Fredriksted at San Tropez


The city of Fredriksted is an oft overlooked spot on St. Croix as it is the designated cruise ship stop on an island with a non existent cruise ship trade. Sadly, Fredriksted has suffered a terrific blow tourism-wise.

This once quaint little tourist town has lovely beaches, shops, eateries and a really nice pier that is a blast to jump off of!Restaurant Le St Tropez is a favorite with the people that live on the island of St. Croix.

Imagine a Caribbean style open air European bistro ala St. Maartin or St. Barts without the unattractive nude people frolicking about. This is the stuff of dreams.An attentive owner who’s glad to share a glass of wine with you, intimate ambiance and an amazing menu are just the beginning of the San Tropez experience. Though mostly French, menu items include pasta dishes.

We were lucky enough to spend an evening of bliss with three intelligent and humorous couples who enjoy food and conversation as much as we do.

It also happened to be the week that this year’s Beaujolais nouveau arrived on St. Croix. Word was that this was an especially good year, we’re certainly not experts, but it was delicious to us.

Beaujolais nouveau is an annual event, a harvest wine that is only fermented a few months and then served young and lightly chilled. Comes around just in time for the holidays. It works well in the tropics since the weather is still quite balmy this time of year.

We mostly stuck to seafood dishes. Plate trading abounded.

Frog Legs
Ooh la la–until last night Veronica was a frog legs virgin–and her buddy Vern gently insisted on her indulgence of a new thing.
She needed a cigarette afterward.

Escargot
Again, Ooh… little snail guys drenched in butter and garlic. Lovely bread to sop up the dregs. David passed on them. Said he’d had gastropods for breakfast. It was hard to believe though, because I’m pretty sure there aren’t snails in leftover tacos. However, normally, he will eat a snail in a heartbeat. There have been times, after a rain, he’s been seen following a slick with a clove of garlic and a pan full of hot butter.

Lobster Bisque
The consensus was that it was too salty and too watery. Bisque is originally French, but never having tried it outside of US territory, perhaps this is just a cultural difference. We love the thick stuff with chunks of meat, and this was neither thick nor chunky. Since everything else we ordered was amazing, we’re thinking it was meant to be like that.

Moules St. Tropez
A giant bucket of unbelievably delectable mollusks swimming in a white garlicky pool of sin. The bucket comes with a ladle. I think that is just to keep people from just climbing in and swimming around with the guys.

Other entrees involved mahi, scallops-beautiful scallops, shrimp and tuna. Veryfresh with great sauces. But then, French food really is all about the sauces, now isn’t it?

Crème Brûlée with Raspberry and Chocolate and Toasted Almonds
Rich, creamy and decadent–if they have it–get it.

Chocolate Mousse
You might think — hey it’s just chocolate mousse, but this one had some kind of spell cast over it. In fact, in the spirit of the season, we petty much all agreed that Santa really should consider switching from reindeer to this mousse.

David & Veronica,
GypsyNester.com


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2 thoughts on “Fredriksted at San Tropez”

  1. >Glowing with food enjoyment doesn’t cover it all! Hurting face with laughter enjoyment, switching seats with joke enjoyment, it was a highlight of the season.

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