St. Barths: Two Excellent Dining Experiences

Yesterday, as a spectacular follow-up to Jim’s swim on the windy beach of Flamands, we ate lunch at La Langouste (The Lobster.) Dan first ordered a lobster salad, with medallions in a mango-type sauce, accompanied by pieces of Japanese ginger and greens. Jim’s fish soup with aioli sauce was a typical French item, tasty and savory at the same time. We both enjoyed baked fishes for the second course, a sea bass flambé for Jim and a more delicate red snapper for Dan. Both ordered the ‘moelleux’ or chocolate cake with molten center for dessert, the best we’ve had on the island so far. After Dan enjoyed playing Chopin at the Anglican church, and Jim had a swim in our villa pool, we drove to Gouverneur Beach so Jim could do some snorkeling. Then we traveled to Lorient for dinner. We returned to a fairly unappreciated restaurant, in its second year, La Table de Jules, facetiously called a ‘bistrot gourmand.’ The Pomerol ‘Plaisir de Siaurac’ was the ideal red wine to accompany our meals. For starters, Jim had a delectable goat cheese salad, and Dan’s ‘bouchees d’escargot’ was a snail dish with mache salad and pureed beets. The escargot, dripping in butter, melted in the mouth. For the main course Jim ordered the ‘Armorcaine fruits de mer’ an assortment of sea foods on a bed of tagliatelle. Dan’s mahi-mahi with a red wine reduction was an explosion of flavors. This five-star meal ended with a rich mousse au chocolat and another fondant de chocolat for Jim.