Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
About 300 years ago, merchant sailors unloaded their cargo into the basement of
this historic inn and warehouse. Over the years, it has attracted such guests as Mark
Twain, James Thurber, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Eugene O'Neill. You can enjoy a drink
in an upstairs bar, where a classical pianist entertains. After descending a staircase
with a white balustrade, you'll be seated in one of three conservatively nautical dining
rooms. Each is filled with captain's or Windsor chairs, oil paintings of old clipper
ships, and lots of exposed wood. Menu items include well-prepared steaks and beef
dishes, each of them grilled and served according to your wishes, along with tasty
other dishes such as seared scallops wrapped in pancetta ham; oysters Rockefeller;
Bermuda onion soup; and breast of duck roasted with maple syrup, lentils, and foie
gras. In addition, many kinds of fresh fish can be grilled, broiled, or blackened,
according to your request.
At the Fairmont Southampton, 101 South Shore Rd.
&
441/238-8000.
Reservations recommended.
Jacket required for men. Main courses $30-$145. AE, MC, V. Daily 6-10pm. Bus: 7.
Expensive
Bacci
ITALIAN Set on the upper floor of the golf clubhouse, on the manicured
grounds of the also-recommended hotel, this restaurant became one of the most
vibrant and talked-about Italian restaurants in Bermuda shortly after its inauguration
during the post-Hurricane Fabian rebuilding of the Fairmont Southampton Hotel. Its
staff describes it as “Italian with passion,” thanks to excellent food and a decor that
incorporates striking tones of red, black, yellow, and pastels; a bar that's especially
busy with espresso and after-dinner-drink lovers late in the evening; and a view that
sweeps down over the golf course to the sea. The chef prepares some of the best and
most raved-about spaghetti
carbonara
and lasagna on the island, a sumptuous version
of osso buco, several types of simply grilled fresh fish (red snapper in parchment with
capers and tomatoes is delicious), acclaimed versions of rib-eye steaks that are served
over beds of risotto, and vegetarian dishes such as risotto with wild mushrooms and
truffles. The restaurant's name, incidentally, translates from the Piemontese dialect
as “quick and friendly kisses.”
In the golf clubhouse of the Fairmont Southampton, 101 South Shore Rd.
&
441/238-8000.
Reserva-
tions required. Main courses $10-$39. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 6-10pm. Bus: 7.
Coconuts
CARIBBEAN/AMERICAN We recommend Coconuts not only
for its scenic vista, but also for its sense of being tightly woven into the fabric of
Bermuda's complicated social pecking order. Enjoying favor among long-time resi-
dents of the island, it's set between high cliff rocks and a sandy pink beach on the
island's mostly residential south coast. Alfresco dining here is most romantic,
although those breezy nights tend to cool your food before you've finished it.
The restaurant is based within an open-sided dining room that's partially paneled
with varnished cedar. Lunch is nothing special—burgers, salads, sandwiches, and the
like. But at night, the chefs strut their stuff, offering a set menu (which changes daily)
full of variety and flavor, and presented with flair. Freshly grown produce is served
with Cajun and West Indian spices, for a “taste of the islands.” We can't guarantee
what you'll get on any given night here, but the scope is wide enough to appeal to
most diners—though if you're a picky eater, you'd better call ahead and check.
In the Reefs Hotel, 56 South Rd.
&
441/238-0222.
Reservations recommended. Lunch main courses
$12-$26; fixed-price 4-course dinner $68 per person. AE, MC, V. Daily noon-3pm (Apr-Nov) and
7-10pm (May-Nov). Bus 7.
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