Rediscovering Barbados: A Culinary Journey in Paradise

A cab drops us off at the top of the road that leads to a small harbour. This is St. Lawrence Gap, affectionately known as The Gap. It’s a lively place with a lovely feel where the island’s vibrant nightlife pulses with busy restaurants and bars. I settled on Castaways, guided by the promise of great sounding reviews.

We are taken upstairs and sit at a great table overlooking the other restaurants, bars and the sea. The menu is good and reads really well, so we immediately ordered. Starting with breadfruit chips, perfectly crunchy with a flavourful aioli and marinara dip—a captivating introduction. I loved the texture and flavour of the breadfruit. Next came spicy yellowfin tuna, served over delicate sushi rice and enhanced by a ginger and green onion cream—a masterful dish neatly blending depth and brightness. The Blackened shrimp Caesar salad (I’m not a fan of adding extra meats or fish to a Caesar; it’s such a delight on its own if made correctly) was okay.

On to the main courses: Blackened Kingfish, whose earthy Idaho potato accompaniment perfectly balanced the fish’s boldness, and with local veg and a red curry ‘jus” (let’s just say sauce, shall we?) that tied the dish together with gusto, with its pickled ginger, basil, cheese, and rich sauce, the lobster ravioli added a hint of Italy to the Caribbean island’s bounty.

Each course was very agreeable, but the Bajan bread and butter pudding crowned the evening—a dense, creamy affair studded with luscious rum-soaked raisins, swathed in warm vanilla ice cream and rum sauce. It was the perfect closure to a splendid culinary day.