Today I want to talk about innovation in our restaurants, based on my visits to many of them over the past few months in another journalistic capacity.

I am pleased to be able to report that entrepreneurship, innovation and understanding of the marketplace are all at work, and have led to interesting new offerings in the sector.  

It seems clear to me that the new restaurateurs are projecting their personalities more into their businesses, and the result is that they are doing things in the ways they feel most comfortable, plus embracing technology in new ways.

Maybe I’m not saying it right: There just seems to be more passion among the newcomers to bring to the public the kind of food, ambience and overall experience they want to create.

So as we chew on the tough choices that will be presented in today’s Budget Speech, I’d like to offer you some other pleasant options which you might also decide to chew on in the near future.

Note that, since I am definitely not a food writer, the reasons for my recommending a restaurant may not directly have anything to do with the food. In fact, the food may be excellent, but that might not be the reason for my telling you about the place. Who do you think this is, the Galloping Gourmet?

That’s why the first place I want to mention is Paulo’s Churrasco do Brazil. Now, I like red meat okay, but it really isn’t good for me, so I hardly eat it. But that didn’t stop me from trying out Paulo’s, which gives you so much to choose from until you say when that it is really worth the $100 or so for the meal. Actually, it isn’t a meal but an adventure in taste - “More rabbit, sir? How about some sirloin steak? Pork ribs, perhaps?” They even throw in a bit of chicken for good measure. These are all brought to your table by waiters who slice off pieces for you to pile on your plate. The meal is balanced by a large and varied salad bar, which also offers fish.

The concept is so different to what we are accustomed to here, although it is said to be the norm in Spanish countries, that much credit must go to the owner, Paul’s Enterprises (of Bagatelle, Lord Willoughby, Lucky Horseshoe and Loose Cork fame) for daring to be so innovative. And yes, the chefs are really Brazilian.

Another newcomer I really admire for its confidence in presenting what it knows best is Il Forno. They have put in a real wood-burning, lava-rock heated, open hearth stove on which they can stake their claim to making real Italian pizza with real Italian flour. The menu reads like a true taste of Italy, but they also show their enjoyment of regional proteins by offering several seafood entrées. The layout of the place in the spacious former Caribbee Hotel ground floor still manages to retain an intimate feel, and the prices are affordable for the average middle income family or couple on a special night out. This is not a food review, but I think Il Forno’s clear vision of what it does will forge for it a great reputation in months to come.

Two other places of note are run by couples - Cariba and Shakers. These are more modest in decor but offer quality food for reasonable prices while impartng warm and friendly vibes. Although they have different personalities - with Cariba at Derricks, St. James being more of a cosy, romantic place and Shakers in Browne’s Gap on the south coast being more of a “sports bar” - they are very similar in that they are off the main strips and are located in chattel houses. Whose says you must build a massive, state-of-the-art facility to do a great job of feeding and entertaining people? Of course, the fact that both are run by married couples points not only to their desire to own and operate their own businesses, but also to the dedication they have for treating their guests right.

And of course, at the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of the facility, but equally keen on providing a warm and memorable experience is T.G.I. Fridays, which has sent up a magnificent outlet on the south coast. The TGIF model has trained the Bajans who work there in its way of rolling out the restaurant experience, and they do a really great job of “getting into the act”. Having eaten there quite a lot, I can say that I find the cheapest things on the menu to be best, that is, the burgers. But my wife loves the most expensive thing, the ribs. So there.
 
And just before I close today, I want to also say a word of praise for Aspara/Thamnak Thai, which started in a fairy tale setting full of exotic objets d’art, furnishings and decor in a radically refurbished Morecambe House on the south coast - and then was destroyed by fire after just a few months. I thought that was it for Aspara/Thamnak Thai, and it would have been a big loss, not only to the owners, but to the tourism sector, because we have so few Indian and Thai restaurants in the first place.

But the kitchens were not damaged in the fire, and the restaurant reopened soon afterwards using only the outside verandah and courtyard area of the property. Talk about dedication and never giving up.