Issue:
May
2008

by Manos Angelakis.

Daphne’s has been an elegant London restaurant, with a considerable following among “the beautiful people” and is regarded as a solid bet for delicious modern Italian/Mediterranean cuisine.

There is now a Daphne’s Caribbean outpost, in Barbados. Situated on the island’s West coast, next to the luxurious boutique hotel The House on Tamarind Cove, Daphne’s provides the same sophisticated atmosphere and cuisine to the island’s elite and The House’s guests.

We had numerous lunches and diners at Daphne’s and I can safely say that the kitchen is absolutely first class, even though I consider, especially the lunch menu, a bit on the heavy side for such a hot climate. Marco Pavone, the restaurant’s General Manager is a hands-on, very gracious host, that has been always present during day and evening, supervising the staff and making sure that guests get the best service possible as well as ensuring that every dish leaving the kitchen is as perfect as it can be.

Barbados was very hot the first few days of our stay, so we concentrated on mostly salads and light dishes for lunch. The Seafood Salad with Asparagus, Olive Oil and Capers and the Seared Tuna Salad with Cucumber and Sweet Mustard Dressing were very very good, redolent of the sea. The salad vegetables, were absolutely fresh, delivered and used the same day. I noticed the use of coarse sea salt that added a welcome crunchiness to the salads as well as that unmistakable Mediterranean taste.

The Local Mozzarella with Tomatoes and Basil was one of the best choices for evening starters with sweet, flavorful, vine-grown tomatoes that tasted much better than what we get in the States. A half order of Pappardelle with Braised Duck was all that Barbara could finish that first night, while I polished off Char Grilled Squid with Panchetta and Pimento Salsa.

For another lunch we just shared a Steak Sandwich with Caramelized Onions, a small-sized Pizza Margherita, that the kitchen added artichokes as one of the toppings at our request, and a Rocket and Parmesan Salad.

That same evening, when the temperature and humidity had started to ease -- though it never went below 70F throughout our stay -- we started with Artichoke and Spinach Salad with Gorgonzola and Walnuts, with a balsamic vinegar based dressing, then continued with Grilled Lamb Cutlets with Polenta and Salsa Verde (to me it tasted like an Argentinean Chimichurri Sauce) and Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Peperonata and Grilled Zucchini. The lamb chops were exceptional and the Mahi-Mahi (for the uninitiated, Mahi-Mahi is the Hawaiian name for what is called in the Caribbean “dolphin fish” and not to be confused with porpoise) was some of the freshest fish we have had lately.

That evening we finished our meal with Iced Berries (Fruta di Bosco) with Hot White Chocolate Sauce and Roasted Baby Bananas with Coconut Ice Cream. Both desserts were outstanding. Espresso and cognac followed, as we watched the moon weave a silver carpet on the waters of the cove in front of us and the tree-frogs synchronized their trilling with the soft music enveloping the dinning room. 

Mr. Pavone is also responsible for the excellent wine cellar the restaurant has, well balanced between Italian, French and New World selections; there are high priced Grand Cru bottles as well as some of lesser provenance, and accordingly lower prices. One evening we had a solid Malbec from one of Argentina’s better producers, the other an outstanding Châteauneuf-du-Pape. As a background, Mr. Pavone has spent considerable time at Cunard before coming to Barbados to launch and manage Daphne’s.

The staff is very well-trained, attentive but not intrusive, and without the attitude that can be sometimes objectionable at the London establishment.

By the way, the bar is very well stocked and can whip a mean Bellini, having the necessary white-peach purée at hand, as well as expertly making the more traditional rum based frozen drinks.

All-in-all, we very much enjoyed our meals at Daphne’s and hope that the Barbados outpost becomes as successful as the London original.