Patrick's Restaurant in Grenada

There's this little restaurant outside the marina called "Patrick's". We've seen it a thousand times.  It doesn't look like much at all.  In fact, you'd never know it was a restaurant if not for the signage outside, and even then you're not completely sure.  The "restaurant" itself is nothing more than a little white house with violet trim, a porch and a few tables and mis-matched chairs out front under an awning.  It prides itself on "local" food and for some reason or another (perhaps because it's literally on the side of the road and offers little to no ambience?) we have not felt compelled to try it.  Why sit road side when you can sit beach side, you know?

This changed last week when Scott and I got all dressed up (I blew my hair dry and wore make-up!) for a celebratory Christmas dinner at the marina restaurant, only to find it was closed to the public because of some local company's holiday party.  We were pretty hungry, it was already 7pm and we needed to go somewhere else - STAT.  Going back to the boat and cooking was not an option. "Where should we go?" Scott asked.  As we walked out of the marina to catch a bus to town, there was Patrick's Restaurant all lit up with white Christmas lights and ready for biz-niz.  Urged forward by our gurgling bellies, a love of white Christmas lights and the sheer convenience of being right across the street from the marina, we opted to give it a try.

Point for serendipity!

Apparently the late Patrick was quite the character in town.  Openly gay and very flamboyant - to say he was an anomaly here among the local populous of Grenada would be an understatement.  He opened his restaurant and his excellent cooking preceded his eccentric reputation and Patrick's enjoyed moderate success.  He passed away recently, but his legacy and his cooking still continue on, lucky for us.

Two things make this a truly unique dining experience:
1) There is no menu
2) There are at least 20 courses

Don't go there in a hurry, because this place is on "island time" and should be savored and enjoyed.  The twenty courses are brought out on small plates in groupings of four to six, and meant to be shared.  A Caribbean "tapas" if you will.  The menu is never exactly the same, and you never know what you might get to try.  One of our friends actually ate iguana here (yes, they will occasionally eat iguana here.  Apparently it tastes like chicken).  While we were not offered iguana (which I was thankful for, since I once had a pet iguana.  RIP Archimedes), we were treated to such Caribbean staples as callaloo soup, Caribbean potato salad, chicken salad, fried breadfruit, green bananas, fish fritters, curried conch and more.  It was not only delicious - but a bonafide dining experience that we would highly recommend to anyone who is visiting the island and wants to sample authentic local fare.  Did I mention it's only $23 US per person?  That's a lot of bang for your buck!

Bottom line:  if you are in Grenada, check out Patrick's Restaurant!  It is as charming and unique as he is rumored to have been, and a true Caribbean culinary tour!

Love,

Brittany & Scott