aruba tips
Food is very subjective. However, each of us knows what it's like when food is done right. At that point it is not so much about sustenance as it is an event. A memory. A connection with those with whom we dine.
Without trying to romanticize the whole dining experience in Aruba (although many restaurants are romantic), my family takes a very serious face when it comes to restaurants. We're spending our money and we are expecting something in return that will not only satisfy, but enhance our vacation experience. Dining is not an afterthought: it is thoroughly planned.
We've experienced the ups and downs of trying new restaurants. Some restaurants go on the naughty list for several years and we don't return again until we hear that their food or service has improved. Some restaurants have been on the nice list since our first visit, and we always return to them. It is getting more and more difficult to try new ones as our list of favorites keeps growing.
Look for future posts to read more detailed restaurant reviews, but for now here are our favorites:
Barefoot (just north of the airport - tell Luc, the Maitre d’, that Todd Benson sent you!)
White Modern Cuisine (high rise area) Lovely presentation and attention to detail
Pincho's (just north of the airport towards downtown Orangestad)
The Flying Fishbone (seafood / near south end of island)
Atardi (f.k.a. Simply Fish at the Marriott)
Driftwood (seafood / downtown)
Chalet Suisse (near low rise hotels)
El Gaucho (best steaks / downtown)
Yemanja Woodfired Grill (downtown)
Sunset Grille (at the Radisson)
Screaming Eagle (near low rise hotels)
Madame Jeanette (tourist favorite / north of high rise hotels)
Hostaria da Vittorio (Italian / near high rise hotels)
Azzurro (Italian / Playa Linda Resort) Please, oh, please try the Spaghetti al Formaggio Parmigiano ($42 for two people). It is made table-side and is created in a big wheel of chees!
Admittedly, some of the above restaurants are on the pricey side. It's not that we're made of money, but our vacations are made up of sitting around the pool or splashing around on the beach. We don't do many tours, gamble or go to shows. We sleep, swim and eat. Out of those, eating dinner is where we choose to spend our money.
