On his trip to the West Indies in 1859, Anthony Trollope, the British novelist, was not impressed with the food his plantation-owning hosts served him. Ignoring the rich bounty of their islands, including local fruits and vegetables, they fed him canned potatoes, "tinned meats," and cheeses imported from England. At the time, British expats felt that if a food item didn't come from their homeland, it wasn't worth putting on the table.
Regrettably, Trollope did not visit the Cayman Islands as part of his sojourn. Had he paid a call, he would have found that the enterprising Caymanians were eating what they raised. Or, more accurately, what they caught. There was little reliance on imported goods. Today Caymanian cuisine continues to take advantage of the islands' natural provisions and local fish is easily found on menus throughout the Caymans.
Many of today's chefs in the Cayman Islands rely on international recipes for their restaurant offerings, and some Caymanians claim that you have to be invited to a local home for real island cuisine. That is not true. Many restaurants still feature West Indian cooks who prepare food as their grandmothers did, and we've recommended several of them. Unless a restaurant is devoted to a foreign cuisine, many Cayman dishes still appear regularly on menus.
Which Dollar? Yours or Mine? -- Make sure you know which currency the menu prices are quoted in. If the currency is not written on the menu, ask the waiter if the prices are in U.S. or Cayman Island dollars.
A Caymanian Dinner, Please -- If you're staying at one of the many condos and villas that pepper Grand Cayman, you can call a private caterer and order an island dinner to be delivered. One of the best is Burton Ebanks (tel. 345/926-8294).
Antica Gelateria -- After spending several sunny hours on Seven Mile Beach or exploring Grand Cayman's reefs, who doesn't want ice cream? Better yet, how about a near-authentic Italian gelato? Antica Gelateria, in the Marquee Shopping Center, Harquail Bypass near West Bay Rd. (tel. 345/946-1400), near the previously recommended Cimboco Caribbean Café, has the perfect scoop to cool the effects of the noontime sun. Better yet, stop by after dinner, to experience one of the more unexpected nightlife spots on Grand Cayman.
