Curaçao Restaurants

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This restaurant was suggested by some of the local businessmen who were sitting outside at one of the bars in the newer area of Williamstad (where most of the tourists go--where the jewelry stores, etc. are). I showed them my "local food treasure hunt list" and they both immediately pointed down the street. They said that Plasa Bieu was THE place to go. It is where celebrities like to stop when they visit and even the queen! With that recomendation, we were on our way.

The restaurant itself reminded me of a giant revival meeting or camp tent. It was filled with lots of picnic type tables. You just grab a seat whereever you find room. You may end up with a few birds picking up any escaped crumbs from the ground as your company.

The woman who waited on us was wonderfully helpful as she answered our questions and helped us figure out what to get.

Favorite Dish: We ended up with goat stew, rice & beans, plantains, funchi and she also talked me into ordering tutu. It was my favorite. I really like chopping it up in pieces, and mixing it into the rice & beans and some of the sauce from the stew. Yum! Oh yeah, don't forget to add some of the onion and pepper sauce found on most of the tables. If your table doesn't have any, borrow some from a neighbor. I sure wish we had a neighborhood restaurant with these fantastic flavors back in the states!!

You will have a unique experience, dining at an indonesian restaurant. Try one of these:
Indonesian Restaurant Tempo Doeloe: tel. 4612881, www.tempodoeloe.an.
Restaurant Rijsttafel Indonesia. Mercuriusstraat 19. tel. 4612606
A different eastern taste in the Caribbean!

Favorite Dish: You really should try the extended 'Rijsttafel'. You will have the chance to taste a little bit of all types of food: goat, beef, porc, chicken, fish, fruits and vegetables, egg, you name it!

There are restaurants housed in some old fortresses. My favorites:
Bistro Le Clochard: at the entrance of the St. Annabay on the Otrobanda side. Great view, greater food, the most priced in town (i mean dollars)! tel. 4625666
Fort Nassau: at the top of the hill at the end of the St. Annabay. Fantastic view, very good cuisine. tel. 4613450
Indonesian Restaurant Tempo Doeloe: The open air restaurant is built on top of the Parasasa Hill overlooking the Hotel area and the WTC. From here you will have a great view of "the sun sinking in the sea." A unique eastern cuisine. Good price. Try the 'Rijsttafel'. tel. 4612881, www.tempodoeloe.an. A Small World Int'l Cuisine: Waterfort Boogjes on the Punda side. Top standard cuisine, terrific ambience by the waterside along other restaurants. Great for people watching. tel. 4655575
Across the Border: Waterfort Boogjes on the Punda side. Traditional Mexican recipes, great selection of margarita's and tequila's. Regular prices. tel. 4651466
Scampi's: Waterfort Boogjes on the Punda side. Big variety of seafood. Cocktails. Regular prices. tel. 4650769
Italian Restaurant La Pergola: Waterfort Boogjes on the Punda side. Very good, extended italian ciusine. tel. 4613482
Sea View: Waterfort Boogjes on the Punda side. Local cuisine with good taste. Standard prices. tel. 4616688
The Grill King: Waterfort Boogjes on the Punda side. Good and tasty steaks, grilled seafood, standard prices. tel. 4616870
Fort Waakzaamheid: A view over the western part of Otrobanda. Good cuisine. Popular with locals, sometimes crowded. Dance parties in the weekends. tel. 4621044
Playa Forti: Westpunt. Ideal for after a day at the Westpunt beach, or after a day of touring the island. tel. 8640273
The fortresses are of the Dutch colonial period.
The Waterfort Boogjes house several types of cuisine.

Favorite Dish: Ask for the catch of the day, it may be one you like!
And sometimes, why not try something different then red snapper, like our local Keshi Yena : originally a whole, round dutch Gouda cheese stuffed with ground meat, olives, unions, prunes, herbs and spices!!!

Just returned from Curacao and nothing to eat is cheap. Best thing is to get a good meal for your money. We ate at several restaraunts and most of the time left still hungry. Hooks is the exception - by far the best food deal on the island. Also try the restaraunts in the Rif Fort the Indian was outstanding and the Steak and Seafood restaraunt looked great though we did not eat there.

Stay away from La Pergola on the Punda waterfront, the nearby Kingfish is less expensive and casual for waterfront dining.

Excellent "cooked to order" Indian food. Four of us ordered a dinner each which included one entre, a salad, rice, and bread plus two additional side entres. We shared all six entres. The entres we ordered were Lamb Vindaloo, Chicken Curry, Spinach with Cheese, Chick peas with potatoes, and two orders of mixed vegetables. We like spicy food and asked the chef to spice it up, which he did and we were delighted. The view of the harbour from our seat at the top of Rif Fort is spectacular at sunset.

Favorite Dish: The spinach with cheese was great. I especially liked the way the cheese was rolled in spices and grilled then sauted into the chopped spinach. When you bit into the cheese it had a slightly toasted spicy exterior and a moist almost creamy center.

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If you want a good meal at a fair price, Hook's Hut it the place to go. Hooks serves both lunch and dinner under roof on the beach. They offer everything from salads, hamburgers and wraps at lunch to 16 oz grilled tenderloin and seafood for dinner. Hooks is one fo the few placed where you can get a balanced meal (meat, salad, and vegetables) without mortgaging the farm. If you plan to be seated before 9 PM make a reservation.

Favorite Dish: Grilled tenderloin!

Excellent cut of meat cut thick and grilled to perfection. If you like your meat well done you might not like the tenderloin - it is so thick it is virtually impossible to cook through to the middle. Order the tenderloin medium for a very redish hot center.

The chicken caesar is a great light lunch item that will leave you hungry enough at dinner. The chicken wraps are enough to feed two people (or one teenager). Hamburgers are hamburgers, appropriately sized and served with fries.

I just came to live on the island and it is a great island.
Since I work close to Hooks Hut this is the place I visit frequently.
Unfortunately, the service is bad.
Management is not so good, a place runned by Dutch people is expected to run better with much better service. It takes so long befor an order can be placed. Even if tables have been reserved in advanced...
Some of the staff girls are really nice and know well what they are doing but other absolutely not...completely rude.
Out of this world that a restaurant with such a good name runs like this. My advice, go but do not expect too much, avoid the Sundays since the kitchen food is really bad compared with other days.
Regards,

Michael McBryde

Favorite Dish: Rib eye, depends on the day you visit the place

Asia de Cuba is located just outside of Willemstadt. I do not know the name of the town it's actually in but the cab drivers will know.

The food is a blend of Cuban and Asian. A group of about 16 divers went there one evening. Everyone got different items and shared. I had nothing that wasn't fantastic. I'm a big Cuban fan and wasn't disappointed by the pork and plantanos with black beans and rice.

The service was quite good, even though we only had one server for our large group. We had called ahead so they had a long table set up for us inside but there is also a large patio out back. There was a large catered party going on that night but wouldn't have known it.

The place was very chic and elegant with a nice semi-open air environment.

The only disappointment was the manager would not allow us to have individual checks but the waitress took care of us individually but backing out each of our orders and letting us pay separately. I believe her name was Anna and she was excellent with our group.

Favorite Dish: I think it was called Fidel's Pork Satay with plantains and black beans and rice.