Surprisingly Impressive!
From Kay Roberts, Dallas

Ordinarily I wouldn't order a steak in the Caribbean at all; I don't see any herds of prime beef there. But after hearing enthusiastic recommendations of a few other people I decided to give it one try. I was truly impressed. Everyone else was having the escargot so I ordered it also (expected to give it away) and found it was the best I'd ever had! The filet wasn't far behind - and I'm from Texas, where we know our beef!

You guys have a great thing going. The next time we visit Vieques (next year for sure) we'll start with the Steakhouse. By the way, we were also surprised at the range of not-too-expensive wines you serve. Sorry I can't comment on the dessert. I would have had to leave on a stretcher if I ate any more! Thanks. See you next year.

The Island SteakHouse
By I. M. Carnivorous

It was our last night on the island so we wanted to eat heartily, yet romantically. My wife booked a table for two at the cozy little alfresco restaurant, The Island Steakhouse, located at The Crows Nest Inn. We arrived early for a drink at the bar and let the atmosphere seep over us.

It's not hard to acclimate to a setting such as this treetop level dining room looking down at lush gardens and distant seascapes as the sun began to set. The convivial crowd had us laughing and the smell of the grill really put us in the mood for a couple of choice steaks.

Good thing because we were about to feast at the best steakhouse in Vieques. We looked at other items on the menu--the Lamb Chops, the Baby Back Ribs, the Vieques Lobster--but what we really craved after a week in the Caribbean were a couple of thick, juicy, tasty steaks and that is exactly what was on the menu.

But first we ordered a nice bottle of Spanish red wine nearly invisibly attended to by our wait person. My wife started with the Conch Fritters, which she claimed had to be made by a Puerto Rican grandmother they were so authentic. I enjoyed the grilled skewered shrimp dipped in a citrus chipolte sauce to add some surf to my forthcoming turf.

My choice of salad was the Island Wedge with housemade Chunky Bleu Cheese dressing and Bacon. My wife enjoyed the Ceaser.

Then our steaks arrived hot off the grill. Mine a generous cut of a Porterhouse with a Classic Bernaise. Cooked to perfection, (in my case medium rare) the Island Steakhouse's Puerto Real Porterhouse really fits the bill after an active day in the sun. My wife wanted a taste of the local fare so she ordered the House Special Churrasco, which is a lean flank steak marinated with a blend of spices and served with chimichurri sauce. That night we were both members of the "Clean Your Plate Club."

So completely satiated, we bypassed the Death by Chocolate for an after dinner drink at the bar. Barry White love songs serenaded us into some kind of retro bliss that we wished would never leave. The chef joined us at the bar and others shared their island stories. While I wish we had discovered this great place for a steak earlier in the week, it serves as a great lasting memory of our last meal on the Enchanted Isle.