. We only had room for 2 dishes and one of them had to be the wings I kept hearing about. Very solid meaty delicious wings that were plenty sweet and plenty of spice. I liked the Cha Ca La Vong even more (below). Catfish marinated and fried to flaky perfection with all sorts of herb action, rice vermicelli and tangy pineapple-y sauce. Now I really cant wait to come back for more. Great finish to a wonderful day

The End

Categories: Brooklyn, Chinatown, East Village, Lower East Side, New York City | Tags: best food in NYC, food, Liquiteria, Mission Cantina, Pok Pok Brooklyn, Prosperity Dumplings, restaurants, Shelsky's, Travel | 2 Comments

Turks and Caicos – Le Bouchon du Village

Posted on July 27, 2014 by Ziggy

I have to confess, last trip wasnt exactly dud free. In fact, we had quite a few of them, mostly with new spots I wanted to check out (the things I do for you people, and for what?!?). Le Bouchon du Village in the little picturesque village of “Regent” was most certainty not one of them. Not exactly a shocker since I choose not to write about duds for various reasons.

In fact this was most likely our favorite meal at Le Bouchon, mainly because we got all our favorite Le Bouchon classics and even added a new one. As usual my pictures at Le Bouchon look a little stale, mainly because a) Its a little dark in there, b) we are way to eager to eat the food when it arrives, and c) I suck at photography.

The classics at Le Bouchon according to moi:

The Escargot pictured above – This is how escargot should taste like everywhere.

The Soups – Both the Conch Chowder and the black bean soup are quite good even at extreme heat

Steak au Poivre – The only restaurant in Provo where steak is a must. Perfectly executed, melt in your mouth buttery goodness, each time we have it, without fail

The Tuna – Our newest classic. Fresh, expertly prepared Yellowfin. Lightly seared to beautiful redness you can only get with fish this fresh, and lightly coated with ginger tomato reduction to take this to the next level. It came with avocado, other veggies and Jasmine rice which was the perfect compliment. Great dish

We also had a lovely Snapper, pan seared with light cream. Mrs Ziggy particularly enjoyed this one. And for dessert, their rich chocolate tart is always a hit and Profiteroles this time ended one of the most brilliant meals of the trip. Pictures below followed by the previous post

03/13/13 Post…

Time for a Timeline…

Oct 1975 – Curious Ziggy discovers Snails are edible

Dec 2006 – Ziggy discovers Turks and Caicos

July 2009 – Ziggy eats at Caicos Café headed by Frenchman Pierrik Marziou

Oct 12th, 2010 9:34 pm – Ziggy goes on a hunger strike when discovering two Italians take over Caicos Café, Pierrik retires

Oct 12th, 2010 10:15 pm – Hunger strike is over but Ziggy vows not to eat at the new Caicos Café in protest

Dec 2010 – Ziggy eats at the new Caicos Café, gets Ratatouille moment, drops pen

Dec 2012 – Pierrik comes out of retirement, opens Le Bouchon at the village

Dec 2012 – Present – The Golden Years

So there you have it. Pierrik and his gang are back is what I’m trying to say. And back with a vengeance…

A Parisian like Bistro on a sidewalk at Regent Village is Le Bouchon. A family affair, with Pierrik, Julian (son), Justine (daughter) and any other children that start with a J. Mom is there as well hustling and bustling. A changing chalkboard menu with plenty to choose from adds to the excitement and the homey atmosphere. In fact I did the same thing back home starting this week an today on the menu is cereal with 1%!

During lunch one day we enjoyed a nice Niçoise salad, and a top eat of the trip nominee burger with egg. You need to ask for the egg. With the perfectly cooked sunny side up egg, the result is a messy, juicy goodness oozing with deliciousness. Good to have this lunch option.

Some of the lunch options are available for dinner as well. Like the fun Charcuterie board (I love Charcuterie boards – you never know what you getting) with a nice assortment of salami, ham and duck terrine. Escargot was absolutely delicious! The perfect garlic, butter, herbs balance which very often restaurants cant quite get it right. I still have garlic breath after that Escargot we had in Brooklyn last week and after eating half a head of garlic at lunch today!

Mussels were a big hit that evening as well. The shrimp a la plancha however was a bit puzzling since it was one large shrimp over risotto. More of a tapa dish really than main. Although the wife and my oldest who ordered it enjoyed it

I went for the steak au poivre which along with the chilean sea bass is a staple on the board I believe. Plate cleaner. Covered with light peppercorn sauce that even made the fries taste great. Cooked medium rare as expected after ordering medium (French undercook) and plenty of flavor. A month before this meal we ate at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon in Las Vegas where I had a NY strip with peppercorn sauce. That NY Strip was twice the price and half the flavor of the steak at Le Bouchon.

For dessert the winner was the chocolate mousse which I actually didn’t get to try. That’s how good it was. Tarte tatin (pronounced according to Justin, “Ta”) was good, creme brûlée just ok. Dinner overall – Le Magnifique

Le Bouchon is new but you wouldn’t know it while eating there. This is one of the only dining options on the island that does not need to rely on tourists alone due to the kind of local following established over the years. So needless to say I’m not the only one raving about this “addition”. Bienvenue Pierrik and family!

Recommended dishes: Burger with egg, Escargot, Charcuterie board, Mussels, steak au poivre, chocolate mousse

Categories: Turks and Caicos | Tags: food, Le Bouchon, Le Bouchon Providenciales, Le Bouchon Turks and Caicos, Providenciales Dining, restaurants, Travel, Turks and Caicos dining, Turks and caicos food, Turks and Caicos Restaurants | 1 Comment

Turks and Caicos – Flamingo’s

Posted on July 25, 2014 by Ziggy

7/25/14 Update: Reaffirming island must status. As must as it gets in fact in Providenciales. Besides that celebrated legendary dish, there are a few more reasons to come

1) Rum Punch. You know when you see couples walk on the beach holding hands, to make you go “Awwwe”. Grace Bay can do it to you. But when Mrs Ziggy and I do it, it usually means she just had the rum punch at Flamingo’s and I’m simply preventing her from walking into an Island Vibes boat. Those guys aren’t shy with the rum, and the flavor simply kicks ass.

2) The Curried Grouper. I already talk about it extensively below. Arguably the most celebrated dish on the island. This time around not only it didn’t disappoint but it even had some extra punch.

3) Everything else is pretty good. If you are not into seafood than this is not much of a must, but everything else we tried over the years has been anywhere between ok and pretty good. The ribs are good enough, so is the curried chicken when they have (forgot about what the menu says). But this time we really liked the Grouper burger. Nicely seasoned, great flaky texture. A bit too much bun action so I would just disregard half of it. Respect the fish!

3/18/13 Post:

The Dish! This one is going to be short and sweet and to the point (plus i’m a little tired from dealing with the ~~Devil~~ Time Warner cable for much of the day)

Whenever I recommend this one on TripAdvisor I always pause for a second to think what exactly is the name of this place. Is it Flamingo’s, Flamingos, The Flamingos Cafe, Ricky’s Flamingo’s, Inga’s Flamingos? I’m not really sure. But I AM sure that its Curry Grouper is one of the top dishes on Providenciales.

Once in a while I eat something that makes me turn into Andrew Zimmern. The kids get a good kick out of it. I just shake my head and mumble various Zimmern words that may or may not have anything to do with what I’m tasting… “Its woodsy, its earthy, its gassy”. Sometimes when I try something for the first time my youngest would say “Well dad, is it woodsy and gassy” Yes!

There’s really not that many dishes on the island that give you that kind of pleasure with every morsel. Sweet, smooth, savory, melt in your mouth deliciousness. Like eating the most delicious butter. This is why I come here.

This is also TripAdvisor legend CaribDesi’s favorite dish on the island. Or one of the favorites at least. No, I’m pretty sure that’s his favorite. I hope he’ll clarify with a comment here one of these days. Get well soon buddy. We miss you. Here’s to you.

Categories: Turks and Caicos | Tags: Flamingos, Flamingos Turks and Caicos, food, Providenciales Dining, Providenciales restaurants, restaurants, Travel, Turks and Caicos dining, Turks and caicos food, Turks and Caicos Restaurants | 9 Comments

To Whom It May Concern

Posted on July 24, 2014 by Ziggy

An 18 year old TCI lover who gets it…

Back to the Islands

To Whom It May Concern,
My name is Mackenzie. I’m an 18 year old girl with a passion for this island, a passion for beauty, a passion for helping dolphins. Turks and Caicos has become a place I like to call home over the years. That being said, I just have a few things to point out for those of you who support the Dolphin Cove and this dolphinarium on Provodenciales, Turks and Caicos. I write this to you to inform. To persuade. To convince.

First of all, dolphinariums, to put it shortly, kill dolphins. Many dolphins are slaughtered in the capturing, and the “lucky” survivors get to perform tricks for human entertainment. But, the majority of the dolphins end up developing diseases, behavioral issues, and other illnesses. Dolphins end up dying in the process. They are not bred to be in captivity,

I’ve read hundreds of articles about this…

View original post 444 more words

Categories: Turks and Caicos | 4 Comments

Hearth – The Booze Megillah

Posted on July 21, 2014 by Ziggy

February 20, 2017 Update:

This is not your ex’s Hearth. The 13 year old East Village staple got a makeover, Marco Canora seems happier and healthier, and the menu essentially turned upside down. Some of the remains like the terrific Gnocchi, the Spatchcock chicken, and the light but pungent Rigatoni with pork ragu are now the classics, but much of the menu has changed. The emphasis continues to be on highest quality raw material. In fact you can even say some of this stuff, like the bone broth is life changing. Although I’m almost ashamed to say I only had it once, from the Brodo window. While it was great, its hard for this non-resident to go for bone broth in arguably the best food neighborhood on the east coast.

But I’m more convinced now that this may be New York’s best Gnocchi dish. The texture of these melty pillows cant get much better. This time a little more peppery which means more brownie points. And when you get a pasta dish like the Rigatoni that is not smothered in saucy ragu, but tastes just as rich, its a home run. The Rigatoni itself had a nice bite and was cooked to a perfecto al dente. This night we also discovered a wonderful tender rabbit with polenta (below). Although the mushroom app didnt wow as the hen of the woods last time, I would still order mushroom here. And the Cecina sent us back to the old town of Lucca.

But the main reason for the 2 stars instead of 3 is the value. I rarely complain about dish sizes here. I think I complain more about dishes being too large if anything. There’s no doubting the quality of the four pieces of Hanger, but when you share with your family of four steak loving freaks, you are left with a few bites and a tease. This steak is about 50% smaller than similar steaks. Same idea goes for the $22 Roasted Octopus. Its an app priced like a main. And the time when you got some nice slices of Sullivan Street Bakery bread for free are over I suppose. But this is high rent New York City. And chefs that can survive this long in this ultra competitive city know a thing or two. We complained a little to ourselves, but at the end of the day, we left full and satisfied. Hearth is still a Go!

hearth-rabbit hearth-steak

July 21, 2014 Post (Shivers, I wrote this?)

I’m on page 18 of the Wine List at Hearth, and I still haven’t seen any mention of wine. I am about to get brainwashed into ordering a Riesling by the 10 pages of why I should be drinking more Riesling, followed by an essay about the glory and history of Riesling, followed by a solid argument that Riesling is more fun than babies. This is like letting one of those Jehovah witness pairs inside your house (Why do they always come with a kid?). Readers, this thing is freakin 75 freakin pages. It provokes you, it challenges you, and it makes you order Riesling

I called it the mothership because Hearth and its Megillah spawned a whole bunch of Terroir wine bars all over town. I think their goal is to have one for every page. We passed one just between the parking spot and the restaurant. Inside its a little bit dark (for the camera), a little bit loud, and I’m a little bit hungry. “Put yourself in our hands” the top of the menu reads. NEVER! Havent you done enough? I’m sitting here writing this, drinking a freshly purchased cheap Riesling straight from the bottle. Anyway, no tasting menus tonight as we are with the kids this time. Here’s what we ordered

Ricotta Sformato – A nice ode to the dysfunctional Broccoli family. Roasted Broccoli, Pine Nuts, Cauliflower, Spigarello and ricotta. Enjoyed this one

Grilled Quail – Expertly cooked quail with rosemary, but what stole the show was the accompanying salad of Faro, Cucumber, Onions, Quail Egg, and very nice tomato preserve that tied everything together. I would order just the salad

Rigatoni with pork ragu – Outstanding! Not your typical heavy ragu. More like a light summary version. In the picture you can barely see any pork, but there was just enough porky goodness. Ther was peas, ricotta and more rosemary, as if fellow Tuscan Cesare Casella of Salumeria Rosi came to visit. Note: Only two pastas at this Tuscan inspired joint, an attribute I actually find refreshing. The smaller the amount the better

Gnocchi side – This led to an uncomfortable conversation with the waitress as I remember reading years ago about the legendary gnocchi of Hearth as one of the best gnocchi dishes in NYC. I asked the waitress if there was perhaps another more substantial gnocchi dish on the menu before (answer is no) and I had to repeat a few times “don’t get me wrong, this is great”. This was excellent but basic cheesy buttery pillowy gnocchi side dish. I do recommend getting this

Spatchcock Spring Chicken – Good, moist, but after a few bites tasted like ordinary chicken. Not as flavorful or imaginative as all the great chickens we’ve enjoyed over the years in the city (NoMad, Annisa, Louro, Scarpetta), but still a solid shareable option for the picky eaters. If not for our Grouper fest last week in Turks and Caicos I would have ordered the fish here.

Veal and Ricotta Meatballs – Absolutely delicious meatballs. But once you take out the Swiss Chard Cannelloni that comes along you are left with $10/meatball. Perhaps the priciest in NYC?

Hen of the Woods side – Even though I’m the only one in my family that likes mushrooms I had to have this thing. Its such a distinct earthy taste, and so so ugly looking (I cant even show you the picture or the selfie I took with it)

Panna Cotta – Good but could have used a little more berry compote. Venice Panna Cottas spoiled us forever. I also noticed they have an Affogato which made me wonder if Affogato can be without any sort of liquor (just ice cream and espresso) and lo and behold it can. I learned something new today

Overall we enjoyed this one and can comfortably recommend Hearth especially to the pickier eaters out there

Hearth
403 E 12th St
$$$$
Recommended Dishes: Quail, Rigatoni, Gnocchi, Meatballs, Rabbit, Mushrooms, Cecina

Categories: East Village, New York City | Tags: Best restaurants in East Village, East Village dining, food, Hearth, Hearth NYC, restaurants, Travel | 5 Comments

TCI – How to Gain 7 Pounds in 7 Days

Posted on July 19, 2014 by Ziggy

Last Update: March 13th, 2018

Visiting Providecnia..err.. Provo any time soon? Want to know where to eat? What to eat? How to pronounce conch? No worries, good ole’ Ziggy is here to help. After years of experimenting and taking many for the team I recommend the following 7 day eating itinerary. Of course, in order to have a great meal there are many variables involved, especially since most of these establishments are geared toward tourists and offer very full menus. And you just never know when the executive chef leaves on maternity leave (happened) or just leaves (always happens). Its a probabilities game folks. And in my humble opinion the odds increase with this plan. Click on the names where available to see reviews, pictures and suggested dishes.

7 Lunches:

Las Brisas (Got hammered after Irma, currently positioned on a temporary deck nearby) – Starting with the obvious. I don’t normally recommend places just for the view and I will not start now. Luckily the food, with a variety of Spanish and Caribbean offerings is pretty good, and the view of stunning Chalk Sound can only help. Try the killer Lobster Salad when in season.

Hemingway’s – By far my favorite Hemingway’s in the Caribbean (Is there a Caribbean island without one), and one of the better resort restaurants on the island. Situated in the Sands resort, this reasonably priced old timer has been dishing out those Fish Tacos since.. well… I have no idea actually. Like, a long time! Try also the addictive awesomeness they call fish and chips

Flamingo’s – Come here for one of the Island’s most celebrated dishes, the curried grouper. Add the consistently strong rum punch, and the stunning views and you got yourself a future regular. But dont make the mistake I did (twice) and come here without cash. Otherwise, No Grouper For You! (Update: The now accept CC). We normally come here for lunch, but sunset dinners are just as grouper friendly.

Bugaloos – Another fun, local spot. Once you find this one in Five Cays you will get rewarded with one of the best setups on the island. Some live music on Sunday nights (I believe) and maybe other nights, but we normally come for lunch after Taylor Bay. Service can give ‘Island Time’ a new meaning, but its worth waiting for the fresher Snapper around. Try the conch salad (middle picture) as well.

Lupo – Putting this among the lunches since that’s when we go, but something tells me dinners can be even more eventful. Well, the fresh pasta filled menu told me. But for lunch you can still enjoy the signature meatballs, the sick romaine lettuce (yes, that’s right, I said romaine lettuce), and don’t leave the island without trying the Lupo Tiramisu.

Sweet T’s – Time to give your wallet a breather. And I dont mean a little hole in your shorts. Those you need to say goodbye to. Ultra cheap Fried Chicken! It took me some time to add this one here because its not your typical resort lunch, but it’s always our first or last stop with luggage. As you leave the airport and turn to the main highway, after the flamingo statue, you’ll be greeted by fried chicken scent from the pink building on your right. You order by the dollar. $7 chicken and $2 fries will feed a family of 4.

Da Conch Shack – An island institution like no other. Toes in the sand (pretty sure can cause fungus but well worth it), picnic tables inches from the water. Conch everywhere including in the water where they grow their own. Great relaxing vibe. I’ve had a love, hate, love relationship with the place over the years, but if you havent been, you owe it to yourself to come and be the judge. Try the jerk wings!

Bonus: Takeout from Delicious Dishes: Local extraordinaire in the old Miss Moonies location. From the Seven Stars, in the roundabout on Leeway hwy, make a left, and its right there in the little parking lot on the right. Extremely popular with the locals. Oxtail and Curried goat on the balcony of your hotel, overlooking people eating Caesar salads with stale chicken. Doesnt get much better.

Bonus 2: Three Queens (Closed for the time being due to Hurricane damage) – An island staple in Blue Hills since 1970 and the definition of “Local”. No menu, no problem. You eat what the glorious Ms Marta (update: retired, hence bonus section, but new cook I was told is just as good, and the fish just as fresh) made that day which could be fresh fish (grouper or snapper), oxtail stew, curried goat, or curried chicken. You wont see this one on top of other lists (I’m looking at you Trip Advisor) mainly due to the location, but if you are seeking the more adventurous, as local as they come eats, it doesn’t get much better

7 Dinners:

Caicos Cafe – Starting with one of the musts. Brilliant, inventive Italian with a Caribbean twist by a mad, menu OCD genius chef/owner Max Olivari. Pay special attention here to the specials, the right side of the menu, and more importantly pay special attention to the left side of the menu. Some of the best seafood on the island, like grilled Calamari, Wahoo Carpaccio, grouper special, the pastas, and much more

Coco Bistro – One glance at the dishes floating around and the size of house mascot Coco the cat and you will understand why this place is so popular. Chances are strong that the island’s favorite dining establishment will make you very happy. This is where you’ll need to make those rezzies well in advance though. Psss. You can do so via email but dont tell them I said so. update: No ressies? There’s a new cheaper option in the same parking lot, Cocovan

Le Bouchon – The former Caicos Cafe owner thankfully back in the game. Sidewalk Parisian Champs-Elysées style without the Parisians and the tourists. Hmmm, actually now that I think about it its pretty much all Parisians and tourists. Though I am noticing a growing amount of local following the last few years. Try the Escargot, and if you don’t try the legendary Steak au Poivre, your homework is incomplete.

Chinson’s Grill Shack – A 15 minute schlep from the resort area may feel longer in paradise, but its worth it for this Jamaican-Chinese gem (Yes, its a thing), and sea view. Ok, its more like some hotel advertised sea views, where the meaning is more like “See? View!” with some sea in the horizon. But in this case you are mostly overlooking the highway, inside a fun and vibrant shack. The smooth Mr Chinson is always around to make sure everything is Kosher. Over the years we settled on the Jerk chicken, pulled pork sandwich, the spiciest curried goat around, steamed Grouper and the mixed Fried Rice. Lunch or dinner in this case, doesnt matter. We usually do lunch.

Seven – We keep trying other resort spots on occasion, but Seven continues to be one of the better and more popular fine dining on the island. Even with rotating chefs over the years, the menu somehow stays intact for the most part. Try the Vanilla rum butter poached lobster, or the best end of lamb. Update: Scallops, and two-way tuna are some of the current musts

Simone’s – A waitress/cook at Sharkbite turned restaurant owner. This is a mostly local hangout joint, but pale tourists like me are always welcome. Simone will greet you like she greets her children. And she will feed you as such too. Fishermen always around means they are not there for the frozen fish. So ask whats available outside of the menu, which features some of the best conch salads on the island and a fine snapper. The fresh Wahoo last time was a Yahooooo!

Caicos Cafe – This is not a mistake. Yes, I’m listing it twice. Why recommend a different plan than what we are doing on every single trip. Go here at the beginning of the week, and if you like it enough, book again on your way out. Chances are you wont find better.

Or… how about something “local” like the Thursday night fish fry, or Caravel. Or perhaps a splurge at Coyaba, another island institution. Maybe experience the classic Tuna with sunset at Magnolia, or Via Veneto for the most authentic Italian menu on the island.

A special mention for Breakfast and light lunch: Caicos Bakery near Caicos Cafe. Nice Baguettes, quiches, almond croissants and more. Pick up some sandwiches at Julien’s deli for the flight back. You’ll be the envy of every other passenger, guaranteed!

Hope it helps. Stay hungry my friends!

Categories: Turks and Caicos | Tags: Best restaurants in providenciales, Best restaurants in turks and caicos, food, Providenciales restaurants, restaurants, Travel, Turks and Caicos dining, Turks and Caicos Restaurants | 5 Comments

Sweet T’s – Sweet Compromise {TCI}

Posted on July 17, 2014 by Ziggy

Have you ever taken a Bulldog to a park that also happens to be his favorite pooping ground? Its quite a sight. The anticipation makes him (and you) sprint with delight while farting the entire time. “Does he always do this” I asked my friend Val. “Without fail”. The same type of anticipation fills us while sitting on the plane that just arrived in Provo, trying to figure out if we are closer to the front or rear of the plane for quicker exit. The fact that we are the only ones looking back while everyone else looks forward reminds me that everyone is here for the very first time, and some of them are staring at me wondering about my purpose. “The front of the plane is this way buddy. Too much to drink?”

Food is on my mind. But in this case its more of a hurdle to the main treat.. Grace Bay beach. I gotta have something delicious but quick enough so we could still make a run for booze and have a productive burn-fest (although in this trip it turned into more of a Burning Man festival due to the initial heat and pain).

Enter Sweet T’s. Right off Airport Road, just pass the first major roundabout, after the pink flamingo sign on your right. No sign, so look for this building. There will most likely be a line of locals without a tourist in sight but do not despair. The chicken is of the delicious kind. Crispy, moist, juicy, and just enough of a kick. The drumettes look like fat popsicles. Oh, and “cheap” is an understatement. You order by the dollar. $8 of chicken (more than the 4 of us needed. see picture above? two of those containers. $6 would have been fine), $2 of fries, and $2 cokes meant 2 cans of coke. Thats a $12 meal for 4, quick bite, and off we go for this. leave some chicken crumbs in your rental in the middle somewhere. Chances are you will see at some point the same rentals (model, color) parked near yours, and the crumbs will help determine which is yours.

Categories: Turks and Caicos | Tags: Cheap Eats Turks and Caicos, food, restaurants, Sweet T's Providenciales, Sweet T's Turks and Caicos, Travel, Turks and Caicos | Leave a comment

Beautiful by Nature

Posted on July 15, 2014 by Ziggy

That’s my youngest above, staring ever so watchfully at the looming cloud action over Grace Bay, Providenciales. Knowing her, she must be wondering at that moment which direction the clouds are moving, and whether she’s allowed to have steak tonight. She then remembers that she had steak yesterday and tonight is most likely fish night, and continues to wonder if she would be happier with another family where she could eat, like a lot more steak, and have more sleepovers. Steak sleepovers! Me and 3 of my closest friends, nails, hair, Peter Luger, sleepover. What if that adopted family isn’t that close to Peter Luger or even a decent Hibachi. Thoughts slowly shift back to “Pretty Little Liars”. One out of many random thoughts during our 9 nights in our adopted home of Turks and Caicos. Here’s a recap of what we did

Ate

Categories: Turks and Caicos | Tags: Providenciales, Travel, travel+photography, Turks and Caicos | 2 Comments

7 Lunches:

7 Dinners:

The places