Bonaire is part of the Caribbean, and some islands from the Caribbean are known for their incredible cuisine. But did you know that the island that is best known for its unbelievable underwater world and wide variety of extreme sports and activities is like a pearl in the ocean silently shining keeping a great secret? That is Bonaire, and Bonaire’s secret is revealed now: it is a culinary surprise!
Stoba di kabritu?
A culture can be found in its kitchen. Whether that is actually a saying or not, it is true for our dushi Bonaire. Dining on this island is a food lover’s dream as you find influences from Caribbean to South American, European and Asian cuisines. If you come to taste Bonaire, it is highly recommended to try local dishes and immerse yourself in Bonaire’s stobas and higras. Here’s a quick lesson Papiamento to find your way around the menu in Bonaire’s local restaurants;
Kabritu = goat
Galiña = chicken
Baka = beef
Higra = goat brains and liver, tastes better than it sounds
Stoba = stew
Arepa = cornmeal bread
Funchi = polenta (corn meal)
Kesio = flan / quesillo (pudding)
Komkomber = cucumber
After your useful short lesson of Papiamento, I probably don’t have to tell you that a stoba di kabritu is a goat stew; a true delicacy on the Dutch Lesser Antilles and a tasty surprise as well! You will find this dish in many local restaurants, together with the arepa filled with just-harvested Bonairean vegetables.
Save the reef, eat lion fish!
Among the divers on Bonaire, there are some reef savers; they catch lionfish. These stingy fish look impressive with their venomous spines and hide in caves and behind rocks and corals most of the time, though they are a real threat for the Caribbean reef! Eating a lot of our young and tiny fish that are important for our reef, they do not belong in these waters and therefore also have very few natural predators. Here’s to saving our reef: be their predator and order lionfish in a restaurant! Not only will you help the restoration of a balanced reef, you will also experience the incredible taste of the lionfish. Helping nature has never been so tasty before!
Culinary week 31 October – 6 November 2016
Inspired by the local specialties and ingredients, modern day cuisine on Bonaire truely is contemporary culinary art. The funchi is no longer just a meal, it has become a beautiful dish of multiple layers with vegetables. Chefs of the island are using typical Bonairean food in their modern way presentation of the most beautiful dishes. But attention all food lovers! From 31 October until 6 November 2016, you can treat your taste buds at some of Bonaire’s best restaurants. Experience a real culinary adventure for the duration of a whole week during the Bonaire Blond Restaurantweek; a few of the best restaurants of the island prepare a mouth-watering three-course menu and serve it for only $25. Needless to say; there is no limit so you can visit one each day… Below you will find a selection of our current favorites, though in total almost 15 restaurants on the island are participating in this culinary event!
Chibi Chibi Restaurant
Chibi Chibi is located on arguably one of the best locations of the island, offering an open and beach-bar-inspired type of balcony over Bonaire’s clear blue waters. Wooden floors and a refreshing breeze from the sea every few seconds add the tropical feeling you were looking for in a vacation and friendly waiters give that extra Caribbean vibe to the restaurant. The food is both a treat for the eye and the taste buds; freshly prepared fish served as the catch of the day and well-filled salads for an amazing lunch are just the basics of Chibi Chibi. The chef carefully selected the finest ingredients for Chibi Chibi’s three-course menu that they serve during the Restaurantweek.
Rum Runners
If your idea of a Caribbean vacation includes oceanfront dining with balmy trade winds blowing and incredible views of a calm sea reflecting a sunset, then Rum Runners is your spot. Multiple terraces on different levels are overlooking the Caribbean Sea and give an amazing view on the underwater world, as large tarpons and small reef fish make regular appearances in the water close to shore. At Rum Runners, besides their incredibly tasty looking menu, you can opt for a pizza from the Pizza Temple; freshly made in a traditional pizza oven. Also, definitely consider ordering one of the many cocktails, often prepared with cactus liqueur from the Cadushy Distillery or locally produced rum. The decoration of the cocktail will trigger you to order more! The menu of Rum Runners that one of best chefs of the island created for the Bonaire Blond Restaurantweek is a real treat for the ones that adore combining different flavors.
This splendid, wonderfully located restaurant has plenty to boast about. First of all, Karel’s Beach Bar is placed on the pier of downtown Kralendijk, offering you once again a great view on the ocean both above and under the water. Secondly, they have many to opt for regarding snacks, bites, lunch, dinner, coffees, wines and beers. Karel’s is the place where friends and family come together to meet and enjoy happy hour, or where couples enjoy a romantic dinner on the pier. For the menu of Karel’s Beach Bar for the Restaurantweek, they are focusing on what they do best: turning simple dishes into magic…
Need I say more? For your next vacation, plan a trip around your taste buds and bring them to culinary Bonaire, where crazy good restaurants are getting nods from international food critics and every dish is a culinary adventure!
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