Feature Story XpBonaire Island Life
To be honest, if you don't know where to go, Breeze’n Bites is not really easy to find. At the Hato roundabout you will find an exit to a dirt road that leads to the former Coco Beach and if you keep right you will come to a small dive operation and the apartments of Den Laman. Here Dick Bos has established Breeze’n Bites, his cozy, spacious restaurant overlooking the Caribbean Sea. The excellent view and the very friendly welcome ensures that you will have a good time.
One might say that your first impression is most important, but it should continue onto your plate and at your table too. The kitchen and service both managed to do a great job at that. We had skipped breakfast, except for a little something, so that the visit to Breeze’n Bites was not lunch, but brunch. The advantage is that you can order something extra that you then share together. Tasty and cozy!
Thus a beef carpaccio and a smoked wahoo salad reached our table first. Our choice was determined because we had a meal to review, so we chose one dish which could be comparable to what is available in other locations and one signature dish, where the chef could showcase his skills.
I can be brief about the Carpaccio. It was just what you would expect from a Carpaccio, a beautifully prepared plate, excellent quality meat, nuts, parmesan cheese and salad. And this for only $11.
The Winner?
I can be more elaborate about the home smoked wahoo. Wahoo is a fish in the mackerel family and is found in tropical areas. For those who don't know, they are most often caught with a hand line. This fish has its own taste and can be found on many menus, in most cases in ceviche or fried as a fillet. Like tuna and many other hunting sea creatures, the wahoo can be consumed both raw and cooked. As Dick said while saying goodbye, it took a while before he found the right way to smoke it. And he found it indeed!
The thin slices are presented as a kind of sashimi, with a tasty salad in the middle and a horseradish sauce. The structure of the fish is extremely subtle, between raw and cooked, firm, without falling apart on its own. Again, the first impression rule applies, and again there was nothing to criticize. The taste turned out to be excellent and here too the word subtle applies, a particularly tasty piece of fish with the right bite and a very pleasant, smoky flavor. It is a signature dish, one we think Dick can be extremely proud of. We were planning to share a third dish, but the urge to order the wahoo again really had to be overcome first.
All eventually worked out with a drink in between and a chat with our very friendly service lady. We choose a sandwich that is especially popular with American tourists, the fish sandwich. It is a very generous grilled fish sandwich with a creamy tartar sauce, salad, homemade coleslaw and fries. This final treat was very much appreciated too.
We had a delicious meal at Breeze’n Bites in a nice atmosphere with a beautiful view. Feel free to take the dirt road at the roundabout at Hato for a successful lunch and for a very reasonable price. We most certainly will come back again!
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