This is the most beautiful and elegant restaurant on St. John, with the hippest and best-looking staff. Asolare is in the Estate Lindholm Bed & Breakfast and sits on top of a hill overlooking Cruz Bay and some of the British Virgin Islands.
Asolare translates to "the leisurely passing of time without purpose" in Greek, and that's what many diners prefer to do here. The chef roams the world for inspiration and cooks with flavor and flair, using some of the best and freshest ingredients available on the island.To begin, you might try the grilled Asian barbecued shrimp or the squid and shrimp medley. For a main course, you will be tempted by the ginger lamb or the peppercorn-dusted filet of beef. Two truly excellent dishes are the chicken Kiev and the sashimi tuna with plum-passion fruit sake vinaigrette. For dessert, try the fresh berry dishes or the chocolate pyramid cake.
This restaurant in the center of Cruz Bay is not a place for great finesse in the kitchen, but it's a longtime favorite and has pleased a lot of families who just want a casual meal.
To enter, you have to climb a flight of stairs. You might arrive early and have a strawberry colada, then enjoy a standard pasta, veal, seafood, or chicken dish. There are usually 30 to 40 vegetarian items on the menu. The owner claims, with justification, that his pizzas are the best on the island. Italian wines are sold by the glass or bottle, and you can end the evening with an espresso.
St John Restaurants
St John Restaurants: Caneel Beach Terrace
Cuisine: International, Seafood
Hours: Daily 7:30-10am, 11:30am-2pm, and 6-9pm
Location: At the Caneel Bay resort, Caneel Bay
Reservations required for dinner
Phone: 340/776-6111
Web site: www.caneelbay.com/dine4.cfm
Prices: Breakfast buffet $31; main courses $20-$45; grand seafood buffet Mon night $69; lunch buffet $35; grand buffet $65
Credit Cards: AE, DC, MC, V
Right below the Equator is an elegant, open-air dining room on the beach catering to elite palates. Although the cuisine here has varied over the years, the professional standards remain high.
Start with an appetizer of papaya with prosciutto, and move on to one of the wonderful fresh salads. The menus change nightly, but main dishes are likely to include baked filet of red snapper or roast prime rib of blue-ribbon beef. For dessert, try strawberry cheesecake or Boston cream pie. The self-service buffet luncheon is one of the best and most popular in the Virgin Islands.