Cuisine of Grenadines for gourmets. Places for dinner - best restaurants

The local cuisine is a kind of a mix of various Amerindian, English, French, and Indian cooking traditions. Due to the great number of tourists coming here, there are lots of casual European, American, and Asian restaurants on the island. These restaurants serve literally everything you already know: burgers, sushi, pasta, pizza, noodles. So, you can stay strict to your everyday food habits even on Saint Vincent. Nevertheless, if you want to really immerse yourself into local culture, then you shouldn’t forget about local cuisine as an essential part of it. Fun fact: Saint Vincent is one of the few places in the world where people still grow and eat arrowroot – a starchy rootstock. They make a powder out of it and then use it as a flour substitute, one of the ingredients for puddings, cakes, and sauces.

Indigenous people, just like any other inhabitants of islands, fish out a bunch of diverse fish. Besides, they don’t export all the catch they get. Local cooks usually just fry or grill it. Moreover, dishes with limbi shellfish and one with salty fish, breadfruit and vegetables called «Buljol» are extremely popular here. What is more, you can ask cooks in many local restaurants to cook you a dish from those products which you’ve fished out for a fee. The locals are not only fond of fish which they add in hot meals, soups, and salads but also of shrimps.

The sea influences the local cuisine so greatly that many restaurants even serve an alga drink. Another local delicacy is tiri-tiri fish. They fry the fish – there’re about a dozen different ways to do it – and, most importantly, add different spices and curry. Tiri-tiri fish is also can be a filling for very tasty patties. Locals also cook such fishes as mahi-mahi, tuna, bonito, and flying fish (depending on either season or daily catches). If you want to try a delicacy black pilot whale, go to Barrualli – a small village on the west part of the island. Or you can also taste extremely delicious meals from octopus and lobsters. Stewed squid is a must-try! Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Meat-lovers, don’t get upset! The locals cook diverse poultry, beef, and pork dishes as well – even though there are not that much of original ones. They serve meat with rice or peas or even with both most of the times. Chicken is highly popular here. Locals can fry, boil, bake it, add in salads, or use as a stew base. Nevertheless, you can also order a regular European steak or schnitzel which was borrowed from colonists many years ago. One more peculiar local dish is Oil Down. The dish consists of the following steamed ingredients: gnocchi, carrots, several types of meat, salty fish, callaloo, breadfruit, coconut milk, saffron, and pepper.

Callaloo is also the main ingredient for an eponymous soup. Callaloo leaves – also known as amaranth – is mixed to the elastic consistency. Then they add okra, yam, potatoes, gnocchi, and meat (chicken or beef). People here traditionally have it on Saturdays. Then there is Doucana – sweet potato gnocchi made from crushed coconut, potatoes, flour, nutmeg, ginger, raisins, and vanilla. Locals usually eat it with salted cod or just cold as it is. Another dish that is worth trying is Chop-up – a mix of spinach, aubergines, and okra.

If talking about desserts, don’t miss trying arrowroot flour cake and Doughboy – sweet baked dough with cinnamon and coconut. Breadfruit Meringue Pie is a breadfruit pie with egg meringue. If you’re interested in alcohol drinks, then you definitely should try the local pride of the island – light rum. Besides, rum is the main ingredient of the most local cocktails. Another tasty beverage is the local kind of beer – Hairoun beer. One more interesting fact about locals that you have to keep in your mind is that they also start their day with a cup of tea. However, it’s not just «normal» black or green teas we’re used to but actually any sweet drink like coffee, cocoa, or mate. Moreover, there is a great variety of fizzy drinks too. Locals are also highly fond of fruit juices. They can also add callaloo in it as it’s famous for its high iron content.