The Best Thing I Ever Ate...

Sometimes fate steps in - also known as a cold front across Florida during the Winter of '09 - and something that might have never happened, does. My family was scheduled to go to our "mythical" house in Florida just after Christmas in 2009. I say mythical because we have allegedly owned this home for a few years now but I have yet to see it. I'm convinced it doesn't exist, but whatever my parents and I can agree to disagree. Anyway, we were scheduled to go to our house when my father heard that a cold front was coming into Florida, and the weather would be pretty much awful the whole time we were there. So, in true Rutherford fashion, 3 days before we were set to depart, my dad informed us that we were instead going to St. Maarten. We were all pretty excited since obviously a tropical island was much more enticing than Florida, so we packed and headed off to our tropical paradise. 

In briefly researching St. Maarten I read that some consider it the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean, and after visiting I'm inclined to agree. I can honestly say, with the exception of one night when we decided to eat at the mall, every single meal there was amazing. Now it could be because I ordered the same meal three times on our seven day trip, but honestly, every single piece of food I put in my mouth was delicious. But I'm getting ahead of myself....

Once we arrived we headed off to our hotel, The Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino. This was a great resort right on the water, on the dutch side of St. Maarten. 

View from our hotel

As we headed to dinner I thought to myself, what I perfect night this is going to be. Unfortunately later on the night took a turn for the worse after Kayla had her 17th Long Island Ice Tea and her and Joan had one of their charming mother daughter moments, but other than that it actually was amazing. Actually, let me get some of the quick highlights of the trip out of the way. 

Enjoying the fireworks on New Years!

One was my brother being offered shots at dinner - he was about 13 - my parents quickly told the waiter that he wasn't of age, in which the waiter replied - "we don't mind!" - however my parents replied "we do?" And also laying out on Orient Beach watching my dad cool off in the water and come across a woman wearing white bathing suit bottoms and heart shaped white pasties. We observed my father speaking with the woman for a minute, and when he returned my mother immediately asked him what he could have possibly been talking to her about - his response?  "Well I was simply asking her how she keeps those things on in the water." - fair enough.

My parents at Le Moulin Fou

So for our first epic dinner we went to a sushi restaurant across from our hotel, Thai Fou/Le Moulin Fou, which is actually two restaurants in one. The sushi was the freshest I have ever had. I cannot specifically tell you what rolls we ordered, but every one was better than the next. So needless to say, we ventured back here the next night - but we decided to try the other side - and here is where I was united with the best thing I ever ate. In fact, I will be so bold to say that if I were on death row, and awarded my last meal, I would request that this be flown in. And, ready for the kicker - there's no pasta involved. I know - shocking! 

Inside of Le Moulin Fou
image from their website

Outside of Le Moulin Fou

So the first time at this place - by the way, I say first time because I"m pretty sure we went back a total of four times. When my family finds something we like, our motto is "if it's not broke don't fix it." For instance, I've learned to never say I "love" a specific shirt or pair or jeans in front of my grandmother because the next day I will own that shirt in every single color made. It's just how we roll. This was pretty much the theme of the trip because on the second day there when we discovered Orient Beach, we never went to another beach after that.

So, the first night I ordered the grilled salmon (it was delicious), but my mother ordered the duck breast. I tried a piece of hers and it was all over - I was in love. I proceeded to order this duck breast the next two nights, and then a variation of it as well for New Years Eve dinner. It was a juicy breast of duck, pre-sliced, and elegantly laid on the dish accompanied by a caramelized orange sauce. Heavenly. The rest of the trip was equally as amazing as well, but I really would have been content leaving right after this dinner - my trip was complete after that meal. But in all seriousness, the whole trip was perfect.

We sat on Orient Beach every day right in front of this little sushi hut and had drinks and sushi delivered to us all day long. We sipped our Mai Tais surrounded by topless women (my little brother didn't mind one bit) and every single day there was better than the previous. Not only would I recommend traveling to St. Maarten because of it's beauty - but I would definitely recommend traveling for it's amazing cuisine as well. As far as I'm concerned, it is the culinary capital.