I hate to sound like a broken record but the Bistro de Paris has to be one of my favourite restaurants and is consistently excellent. Usually you have at least one mediocre experience over the span of a few years, however this has just not happened at the Bistro.

Love this place. It's small but the food is excellent.

Best Cobb salad in the Caribbean!

I have to agree about the Cobb salad! The French Onion soup there is pretty awesome too!

Sniff...sniff...I had the Cobb salad last Friday and it will be at least a year before I can have it again. Truly a delightful place!

The only trouble is, if you don't get in early enough you might not get the day's special.
if that happens you just have to look at the menu and choose another excellent dish instead.

Onion soup in a bowl lined with cheese and a cheese bisqit floating in the middle. My favorite!
Delicious food!

My ABSOLUTE, hands down favorite restaurant on the Island!!!

Patrice is one-of-a-kind. Everybody can find something to love on the menu and it is always cooked to perfection!!!

Can't go wrong there with 2 people to 10 people. Just call ahead, it's a courtesy that's appreciated.

I haven't been on the island in two and a half yrs, but BDP has always been my fave dining place (and I'm a BIG time foodie!) when there and Patrice is da bomb! I'm glad to hear it's still going strong. I miss you Patrice!

Ah yes the Bistro, my gaze turns upward as the aroma of French onion soup fills my thoughts, the gooey cheese pulling at my spoon as if to refuse to give up its lusciousness. The tenderness of the Chateaubriand coupled with a superb cabernet sauvignon dances through my head. OK, time to wake up now, November is not that far away.
Mr. Bill could not have said it better, "hands down favorite restaurant on the Island!!!” Ditto!!
Patrice is a gracious host and his food is simply the best prepared grub on the island. The service is excellent and always with a smile. Lunch or dinner I’ve never had a bad experience. After a two week stay playing musical restaurant the Bistro is like our port in the storm.



(Message edited by dannori on July 10, 2010)

I cannot say enough how much we loved Bistro and Patrice! Delicious food, wonderful chat with Patrice and desserts to die for!!! Even had a wonderful glass of wine (even though it was French not Californian! LOL) He went out of his way to make us feel welcome, like we were visitors to his home. Made the kids wonderful pasta dinners and even smiled for the camera with us. It was extra special because Ann joined us for dessert and drinks! A must go to place!





(Message edited by modfreddie on July 18, 2010)

Glad you liked it RA. It's always a fun evening.

Rajan looks possessed! He was enthralled with the French Onion soup!

RA, kids are gorgeous!!!

Great memory here!!

Funny how opinions differ. I do not rate Bistro de Paris and find it over priced.

Yes, Trevor I agree that we all "see" things differently. There is a restaurant on island that everyone raves about that we had a harrowing experience at, not only was the food bad, we were treated like dirt, I vow to never patronize it again but many people write outstanding reviews about it. I guess I am glad we have many choices now, everyone can certainly find some place they enjoy!

I will honestly say I had many good meals but the fish dish I had at Bistro was outstanding and the best meal I had the entire trip.

Being a food nut and a sommelier, Bon is blessed. 99% of all the food you eat has to be imported.
Chicken and goat ribs, AKA BBQ ribs are cheap. I have spent time in a few kitchens on Bon, it's not easy. Some of the plates they serve they make nothing. So, there is always KFC and goat ribs.

Fact is, KFC and goat ribs are not bad. I say, try it all and enjoy.

Some hints.

A pasta dish.....Cost almost nothing to make...
BBQ ribs....GOAT....cheap....ASK, Beef or ?
Chicken, good deal.
USDA beef. Good
Beef from Mars, bad.


Truth be told, we all have a opinion based on where we come from and what we eat. Some people find Red Lobster to be a A+, I think it should be banded for life. So, many thoughts and tastes on this subject, but, please keep a open mind, and understand that when on Bonaire, it's a ••••• to be a chef on Bon. If the ship is late, what do you do?


Fact is, there are a few that serve the same thing day after day, year after year, thank God for deep freezers.

So, please understand, it's a day to day thing on Bon.

Enjoy your time there just kick back.

Fact is, a few places rock......day in and day out.

Take a sip of wine and enjoy.

RoseAnne if that is the C place then I would agree. Had great meals there with people they knew. Without and it was truly awful tried many times and now avoid the place.

Jerry, that was so very well said, and so true. I would not want to constantly search for the things I wanted to cook. God almighty, the day I made dinner for everyone, after our night dive was a labor of love, because of how many places I had to go to get the ingredients I wanted. I got great revues from all, but even to get breadcrumbs, I had to buy Dutch croutons, at some Chinese store, and pound them into breadcrumbs. Oh well, necessity is the mother of invention.

Also, can someone tell me what MF has in her mouth in the above picture?

Freddie, frankly, it looks obscene, and I never noticed it before.

it was a rose from the table Jim

actually bread crumbs are readily available here --- called paneermeel...sorry you had to go the "long way" ..

Thanks MF

We all have our favorites-we had great meals and outstanding service from Patrice, as well as some terrific life stories.

Being on the island is not the same as being in the U.S. I thank God for that. But it does require some adjustment in thinking that we, as Americans, rule what will be served and when it will be served. It's not possible. That being said, some of my most memorable meals have been on Bonaire, and I always recommend my favorites to those who are traveling there for the first time.

Mary, as always, so well said. Freddie, thank you so much for the clarification.

Since we are going to be on island for two weeks I'd sure like to know what is the "C" restaurant. Both to eat there and be forewarned.

I am pretty sure that the "C" restaurant is Capriccio. I have to say that I have LIVED here for 8 years and never had a bad meal there, but clearly, other people have.
My best suggestion for going there is to ask Lola, the owner, to recommend some dishes for you. She can also suggest wines as well. I am a bit of a "foodie" and Capriccio is always one of the restaurants I recommend to visitors. The service can be spotty on busy nights, so try to go there expecting to have a leisurely meal, perhaps two hours or longer. If you are in a hurry, make a reservation and go before 7pm. It like most restaurants on Bonaire, are nearly empty before 7pm and then get slammed between 7pm and 8pm most nights. You should also know that it is a relatively expensive place to eat, with prices that you would expect to pay in your local fine dining restaurant. My wife and I love the gnocchi, Caesar salad, seafood pasta and also the pumpkin ravioli to name a few. Bon Appetite!

Do what Bob says. Smart, very smart.

Thanks Bob.
I have it on my "Must eat at" list.

We usually go early as I was in the buz for many years and understand the early thing.

Actually the restaurant I was referring to does not start with a "C" at all. It was a rather strange situation that took place but enough of one that I will never return. But I like to say "to each his own" if you enjoy a place go and enjoy. It's not my m.o. to trash a place so I'd rather not divulge the name.

I agree with Bob RE/MAX as to Capriccio. One night Lola opened our wine, and then she took the cork and rolled it around between her hands. I had no idea why. Then she sniffed the cork, and obviously deciding it was not up to Capriccio standards, whisked the bottle away and brought another, which this time passed her test. Me, I wouldn't have known the difference, as box wine is fine with me. But I thought this was pretty impressive.