Fine dining in TCI? Pass. Coming from NYC, we find fine dining in the Caribbean pretentious, overly expensive, and full of hiccups. When you shell out a considerate amount, you cant help but notice all the little things that go wrong. We mostly avoid them these days after being fooled one time too many. Fool me once shame on you, fool me 15 times, I’m a glutton for punishment. But sometimes you want to take your wife somewhere new and exciting, where she can sport her Rent The Runway dress, and matching scarf. And sometimes when the stars align, you hit a homerun. Or in this case, a “Six”. If you know, you know.
Indigo is the brainchild of Australian Andrew Mirosch, the Culinary Director at Wymara. Its the old Gansevoort which recently rebranded to Wymara. Its essentially the new Stelle for those familiar. We avoided Stelle all those years, but social media chatter and early reviews suggested Indigo is the one new kid on the block worth checking out. Indigo is named after one of Mirosch’s daughters. He often flies to Australia to see them, and comes back with highly sought-after Australian Salmon and lamb. As long as he doesnt bring back Vegemite, I think this formula will work for a long time.
Our expectations at places as such lowered over the years. But Indigo is doing its best to lift that bar. The one thing I really like about Indigo happens almost as soon as you sit down. A menu intro by Mirosch himself. Instead of meeting the host at the end of the meal as happens so often, a chat at the beginning helps with the menu navigation and palate matching. Its a game changer for some. It doesnt take long to see how passionate and dedicated he is on freshness and the ingredient driven menu. As with any place on Provo, you need to satisfy a wide range of tastes (ie tourists), and by all accounts it looks like Mirosch got the tools and expertise to do so.
The rebranding to Wymara didnt mean rebranding from sexy. So we, including Mrs Z scarf immediately felt that sense of belonging. I’m pretty sure, if we didnt arrive at Provo senior hour (7), when Indigo was fairly empty, we would have gotten plenty of the usual looks, and the few patrons we saw were simply too busy with the menu. Choosing from the menu turned out to be a difficult task as there were some very interesting looking specials that night. I prefer small menus, and this was definitely not. Andrew Mirosch, the fisherman to the rescue.
We started with the two soups on the menu, including one special. Fish soup was pleasantly creamy and loaded with various chunky delicious fish. But as good as it was, the Conch Chowder special made it look pedestrian. Complex, supremely flavorful, and as good as it gets really.
Second course was a special trio of tapas called “Would it kill them to add another shrimp to make it shareable”. Lobster spring roll and Mirosch’s take on Maryland crab cake totally upstaged the lone sad coconut shrimp which needed the two terrific sauces to give it some life. A flashy but tasty app overall.
Although it was still windy, the island fishermen went fishing after a 4 day break, hence a superb local grouper special. A hefty, perfectly flaky fish, sitting on top of freshly made light fried rice. This dish worked slightly better than the buttery lobster. Indigo has an interesting dessert selection but being a sucker for sticky toffee pudding I stopped reading the rest of the menu. A tad too sweet perhaps, but still enjoyable and something I’d order again.
The service is usually understandably lacking on the islands, but it wasnt the case here. Friendly, proficient, and anticipatory. I dont recall the wine we had as I wasnt planning on writing a dedicated post while there. But this was an enjoyable meal from start to finish. A solid exception to the rule. Go!
Thanks to Covid, longest Providenciales hiatus since we discovered the Turks and Caicos islands roughly 15 years ago. Like Columbus, we just happened to be sailing the Atlantic, south of the Bahamas until we found these beautiful, barely manned islands one day and we never looked back. Much has changed since then especially in the food department. The weather didnt cooperate this time, but once you are there, the Provo zen kicks in, and you ignore all your problems. A plethora of great dining options help. Unlike previous visits, even some new places delivered this time. Here’s the recap…
Sweet T’s
Provo is generally expensive, even for NYC standards. But that doesnt mean you cant find cheap local eats. Even with prices pretty much doubling since we started coming to Sweet T’s, its fried chicken is still the best deal in town. You order by the dollar amount. For $5 you get about 10 full wings which is enough for two. Add $2 fries, $1.50 bottled water, $1.50 tip and you got yourself a meal for $10. This has become our usual first stop after landing since its a 2 minute drive from the airport.
Hemingway’s
One of the obligatory lunches for fish and chips and fish tacos at the Sands. While the fish and chips are still the same old flaky goodness, and perfectly seasoned fries… err.. chips, the fish tacos were just ok this time. The tortillas got soggy pretty quickly and the mango salsa sweetness was a little more prevalent this time. Wife liked them though so who cares
Mango Reef
I haven’t been in MR in so long I forgot why I dislike it. Last visit was at the old location at the Alexandra. I figured since its still fairly popular it’s time to try again in the newer location in Turtle Cove. New verdict: Same as the old. Tuna salad was as basic as something you get in a Panera Bread. Coconut Shrimp was more like it. Appetizer lineup was somewhat lacking, forcing me to order things I don’t usually order. Grilled Snapper was serviceable if not a tad dry. The saving grace was the lobster curry. Surprisingly well balanced curry with just enough heat. I would come back just for this. Mango cheesecake was good and pretty to look at. Sexy even if I may say. Ambiance was that of a cheap wedding that didn’t pay for music. Even the drinks were wedding-like weak.
Omar’s Beach Hut
When Grace Bay misbehaves, head to the always dependable Sapodilla Bay (see below) or Taylor Bay, followed by lunch at Omar’s in Five Cays. You will pass a rough stretch on the way, but the location is superb. Omar spent many years managing Bugaloos next door so he’s no stranger to the conch scene. In almost godfather-like fashion everyone gets a chance to meet him. Well almost everyone. Waiter: “Did you see Omar”. Me: “No, I went to the bathroom, but he met my wife”. Waiter: Would you like to see Omar”. Me: “Ahhm, I think we are good, thanks”.
My lone concern was that “Island time” will take away from FIFA time, but it was quick and tasty. Conch fritters was proof that they dont necessarily need to be crispy to be supremely flavorful. Fish tacos topped with a nice tomato salsa were decent. The winner was the oxtail. You can tell a lot of love went into preparing this dish. Just wished there was more rice to accompany that sick dark gravy. And pretty much the best, freshest plantains we’ve had anywhere. Outstanding lunch.
The Almond Tree
One of the new and exciting kids on the Provo block, located in the stunning Shore Club. Pretty busy on a Sunday since many places including all my favorites pretty much closed. Open kitchen, but surprisingly ventilation issues for such an open layout. Nice looking space dominated by a large tree in the center. I’m guessing of a nut variety (almond?). The food is elevated American comfort food with an emphasis on the south.
The standout was the Pulled Braised Short Rib that comes on three little biscuits. Very nicely executed. The Gnocchi was nice and creamy. Pine nuts and sun dried tomatoes just for decor I suppose, and not much truffle essence from the truffle cream. But still enjoyed it. Old Bay Seasoned Shrimps (doubt it was named by famed executive chef Martin Davies) was good but essentially basic shrimp and grits. Maybe average if you eat it regularly in the south or high end places. Bread was stale, and service overall was lacking. Its a soft recommendation from me for now. If you are after the familiar (nothing wrong with that) go for it.
Cocovan
A quick enjoyable lunch at this popular Airstream food truck. I preferred the fried chicken sandwich over the grilled Mahi sandwich, she preferred the Mahi, and we both concluded that the Churros were the best thing we ever ate here. Fresh, light, fluffy and awesome. My lone gripe is the elevated prices even for Provo.
Le Bouchon
One of two regulars for dinner. Another flawless meal from start to finish. I think the most common complaint about LB has always been the service, but I feel more confident that kinks are mostly fixed. We’ve been coming here long enough to know what works best for us. Any type of Carpaccio. This time a silky smooth, melts in your mouth tuna. Add a touch of their excellent salt.. superb. Conch Chowder is always flavor packed with plenty of heat. Comes with this Harrisa sauce on the side in case you need even more heat and complexity. Steak Au Poivre still the bomb. You can tell it’s cooked well as soon as you touch it. Maybe a tad on the blue side for us as we prefer medium rare. The fries are like the best McDonalds fries you’ll ever have. And yet another perfectly cooked fresh snapper that makes other island Snappers pale in comparison (I’m looking at you Mango).
Indigo
New for us. A fantastic experience from start to finish that deserves a dedicated post. Will update soon.
Chinson’s
Part of our busy lunch rotation (we are the only Seven Stars guests that hardly eat at the resort). This is where we usually get our Jerk and goat curry fix. So often whether in Anguilla or here we get lesser quality fatty goat, but this one was not the case. Not as spicy as I remember but just as enjoyable. Same for the terrific Jerk chicken. That sauce! I till haven’t washed my hands properly since. The local Gon-Ta-Nort Amber is the beverage of choice throughout the week, again.
Caicos Cafe
Our first and last meal on every trip. Sometimes we even sneak one in the middle. Italian with a Caribbean twist. One of a few mid to high end spots that attract many locals. I met an Italian woman in Sapodilla who said “they are the only ones” when I asked about for her favorite Italian on the island. Well, at first she said “my kitchen”. The one gripe this time is that there were no specials on both visits which was always a rarity. Whether its a fresh Wahoo, Grouper, or a pasta of sorts, I’ve always enjoyed the specials here. But we persevered and then some.
The Tuna Carpaccio on one visit, Tuna Tartare on another were standouts, the former in particular. Just the perfect combination of silky smooth tuna with quality EVOO, salt and pink peppercorns. The Gnocchi was the same ol’ pillowy awesomeness. You won’t find more delicate gnocchi anywhere. The only app that paled in comparison to previous visits is the Octopus. Still good, but missing some of the old oomph.
During lobster season you can count on a solid Spaghettoni Lobster Fra Diavolo. We “Scarpetta’d” the heck out of that sauce with the usual quality bread. On the second night we enjoyed the pungent and meaty Orecchiette. The grilled lobster here is serviceable. I would also feel confident ordering ribs and steak here as we’ve done in the past. And you most likely wont find a better Affogato anywhere in the world. Its a mystery why no one else adds Baily’s to the mix.
Summary and Random Tidbits:
Standout meals: Le Bouchon, Caicos Cafe, Indigo, Omar’s, Chinson’s.
Standout dishes: Snapper at LB, Tuna Carpaccio at CC, Conch Chowder at Indigo, Oxtail at Omar’s, Curried goat at Chinson’s, Churros at Cocovan, short ribs app at Almond Tree, lobster curry at Mango Reef, Affogato at CC
If you are staying at the Seven Stars or even if you dont, try the Tuna Wrap and Caesar’s Salad for lunch.
Pick up some sandwiches for the flight back at Julien Deli (Le Bouchon owner). The Julien classic is good, especially according to Julien
A couple of places I wanted to check out but ran out of time:
Sj’s Curryclub – Recommended by a few locals. Opened by a Provo veteran most recently at Graces Cottage. I’m told it’s a small place. I love Indian too much so not usually looking for it on vacation, but I was intrigued by some southern dishes like Chicken Chettinad.
Conch & Coconuts – Recently opened near Turks Kebab. That’s pretty much the extent of my knowledge about it. Would be nice to have a solid affordable local place in the hub even though that particular location can use some sprucing up
Even when we plan not to go to Provo, we go to Provo. Even when we plan not to order the steak at Le Bouchon, we order the steak. These magnetic forces are powerful and magical, even when the weather isnt cooperating. I lost count, but its around 16 trips now to our second adopted home of Providenciales, Turks and Caicos. Here’s the latest food recap. Note: I know there are a lot of followers out there waiting for this, but keep in mind… This is a vacation first, a job second. As much as I try to find new places, recent history suggests I should stick to the proven to avoid unnecessary vacation crankiness. Especially on a short 5 nighter…
Da Conch Shack
Sunday is apparently Funday at the shack. To me a beach shack like this loses some of the magic when its so packed, people are lining up for a table. But I cant fault a place for being popular especially now that its next door neighbor closed and relocated (Kalooki’s). We used to have a love hate relationship with the shack but now its just Love. Jerk wings came lukewarm this time but still packed with that nice jerky flavor. That sauce! Whole Snapper was a mistake (we ordered a grilled Grouper) but we decided to say nothing once we saw it, and enjoyed it. Red conch chowder still da bomb!
Delicious Dishes
Possibly my favorite new discovery of this trip. Just myself, Mrs Z and a goat, Billy, in a Curried form on the balcony of our 5th floor ocean front at the Seven Stars. Oh and there was also a plate of tender Oxtail, but that goat was pure joy. Delicious Dishes is mostly a takeout place extremely popular with locals. There are two locations, one of which near the hub. From Seven Stars when you reach Leeward hwy, turn left, and it’s right there on the right side. It’s inside a mini market with a couple of tables if you want to stay in. It’s mostly prepared food that’s not looking very appetizing, but they keep things nice and juicy.
Le Bouchon
One of the usual suspects, and one of two musts for dinner on every trip. Quite the contrast to the established Provence (See bottom). Unpretentious French bistro cooking with Caribbean flair. The most underrated items here I feel are the soups. Black bean and conch chowder. The chowder packs plenty of heat and they still got the Hutzpah to add this Harissa salsa thingy (foody term) on the side in case you require more heat. Salmon gravlux was outstanding. If you enjoy good lux, get this. Biggest discovery early on however was the “conch ceviche” which is sliced more like Carpaccio style, giving it a nice garlicky bite.
The steak is the same old tender awesomeness. The “Strawberry Grouper” is firmer than Nassau Grouper, almost lobster like. They serve it with garlicky butter to loosen it up, and its delicious. Other places just call it “grouper” on the menu, but here they elect to call it by the full name
Seven
We are in the extreme minority of Seven Stars guests who almost never eat at the resort other than breakfast (which keeps improving. Buffet is like an egg lover wet dream these days). With kids I prefer to skip the finer dining and I’m just not the resort dining type. But this time we came without kids and after a little hiatus we returned to Seven.
Edwin the executive chef suggested the tasting menu and that’s what we had. Some minor hiccups here and there but a very enjoyable meal throughout with plenty of hints of brilliance, some even Michelin worthy. The scallops and the two-way tuna were the standouts. I would come back just for these.
Hemingway’s
Another regular rotation stop for the fish and chips and fish tacos. This was our first meal ever in Provo over 10 years ago when we stayed at the Sands, so it holds a special place. Whenever I eat fish and chips in NYC I start to quietly weep. If anyone asks whats wrong, I say I’m allergic to fish. And chips.
Flamingo’s
Regular rotation stop for the views, legendary Curried Grouper and the underrated jerk chicken. The place was packed and everyone around us was eating burgers. Instead of adding more haute and the trending, I would love to see more places like this open on the island
Caicos Cafe
A smashed iPod? Redundant Lucy? What’s the expression for “beyond broken record”. I’m tired of recommending this place. Even on a 5 day trip, we have to dine here twice. The only dish I didn’t care for so much this time was the mixed seafood ceviche. Nothing really wrong with it, just missing some of that originality found in other dishes. Like that Octopus! You can’t find better texture/flavor combination than this. It comes with this chickpea mash, a few tahini and lemon drizzles away from becoming a delicious hummus. Lobster Fra Diavolo was the same old awesomeness.
On both nights they had fresh Grouper and of course we had to order it on both nights. You cant get this in NYC. Simply dusted with magic dust and grilled to flaky perfection. Great crab cake special which we enjoyed in the past. And yet another new pasta, a green Troccoli, “Chitara” where chef Massimo uses his “guitar” pasta instrument to make Troccoli which is like spaghetti on steroids. He tops it with this rich ragu of Lamb shank and cheese. I keep recommending Caicos Cafe to seafood lovers especially, but the meat dishes here never disappoint. Last time they removed the ribs from the menu there was an airport strike.
Chinson’s
Like a dark horse coming out of nowhere in the last round, “No View Chinson” (thats the horse’s name) becoming our favorite overall lunch place in Provo. While all our faves got their classics that we order each time (see Flamingo’s, Hemmingways) , Chinson’s may be the most well rounded of them all. In the past we enjoyed the curried goat, oxtail, pulled pork and more. This time solid Jerk chicken as usual but the big discovery this time was the steamed Grouper in parchment paper. Huge, super tender flaky goodness with just the right gentle spicing. So big we couldn’t finish it. Get this!
Provence
If Provo would have a Hot or Buzz list like in NYC and many other cities, it would be an especially sad list of one. Provence is the hottest most talked about restaurant on the island at the moment. We had a taste of Eric Vernice’s cooking when he was at the Beach House about 6 years ago. Provence is oddly casual, considering how expensive it is. Its Coyaba expensive, without the service and any sort of setting to match. Perhaps unless you are lucky to sit at the counter facing the chef.
We weren’t so lucky. Even with reservations we sat at the bakery next door facing a shelf of one small truffle cream and the lone toilet. Zero ambiance turned negative when a group of 4 people sat right next to us and someone forgot to tell them that there are other people in the room, some of which sitting right next to them. Service is a little confused. “We have lobster”, “we don’t have lobster”, “WE FOUND LOBSTER”, “wait, it’s lamb”, “no, it’s def lobster”. They gave us every clue to change the order to something else but we didn’t.
Another thing about “French” Provence that made me think of The Emperor’s New Clothes is that it’s kinda sorta Italian(ish). Fresh pastas section dominate the menu and the wall is covered by various places in Italy. During our more memorable moments when we were not directing traffic to the bathroom we stared at the wall playing “where have we been”.
But I have a tendency to quickly forgive and forget if the food is good. Gnocchi with lobster had distinct lobster flavor but sort of one-note and under-seasoned. Similar issue plagued the dish labeled “octopus”. It came with very little octopus, sliced and lukewarm with white beans, chorizo and shrimp. It kinda reminded me of the salads I make at home with canned beans. But the dish looked gorgeous!
The lamb and lobster were the saving grace in a way but you would need to put me and my cans of beans in the kitchen to screw these up. The lobster was average for TCI which is not really a bad thing. It came with a nice artichoke mousse with whole peppercorns which was a nice touch and stole the show. Lamb was perfectly cooked and came with a piece of lamb shoulder sitting in a cup of bulgar. These are also fairly sizable dishes for “French cooking”.
Missed me? Me too. I was on another assignment in the Turks and Caicos trying to gain some well deserved poundage (7 to be exact). Only registered one bad meal on this one, but that is a doozy of a story. Will write a full report soon, but meanwhile put your second favorite Ziggy in the background and read the latest on how to eat like a local in Provo…
On my first night in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos a couple of months ago I had a Provo nightmare. It started fine, with me walking on the beach with people that I didnt come here with. All sorts of random people, like my high school music teacher. But things turned at some point, to the point where I was awoken with a little sweat slowly dripping down my forehead. On our little walk, we lost track of time, and I missed breakfast time! Which also meant I missed Seven Stars’ new omelette station. Yes, the Provo nightmare is a little more subdued than regular nightmares we have at home. During a dream last night, my oldest fell from the roof of Madison Square Garden on a sled. Long story!
But lets get straight to eating. The biggest takeaway from the last trip is that we should start limiting trying new places. As much as I try to find some new spots for you and me, this is just not working. The old guys just keep chugging along, while new places, and especially resort places keep pretending and delivering odd experiences. There’s one exception however.
Caicos Cafe – Nothing new here. Our usual first and last stop. But I start to get the sense that these guys wont be around here for too long. Wahoo Carpaccio is the same sea butter awesomeness self. Got two grilled calamaris this time to avoid World War Z. The lobster Fra Diavola didn’t do it for me this time around. Just missing some of that old pop. But the old Oriechiette with pork sausage ragu is back with a vengeance, showing very nice depth. The Octopus starter here is a slap your sister wowster! Brilliantly cooked on top of this delicious “I can’t believe this is not hummus” chickpea mousse. Black Tagliolini continues to be a must, and the steak and ribs are very underrated here.
Solana – In NYC, during my Hell’s Kitchen walks, I show visitors the various Thai restaurants and how to tell between the good and not so good. A big clue is in the looks department. The ones that look like dingy dives are far better than those with sexy looking rooms with expensive chandeliers. Such is the case in some cases with Provo, and especially with Solana taking the place of EWZ fave Seaside. A marked improvement in the looks dept, with dumbed-down food. The blackened fish sandwich is the same Swai as before but not blackened enough, hence blander. An “award winning” Conch salad paled in comparison to Seaside’s Peruvian conch salad. Fried Calamari plate looked gorgeous, but a quality and quantity fail. This is owned by the Vix group people, and I just dont think they care about ingredients nearly as much as looks.
Flamingo’s – The only news here is that they now accept CC. In other news, the Curried Grouper is still the same melt in your mouth flaky goodness. An island classic that requires some research (like reading this blog) to know about it. This time we also did some dirty dancing with a fine jerk chicken and passable ribs. But you come here for lunch for the grouper and rum punch.
Le Bouchon – Nothing to see here, move a long. Another great meal at good ol’ reliable LB. They keep experimenting (on me sometimes), stretching that menu, and stretching that sidewalk to the point that no one can see the board anymore. Soups are still great. Escargot is still perfection. Octopus Carpaccio is outrageous (but not cheap). The steps to produce it read like IKEA instructions. Au poivre still rules the island Games of Steak. And on this night a nice crispy snapper with buttery Beurre Blanc sauce.
Simone’s – The strong exception as far as new places go. We tried it for lunch last time and liked it enough to come back for dinner. Its the resort area Three Queens if you will, but still a small schlep from the hub to La Vista Azul resort. Simone, formerly with Sharkbites, is a sweetheart, and treats family like customer! Oh wait, I think I got it backwards. The “Conch Ceviche”, now that Seaside is gone, perhaps the Conch Salad to beat. A beefy fresh Wahoo, like a thick and juicy, flavor packed Swordfish. Local fishermen dine here both times we were here.
Thai Orchid – If you follow this blog, you know how much I love Thai food. So it may sound odd that this is my first time trying Thai Orchid in Provo, but really it shouldnt be. Crispy Duck was exactly what I expected. Crispy, understandably dry, but quite good especially once you add some chili sauce. A lot of nice flavorful crackling action. The Snapper Choo Chee was pretty good too. It’s a thicker, dryer red curry. With a fresher Caicos Snapper it would have been a chooooo chooooo! instead of choo chee. Ok, I try.
Chinson’s – Goat curry fix, Check. Spiciest goat curry out there, which is surprising considering how sweet their Chinese fried rice is and other dishes. Jerk chicken was on point. But the best thing surprisingly was a pulled pork sandwich. Heaps of juicy pork with a sweetish and sour sauce. Note to self, again… you dont like ginger beer! Chinson is now on the regular rotation, graduating perhaps into dinner next
Cocovan – A new addition to the Coco Bistro family, an Airstream parked in the CB parking lot operating only at dinner time. Perhaps a play on words on Coq au vin. Love CB, but didnt love, nor quite frankly got Cocovan. The Shrimp tacos were meh. Didn’t taste much shrimp, nor blackened, nor “coconut hummus”. Duck tacos were more like it if not a little dry. Sweet and sour Caicos lobster tasted like fine rock shrimp tempura. Lamb lollipops tasted like an average, slightly overcooked baby lamb chops you get at your nearest kebab house with an $8 per lollipop price tag. 20 mins, $120 later with some of us still hungry, now what do you do. It felt like an overpriced resort lunch with familiar flavors to me, but I have no doubt this will be popular. I would rather go to something local like Caravel. Or perhaps a niche player, serving fresh fish tacos, or high quality burgers.
Hemingway’s – If there’s one place that feels like home. Our first meal on the island over 10 years ago, and nothing changed. That includes the women running the front who see our girls grow and hairline shrink. We come here for lunch and order just two things, fish tacos and fish and chips
Pavilion – First visit to the newish (2 years?) fine dining at the Somerset, in the old O’soleil (aka O’SoSmall?) place. Hits and misses throughout, and essentially a one and done deal for us. Good conch spring rolls. Tasty Poke style tuna cubes sitting on top of avocado that was not fresh, with even less fresh banana chips on the side. C’mon, at a place like this you can’t serve this. Well cooked, supersized lobster was the star of show, beating the snapper. Grouper, a major fail. Crispy battered into a mushy, oversized fish and chip gone horribly wrong. Ambiance of a typical hotel restaurant.
Sweet T’s – Fried chicken stop on the way to the airport. Best value on the island
This is not a drill. A big update to that Provo eating itinerary you’ve been so anxiously waiting for. We keep trying new places with mixed results. And while Provo can use a few more cheap options near the resorts, there’s still no shortage. At least not until they sell Caicos Cafe or Le Bouchon. Those Islanders can get restless sometimes, and decide to move on on a whim, a la Seaside Cafe which closed last fall. The talented Francois is dishing them out in Opus these days, which means its to revisit soon. Until next time.
Coming to the island this time without my big boy camera felt weird but liberating. It was also a way to say, “we are just going to our other home, and dont get overly excited anymore”. And at that other home, one of the missions is to find the homey places where everyone knows your name and your kids can run around naked. As long as the food is a full notch above acceptable of course. Simone’s is becoming that kind of place. On our last dinner there we were the only secondary homeys there. A bunch of locals hugging the terrace, including my favorite kind of locals, fishermen. Two of them in fact. Would local fishermen dine at a place serving frozen fish from Miami? Would Urologists get Vasectomized by B grade Urologists? That is the question one must ask. Although on this date, as was the theme this week, Wahoo was the catch of the day, but boy was it good. A beefy consistency as expected, without crossing the dryness line as Wahoo often does.
I would come back just for the Wahoo. But not without the “Conch Ceviche” first which is essentially fancy for Conch Salad. With its heaps of fresh veggies and heat, this may be the closest to Seaside’s Peruvian conch salad (RIP) today. Here you also control your own destiny with an extra spoonful of Scotch Bonnet hidden below the lime. The Seafood Chowder is another great one to add to the ever growing list of Island chowders. This is a light, well balanced, full bodied white with delightful fishy notes. The fine lobster, and curry snapper again, rounded another fine meal at this Three Queens of the resorts area. Certainly not for those looking for full service, consistent, finer dining. Think of it as an easy going, eating at aunt Betsy type of place. Except in this case aunt Betsy can flat out bring it.
May 3rd, 2016 Post:
You can say we waited well over a year for the chef to show up. Back in 2014, we sat at the foot of mount La Vista Azul waiting for the chef of ‘The Wave’ from the team behind Ricky’s Flamingo’s (only one member so far: Ricky). “She is coming, stuck in traffic”. where is this traffic, Miami? We waited until the house ran out of Bambarra Coconut, and left to Chinson’s. Fast forward to December 2015, the place is now called Simone’s, and the head chef, coincidentally called Simone, is actually in the kitchen, not Miami, not Sunrise, not downtown Provo. Four months later, Simone is cranking out award worthy conch salads, fresh Groupers and Snappers.
As of this writing, Simone is in no man’s land on Trip Advisor. By the time you reach Simone on TA you either reach behemoths like Asu on the Beach, and Mookie Pookie Pizza Palace, or get finger tendinitis. After spending some time with her, I dont get the sense that Simone is too worried. Unlike some of her fellow counterparts, she is not going from table to table asking people to write TA reviews, nor she and her cousins busy injecting fake ones. She only care about two things: What people like, and what people dont like right now.
This is Simone’s first restaurant. But with over 15 years of cooking experience, including a long stint at nearby Sharkbite, she’s no stranger to the Provo restaurant world. Simone has friends with benefits… Fishermen! One of them was sitting by the door, just watching the world go by (I apologized when I walked by). ‘True’ Fish like freshly caught snappers and groupers can be a luxury at places like this. In the last few years fishing in Provo has been severely erratic due to changing weather patterns and government regulations in favor of sustainability. Even before all this, getting the correct fish that is listed on the menu has been a crapshoot everywhere. Ever wonder why that Grouper ‘Special’ you’ve been enjoying at Caicos Cafe and Three Queens is completely different than some of the other places you tried. That’s because it is. That’s either Swai or Tilapia you dealing with, with the former resembling the grouper more and an upgrade in taste and texture over the Tilapia.
Simone does not only promise to serve the proper fish, but will also tell you if its frozen. Location, and the the number of expats/locals frequenting Simone in the early going, suggest there could be some legitimacy to those promises. Location is significant driving distance from most resorts (significant in provo = more than 5 minutes), off the road, without any views of oceans or sunsets to speak of. Meaning the goal is for the food to take center stage. Another good ‘local’ sign is the plethora of rotating daily nightly specials like oxtail stew and Goulash!
So far so good on the food front. Other than the uneventful, dry ribs, everything we tried was solid. The conch fritters (the falafel of the sea) were light, just crunchy enough, and missing some of that greasiness you find elsewhere. The jerk wings were basic but satisfying. The curry snapper here can give Flamingo’s ‘Grouper’ a run for its money. Fresh, perfectly cooked flaky snapper, with thick mild green sauce with onions and peppers. Flamingo’s got the sauce, Simone got the fish. Combine them together and you got the cure to summertime sadness.
Mrs Z is not particularly fond of the conch salad/ceviche in general but tries them all (not by force) like a trooper. So when she declares “the best conch salad on the island”, everybody needs to pay attention. Spicy, tender, without the chewy rough stuff you normally find. Simone simply removes the not so tender parts. Some of the conch was as sweet as summer corn. And she provided some scotch bonnet salsa on the side for the white folks to add more heat as they please. Go!
TCI, Provo lovers. Check out the latest issue of Where When How to read about What to eat, Where to eat it, and Why, by yours truly. Flip to page 118. or type 118 in the box on top. Also check out the wonderful story by my friend Mackenzie Tewksbury about the Taste of TCI tour on page 62. A very cool way of spending three hours on the island.
This is not a drill. A big update to that Provo eating itinerary you’ve been so anxiously waiting for. We keep trying new places with mixed results. And while Provo can use a few more cheap options near the resorts, there’s still no shortage. At least not until they sell Caicos Cafe or Le Bouchon. Those Islanders can get restless sometimes, and decide to move on on a whim, a la Seaside Cafe which closed last fall. The talented Francois is dishing them out in Opus these days, which means its to revisit soon. Until next time.
Eating With Ziggy 