Tobago

Eating out in Tobago

It's hard to over-emphasize the importance of food in Trinidadian culture. Most leisure activities revolve around the preparation of food and it's rare to visit a private home without being offered something to eat. The cuisine is an addictive blend of the many distinct ethnicities that have influenced it, like African, Indian, Chinese, European, and Latin American. The current trend is toward authentic cuisine from Italy, India, Thailand and the Middle East prepared by expatriate chefs and served in elegant, stylish surroundings. The curries are probably the best to be found outside of India. Traditional chefs prefer a distinctive creole cuisine using fresh local ingredients and drawing on established recipes, spices and flavors, presented with contemporary style. Local dishes include pelau (rice and peas cooked with meat and flavored with coconut and pepper) and buljol (shredded saltfish with onions and tomatoes, avocado, pepper and olive oil). Tobago has its own distinctive cuisine too. Its most famous traditional dish is curried crab and dumplings, which you can find in a few restaurants and at informal outlets like the food stalls at Store Bay. Conch stewed in coconut, Tobago style, is a specialty.

Tobago.

Gourmet

Tamara's stone and timber gazebo overlooking the sea is open on all sides so the trade winds can blow across diners amid the delicate pink and white decor. Its cuisine is an upscale version of traditional West Indian traditions jazzed up with many international touches, like the pan-fried scallops with wilted greens and wasabi sauce. The fine food is complemented by equally fine island music, played on string instruments by local musicians. Coconut Beach.

Local Flair

The Cocoa House's tried-and-true recipes get the all-important nod of approval from island matriarchs, who favor the pork and dumplings dish that recalls the childhood of so many islanders. Named after the old-fashioned cocoa pod drying rooms whose retractable roofs allowed the sun to directly dry the raw product, its purpose now is to let the sun, moon and stars shine on diners. Richly flavored favorites include jerk shrimp, chicken, pork, and beef, as well as duck with orange or pineappce sauces. Golden Lane.

Trinidad.

Highly Recommended

Solimar's various plant-filled dining rooms are filled with ex-pats and visitors who don't miss a chance to travel the world in a single meal via the superb international menu. On any given evening you can opt for the likes of Irish smoked salmon, Hawaiian barbecued mahi mahi, Greek salad, or even German Zwiebelschnitzel. An interior waterfall cascades into a series of fish ponds, enhancing the relaxed, tropical atmosphere. 6 Nook Avenue.

Romantic

La Boucan is the finest hotel restaurant in Trinidad, as famous for its lavish buffets as for its authenticity. Culturally astute, the owner chose the name from the smoking process once used by buccaneers to preserve meat for their long voyages, and commissioned one of the Caribbean's most famous artists and dancers to paint a graceful mural depicting social idyll in Queen's Park Savannah across its longest wall. Favorite dishes are the fresh local fish catches grilled, poached, or pan-fried to your preference, and the sumptuous desserts, the best of which is the chocolate crème brûllée. A piano player entertains weeknights and a dance band plays on weekends. Lady Young Road.

Going party in Tobago

Trinidadians know how to enjoy themselves and seem to have an inexhaustible energy. There's nearly always a festival or a show of some sort to check out. Lively dance and theater, from musical farce to poignant drama, art exhibits, and live concerts most weekends, whether it's jazz, calypso, reggae, or opera are always being staged in various settings like the Queen's Hall or under palms by the sea. Nightclubs, discos, and beach bars are always buzzing with a party, and gaming is your thing, there are several casinos where you can try your luck. All you have to do is pick the style that suits you and join in the revelry!.

Both Trinidad and Tobago.

Carnival

Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival is reputed to be the oldest in the Western Hemisphere and the country celebrates with panache. Festivities are everywhere, but the most outlandish are in Port of Spain on Trinidad. The mood, while being extremely ebullient, is one more akin to a warm family reunion than the "party animal" attitude of its counterparts in New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro. The season begins after Christmas and the fêtes carry on until Ash Wednesday in April.

Casinos

Gaming is always a fun way to spend an evening, as you try your charm on Lady Luck in card games and slot machines. Drinks, food, and entertainment round out the activities at various casinos that differ in style but match up in quality. Casanovas in Tunapuna, the Golden Tulip and Mau Pau in Port of Spain, and Crystal Palace in Scarborough are some of your many choices.

Tobago.

Bonkers

This popular bar fills up with a young energetic crowd that gets into the dancing groove with music ranging from jazz to reggae to soca. There's a castaway theme and the DJ might just make you walk the plank into a pool. There are also game nights geared toward quieter types, when chess and domino players take over the floor.

Sunday School

It has nothing to do with religion, but the attendant's fervour matches that of any Gospel Revival. This massive beach party brings in what seems like the whole island, completely taking over Buccoo Village as the highlight of the week's nightlife with bands playing pan, reggae, calypso, soca and more working everyone into a dancing frenzy on several dance floors.

Trinidad.

Pelican

Singles make up the majority of the crowd at this English-style pub. Weeknights are calm and congenial but as the weekend approaches, things heat up with people looking for love or just a good time.

Mas Camp Pub

A bar and a large stage where a DJ or a band keep the music pumping, there's an outdoor deck for partying under the stars. A creole menu offers hearty and well-priced meals.

St James Street

This road is lined with pubs and bars that make an evening of happy-hour hopping lots of fun. You can hang out in a different ambiance through every door and dance or just listen to varying musical styles, all by just walking around and checking out as many places as you see.

Just Friends

This Bretton Hall club is a popular hangout that dishes out stand-up comedy, karaoke, and jazz.

Common events in Tobago

Both Trinidad and Tobago.

Carnival

This is the biggest party in the Caribbean and many Trinidadians prepare for it with diligent devotion. Starting on New Year's Day, the celebrations swing into full gear and never let up until closing day on, culminating on Carnival Monday, two days before Ash Wednesday. It all kicks off with a pre-dawn procession into the heart of the city as tens of thousands of revelers from around the world are invited to become part of the swell, and by nightfall everyone is dancing, drinking, and carousing in the streets. On Carnival Tuesday, there are competitions for Band of the Year. Most of the larger events take place at the Queen's Park Savannah in the center of Port of Spain. January - March.

Panorama

A week before Carnival, this Grand Steel Drum (pan) tournament draws all the big steel bands to parade their skills around the Savannah in Port of Spain. The preliminaries and local finals in Tobago are a great time, as are the practices in the pan yards before the big event. January.

Divali

Known as the Festival of Lights, this Hindu celebration is the climax of a long spiritual ritual. Small lamps illuminate the evening events involving music, dance, and more. October.

Tobago.

Big Goat Race

This quintessentially local event takes place in Buccoo village on the Monday and Tuesday after Easter. April.

Angostura/Yachting World Regatta

A great time over four days of intense racing, mostly between Crown Point and Grafton, with "lay day" entertainment in between. There are also traditional Tobagan "bum boat" races. May.

Tobago's Heritage Festival

Traditional festivities celebrating native culture and history through cooking, music, dance and more last for two weeks in mid-summer. July.

Trinidad.

Pan Jazz Festival

Pan drummers and jazz musicians come together for 3 days of concerts in Trinidad. November.