Taste of Belgium (in Aruba)

Taste of Belgium is my new favorite spot for dessert in Aruba. I had been resisting the addition of another place like this in an effort to control the expanding waistline. That battle is temporarily suspended. Let the fun begin! Stopped in here a couple of nights ago. Ordered chocolate cake with chocolate ice-cream. Here’s a photo of the whole shebang:

I forgot to mention there was coffee, too. Check this out.

That little shot of liquor on the side puts the concoction in the high-horsepower range. Delicious. And how about that silver tray service. Classy. I found everything here very tasty and especially appreciated the good service. There was a young fellow on duty. He did a good job tending the table. Also, this place is glassed in from the bustle of the surrounding Palm Beach Mall, making it easy to have a nice conversation. Enjoy your visit. If you see me there, don’t comment on my bulges.

Published in: on February 6, 2012 at 4:01 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Visit Charlie’s Bar, Aruba

It’s nearly twenty years since I first set foot in Charlie’s Bar. It’s located in San Nicolaas, Aruba, a refinery town full of character at the edge of the Caribbean. It was founded in 1941 by Charlie Brouns, revamped by his son Charlie, Jr., and now operated by Charlie III. Join me inside this venerable institution for a look around.

Lots of stuff there to occupy your viewing pleasure while having a drink or a snack or both. The specialty is shrimp, served a couple of different ways. My favorite is steamed with garlic. They come with the heads on for those of you who like the juice. This isn’t a fancy place, drinks are shots and beer and the basics, nothing fuzzy or foamy. Given that Charlie’s began as a sailor bar, that’s to be expected. Enjoy yourself in Aruba and don’t forget the sunscreen. One other thing, try the Honeymoon Sauce, which is spicy hot and good on most anything.

Bon dia.

Published in: on February 5, 2012 at 2:05 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Cunard’s Queen Victoria

Cunard’s Queen Victoria made a stop in Aruba recently. She’s more of a traditional ship as far as her lines go. Less flash, probably more class. Take a look.

Cunard's Queen Victoria in Aruba.

I like the hull painted a darker color like that, along with the red for the below the waterline portion, gives a sense of gravitas to a ship. Either way, I’m sure it’s a magnificent floating palace for you to enjoy a vacation. Don’t forget to check where the lifeboats are!

Gianni’s Restaurant, Aruba

After umpteen number of visits to Aruba, I finally dined at Gianni’s, which is located in the high-rise hotel area. This is a big restaurant with seating both inside and out, as well as a short length of bar to prime the pump if you’re in need. There have been many reviews of this place, talking about the good and the bad. My visit was quite satisfactory. Service was reliable, food decent, and the ambiance enjoyable. Let’s get to the food. As regular readers of The Bent Page know, I like my greens. Thus, a salad began the meal for me as seen here.

The salad was crisp and the right size. My companions enjoyed the caprese salad. See below:

Now that was a different presentation from what I’m used to seeing, but was reported to be delicious. On to the entrees. Let’s begin with the old reliable, fusilli bolognese.

The sauce was a bit more dense than what I’ve had at many other places. The flavor was good, but subdued. Then there was a rigatoni with artichokes as you’ll see next.

You can’t miss the glass of cabernet in the lower right. Much was had along with a couple of mojitos to keep things humming. Then there was the osso buco. Take a look.

That plate was wiped clean, right down to the marrow in the bone. So the rating was “delicious” on whole concoction. Desert was limited due to the large quantity of food consumed to the point. Still, room was created for a brownie with ice-cream.

I enjoyed my visit to Gianni’s and was glad to have finally made it there after all these years going to Aruba. We had a reservation for 7PM, which is probably a good idea. With all the nearby hotels, the place fills up quickly including large groups.

Enjoy the feast!