Beau Rive (www.beaurive.com 767-445-8992) is a truly outstanding “old world charm” hotel in Castle Bruce run by its proprietor Mark Steele.

The hotel normally serves only breakfasts and suppers and only to its guests and its fare is table d’hôte. But because we’re friends and because it was our 37th wedding anniversary and our daughter was visiting from the US and her and best friend and former college roommate paid an additional surprise visit, and because he wasn’t full up with guests and thus had a table free, Mark consented to provide us a meal even though we were not hotel guests.

The meal was outstanding. We had tomato tart appetizers, coconut chicken with breadfruit garnish entree (our daughter Mathilda, a vegetarian, had a special veggie plate) and fruit crumble with ice cream dessert and coffee & tea. The ambience was wonderful, with soft jazz playing and jasmine scent occasionally wafting through.

If you’re visiting Dominica, or live here and want a classy getaway, you can do no better than to lodge at Beau Rive.

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Photo by Portsmouthbeachhotel

Le Flambeau Restaurant & Beach Bar at Portsmouth Beach Hotel is located on a golden sand beach on the north-west coast of Dominica, just half a mile from Portsmouth and is immediately adjacent to Ross University in Picard. It’s on a beach front (although not a good beach) and is a only short walk away for the Ross students, and is of substantial size.

It often holds events, such as newcomer welcomes, for students. It also has a well-stocked bar. Perhaps that’s why there’s always several diners and sometimes a crowd there. The restaurant has an attractive pre-printed menu, but does not feature specials, either in price or what the dish might be.

However, don’t expect great food. The bruschetta, for example, is simply chopped tomato and onion, with none of the expected Italian seasonings, served with ordinary, sometimes limp, toast. The food is good but not great, which one would expect at the restaurant’s expensive prices. Also, at those prices, one would expect that the restaurant would have everything on the menu available, but it does not. And if you don’t consume much alcohol or bottled soda, you’re out of luck because it’s unlikely that there will be local juice or clean water. We were offered cherry juice, the only juice available, but it was undrinkable because of the extreme amount of sugar.

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It’s not difficult to write enough good things about Heaven’s Best Restaurant.

We had a wonderful dinner there. We never had the opportunity to stay there, because we’ve had our own home in Dominica as long as the restaurant and guest house has been there, but if you surf to www.heavensbestguesthouse.com you’ll see a very, very attractive full-service resort run by Heskeith & Evelyn Clarke. He’s the chef.

They must have learned a lot from their son, a graduate of Johnson & Wales, the renowned institute for the hospitality, who is now a hotel chain’s executive.

I started with the Octopus Salad blended in soybean oil, vinegar, scallops, onion and herbs appetizer. It was so tasty! For entrées Ruth had the Chicken Sensation Chicken and Italian sausage simmered in onion, scallion, garlic, parsley and nutmeg – served over pasta and I stayed with my favored seafood, having the Fish tip and Shrimp Mire Poix. Somehow we found room for desserts, having the warm homemade Apple crisp & Ice Cream, and Rumalade Sundae, respectively. I’ve cut & pasted these food descriptions form the website on purpose – to illustrate the high degree of menu choice.

It’s not hard to find Heaven’s Best in Savanne-Paille. Pass through Portsmouth heading towards the Cabrits & Fort Shirley, and take the right turn shortly after passing the Purple Turtle. Now you’re 2 miles away. Pass Douglas Bay and ascend a narrow road to where you see signage directing you towards Capuchin on the left and the Northern Link Road on the right. Take the left fork and go around about two bends and it’s on your left.

A reviewer must be evenhanded so I have to make a critique of some sort. It isn’t easy. But we wondered why the restaurant isn’t facing the bay. And although the prices aren’t excessive, we wonder about the addition of 10% for service, when it’s the owner serving.

But that won’t keep us from returning. We recommend you try it. For reservations, call 445-6677 or 277-3952.

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