Charlie’s Bar, Aruba (food)

I’ve mentioned Charlie’s Bar several times here at The Bent Page. Also made a few videos. However, until today, I did not mention the food. So here we go! A look at the shrimp in the shell and the pasapalo, two favorites you’ll see in the clip below. Check it out:

Can’t go wrong with a meal like that. Delicious, different, and darn good. So when you head out to Charlie’s Bar in San Nicolaas for a few drinks, put a good foundation in first by trying out the food. Bon dia from Aruba, and don’t forget to get a bottle of that “honeymoon sauce.”

Published in: on March 17, 2013 at 1:06 am  Leave a Comment  
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Driving to Charlie’s Bar, Aruba

Since 1994, I’ve been enjoying myself at Charlie’s Bar in San Nicolaas, Aruba. In fact, my novel, An Island Away, begins and ends there. It’s not a difficult place to find, but some people need a little help, so I made this video showing you how to get there. Just take the main highway, 1A, all the way south to San Nicolaas, where the video begins at the traffic circle on the west side of town.

There you have it: easy directions to follow. Charlie’s is a great place with lots of local characters coming and going. Stay a while, enjoy the shrimp, some drinks, and plenty of conversation. Bon dia.

Published in: on February 5, 2013 at 6:25 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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Baby Beach to San Nicolaas, Aruba

Here’s a video showing exactly how to drive from Baby Beach, Aruba into the heart of San Nicolaas. Many people ask me for directions to some of my favorite places in Aruba and this video is a good reference. You can make the drive before leaving wherever it is you are, getting familiar with the sights along the way. There’s also a quick look inside the Hollywood Smokehouse and Charlie’s Bar, two great places to stop in for a snack and a beverage. (See other pages here on the blog that show the food.) Here we go.

That was easy! Plenty more of these videos to come. They’ll eventually end up as a series of links on the Aruba Driving Directions page here on my blog. If Aruba ever gets serious about streets signs, you won’t need these videos. In the mean time, well, it never hurts to have a preview of the terrain ahead. Bon dia.

Published in: on November 18, 2011 at 12:36 am  Leave a Comment  
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