Just got back from a week in Bonaire. We had dinner at many of the recommended places, but one we went to twice is the Cuban restaurant at the Great Escape. This because a) the food was great and b) we were staying right across the street. But we did go to Bistro, Casablanca, Rum Runners, and a few others. I wasn't compelled to go to any of those again. Casablanca was excellent, but it was truly meat overload. I just can't handle red meat in those quantities. In addition, sitting at the table next to the road while cars zoomed by and dogs begged in the street, well, the stress of what seemed inevitable ruined the experience.

But Great Escape has excellent black bean soup, shrimp with yellow rice, wahoo, ribs and desserts. And in very generous quantities too. I hear their cuban sandwiches are good too, but we only had dinner there. Nice atmosphere and a good selection of music (Marley, Clifton Chenier, Bonnie Raitt if you like that kind of music). Drinks need a bit of improvement, but I'm not a big drinker anyway. Check it out, it's on the main road past the airport about a mile.

Steve

Hi,
Could someone please explain this:
"gibi's on tuesday night"
What/where is this, I have seen it mentioned several times throughout the newsgroups
Mike

Mike, try this, it might help.

http://www.oldbonairetalk.com/newsgroup/messages/27/252012.html?1136064720

Gibi:: you are going to have to have a airport terminal for your BT dinners if we keep getting bigger. The group is the Bonaire Talkers--Mike they are the people who chat and inform on this site. On Tuesdays when people who are talkers are on the Island they often go to Gibi's to chat with other Bonaire Talkers and compare notes and ideas and friendship. You will find no better place to eat and share experiences with others. A very special group of people you have landed among. Enjoy!!!!!

Just to add..........My wife and I went to The Great Escape Saturday 14th to see what it was all about.

Must say that we had an enjoyable evening. We sampled the food which was very good and it was nice to see a variety of vegetarian/vegan foods available. Don't forget to try Grandmas Pie, a desert too decadent for me to describe but Kevin (the owner) is happy to explain its origins.

Somebody mentioned earlier on this thread that the drinks need a bit of improvement. I can only assume that they were not beer drinkers. The choice of beers (Samuel Adams, Bud, Grolch, Dragon Stout etc etc) is the best on the island.

We will be returning and telling all that will listen!

Uh Oh, they have Sam Adams??? That's Michael's fav!

If you knew the ingredients of Grandma's Pie, you'd appreciate the irony of seeing "vegan" and "Grandma's Pie" in the same paragraph

I mentioned the drinks. Being from Northern California, well, whenever I go tropical I have this craving for umbrella drinks. (I drink enough beer at home.) So I tried the rum punch which was the only un-memorable thing about the evening.

Steve

Hello everyone! Any one know what time Great Escape opens for breakfast? They are on our to do list for food and I was thinking they might be good before our orientation dive if they are open early enough. Thanks and cheers!

Jeanine --

go to the bottom of the page
click on keyword search
type in great escape
select and for keyword options
select whole words for match methods
click perform search
then click around to find Kevin at the Great Escape.

http://www.bonairegreatescape.com

Use the tools at your disposal....
akin to telling Luke to use the force....
Sorry, I have no star trek tribble-like quotes for you.

mare

Thanks Mare...but I tried the website and looked around here for a wee bit and found nothing about the time they opened. I will try sending them a direct email. That doesn't always work well for me...it seems that my name is a naughty word in at least one other language and I get blocked a lot when I try emailing into other countries.

Our website is being revamped to include such pesky details as what we do and when we are open. I got Jeanine's e-mail and replied.

I do have to ask: is it "Jeanine" or "Clark" that's a dirty word?

Hi all! Yes Kevin replied promptly!

Kevin...we still have not figured out what exactly in jeanineclark that is so naughty. However, my friend in Switzerland cannot receive emails from me "because it is detected as coming from a pornographic site" and I have had problems with Stinapa and Toucan not being able to send me emails. Had some other issues with a friend in Germany and one in Scotland too, but some how they figured out how to accept my emails there.

Mare,
Beam me up, Kevin?

So Kevin, when do you open in the morning???? Inquiring minds want to know You can post your hours in this case, as Jeannie asked what they were, and it's not considered self-promotion. You are answering a direct question in regard to the hours of operation of your place I know, the boundries of self-promotion are a little grey in some areas ;-)

Ha! I can answer my own question and then we don't have to worry about self-promotion.

Breakfast is 7 days a week, 7:30AM-10AM. Lunch is 12:00-2:30 Tuesday-Sunday, and dinner is 6PM-9PM Tuesday-Sunday.

Posted by Steve:
"If you knew the ingredients of Grandma's Pie, you'd appreciate the irony of seeing "vegan" and "Grandma's Pie" in the same paragraph
I mentioned the drinks. Being from Northern California, well, whenever I go tropical I have this craving for umbrella drinks. (I drink enough beer at home.) So I tried the rum punch which was the only un-memorable thing about the evening."


Fair comment Steve. Luckily my Wife does not eat deserts so she was spared whatever Grandma puts into her pudding.
As far as the drinks are concerned, I am an Englishman on Bonaire for a year and have had more than my share of getting poked in the eye with brollies. A bit of real beer was a treat.
Maybe next time eh!

The experimental rum punch that Steve had has been dropped, BTW. Some people loved it, too many others described it as tasting like a mixture of corn syrup and paint thinner.

Paint Thinner! I knew it tasted familiar

Seriously, I remember at the time I was hoping for a Painkiller. After a week of windsurfing, it seemed appropriate. This is a drink I learned to love in the British Virgin Islands during the HIHO, which is a week long windsurfing race throughout BVI. It was a favorite after a day of racing, particularly to ease the pain felt in your hands, which suffer the most when you sail in tropical waters. But alas, Kevin, you had no fresh nutmeg. Maybe next time. Here's the recipe:

6 ounces dark rum (Prusser's was the choice)
12 ounces pineapple juice
3 ounces Coco Lopez cream of coconut
3 ounces orange juice


Mix all ingredients and serve over ice. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Serves 2.


mmmmm... pain....


Steve

All,

You guys need to STAY at The Great Escape!!! The night time experience is Great!!! I LOVE (addicted to) quality linens and Kevin has them at The Great Escape.

The Cuban food is Great.

I think Kevin offers a discount for divers to use Belmars Dive Packages....maybe Kevin can refresh my memory on this.

Kevin, I hope to see you in June....travel plans are still in work.

Yana

Did someone say Dragon Stout?? NOOOOOOOOOO..I am on my way Kevin..didn't know you could find this in Bonaire..can u get Tenant Stout?

I hope this comes under the category of "direct answer". I do carry Dragon Stout. The Island Supplier got a sample case in, I took it, and it sold quickly, so I had him bring in some more. So far as I know, I'm the only one carrying it right now.

Where is "Tenant Stout" from?

Kevin, yes, that comes in the category of "direct answer" ;-) It's also a pleasure to see you posting

Ann, Kevin, what's "Dragon Stout"...looks like I'm going to have to come up with a list of beers for Michael to try next time...and Cuban food? Do you serve black beans and rice???mmmmmmm

Steve, pain killers...nothin' like em man!

I LOVE Stout..when I lived in Antigua I learned a fair amount about the different Stouts. Dragon and Tenant are very popular in the British West Indies. Tenant is from Scotland I believe and they have a divine Cream Stout..

Dragon Stout is a stout from Jamaica. A little less intense than Guinness Stout.

We don't keep Moors y Christos (black beans and rice) on the menu, but we will happily serve you rice with the black bean soup so you can mix your own.

OK, Kevin, black bean soup and rice...that's what I was thinking. The Metropole in SJ serves a delicious black bean soup with rice...makes my mouth water just thinking about it! So, I will definitely be stopping by GE for some good beer for Michael, and some black bean soup and rice (amongst other menu items)...Can I order it take out? I am SOOOOOO thrilled to hear you have this favorite item of mine, you have NO idea!

Kevin, will you be posting a menu on your website soon? Again, I am absolutely beside myself to know you serve Cuban cuisine...

Yes, we do takeout. The menu will be getting posted as a part of our website rehabilitation. I'm hoping to see the new site on-line around the first of February.

Kevin, thanks. Please let me know when the new site is up (with menu). Gee, I will be eating a LOT of black bean soup and rice next trip (I'll email you so you can stock up) LOL!

I received an email from Kevin, and the new site is up with the full menu, restaurant hours, happy hour times, etc. Looking at the menu sure made me HUNGRY for Cuban food. If you click on the link Mare posted, it will take you to the website with all of the new info.

Okay, I had to look to see what the heck link I posted -- finally
http://www.bonairegreatescape.com
and it took me a while to see the link to the menu. Kevin! my eyes aren't what they used to be. Change the color so I can find it easier!
Goodness gracious!
mare

That would be Pusser's Rum, not Prussers, in case folks are out there looking for it. Seems so wrong, don't it? We could do a whole thread on suggestive English slang.
But let's not.

We visited the Great Escape for breakfast last week, I have to say it was the most peaceful time I spent anywhere! We were the only ones there, myself, husband and 2 kids. We sat under the big hut and just vegged out! It was so quiet and calming. If you are feeling a little stressed out I suggest going there and just sitting for a half hour or so, your body and soul will feel refreshed! Sorry to the person we woke up (was it you Kevin)? My kids were exploring and discussing the tadpoles and plants and were talking outside someones window and woke them up. SORRY!

The little bridge is right outside my bedroom window, so yes, it was me. No problem, though. Customers that wake me up are much better than no customers at all.