Welcome to Grand Case
The Culinary Capital of the Caribbean
Another New Years, another visit to St. Martin FWI, things could certainly be worse! I am lucky to have been going down to St Martin for more than a decade now, and more specifically to the village of Grand Case, the self proclaimed Culinary Capital of the Caribbean!
Whether that is truly the case may best be left to others to decide, but the 3 dozen or so restaurants lining the main drag through town sure do present a compelling argument. And if you get bored dining in Grand Case, there is a whole island to explore, half French and half Dutch, though the Dutch side could more accurately be called tres Americaine! Today I begin with a look at a few restaurants in Grand Case, but stay tuned for my next two installments with additional wining and dining tips.
What to expect: St. Maarten
While my report focuses on the French side of St. Martin, this unique island has a split personality. The Dutch half of the island, known as St. Maarten, offers visitors a different view on island life. From the duty free linens and cheese available in Philipsburg, the Capitol of the Dutch side, to the great casinos and night clubs of the large resorts, it offers much to do for the adventuresome traveler.
Stay and play on the beach in Grand Case
Before we dive too deeply into the food and wine that makes St. Martin a particularly special Caribbean destination let me just quickly mention the Grand Case Beach Club. Full disclosure: I am an owner of one unit here in what is essentially a Condotel.
The Grand Case Beach Club really is not much of a club. What it is, is a wonderfully located set of five buildings that house apartments (studios to 3-bedrooms). There is a tennis court, watersports outlet and modest gym but the grand allure here are the beaches, one on each side of the property. The Petit Plage that sweeps up to the north with a sliver of sand and modest waves that come in across the sandy-bottomed bay and the Grand Plage that extends from the Grand Case Beach Club to the south.
It is along this expanse of beach that Grand Case, the village, sits. The bay here is broad and affords the waterfront restaurants that line the main drag wonderful views and refreshing breezes that drift through the open dining rooms perched above the shore. Some of the restaurants along this side of Grand Case may rely a little too much on the view and position, and not enough on the cuisine but for the sake of these emails I will focus on the restaurants deserving of attention.
