MARTINIQUE: Restaurants / Dining / Nightlife

RESTAURANTS
Dining in the French Caribbean is always a memorable event. An exciting variety of restaurants take advantage of gorgeous settings to complement their culinary delights. Cooking in France is an art form Martinique continues this delicious tradition. Visitors discover a wide range, from classical and nouvelle French cuisine to spicy Créole and local specialties. Le déjeuner, or lunch, is often the main meal of the day and usually served from 12:00 noon to 14:00.

Although not necessary at lunch, it's generally a good idea to call ahead in Martinique for dinner reservations. The pace of service in many Caribbean restaurants may surprise first-time visitors. It is wise to remember that standards are different in the West Indies. If you demand fast food and brisk service, perhaps the Caribbean is not for you. However, if you can downshift and relax into a tropical mode, your patience will be richly rewarded. Experienced travelers always arrive at restaurants before they are really hungry and allow extra time for their meals to be prepared and served.

A 15% fee is often included in Martinique restaurant bills (service compris) and additional tips are optional. Budget-conscious travelers with kitchenette facilities have learned to avoid the costs of dining out by preparing many of their own meals. Be sure to get a copy of the Ti Gourmet for each island you visit. It is available in hotels, tour offices and restaurants free of charge. This handy little guide offers invaluable, detailed information on local restaurants in English and French.

CUISINE
Martinique's cuisine reflects its many cultures. The local Créole specialties combine the finesse of French cuisine with the spice of African cookery and the exoticism of East Indian and Southeast Asian recipes. Fresh seafood appears on most menus. Other specialties include shellfish, smoked fish, stuffed land crabs, stewed conch, and curry dishes. Some are in hotels, some in lovely settings by the sea and some on the front porches of the cooks' homes. Local rum drinks often precede a meal and imported French wines often accompany it. Prices for a three-course meal for one person, without wine, range from inexpensive to moderate to expensive.

Special Bonus: A Guide to Créole Cooking Terms

NIGHTLIFE
There are about a dozen good little night spots in Fort-de-France that fill the night with pulsating Zouk rhythms or soft jazz. In the larger Martinique hotels, there are piano bars and late night discos, especially in the Pointe-du-Bout resort area. Some hotels around the island feature dinner dances and shows, including performances by Les Grands Ballets de la Martinique and Les Balisiers, professional troupes of talented young dancers, singers and musicians. The legal drinking age on the island is 18.

Martinique has two gambling casinos, one in Pointe-du-Bout and the other in Schœlcher, near Fort-de-France (both open nightly from 21:00 to 3:00 the next morning). They offer American or French roulette and blackjack. Proof of identity (e.g., valid passport or driver's license with photo) is required. Both casinos charge an entrance fee. Dress is casual; no tie or jacket is required. There are slot machines in salons, outside the gaming rooms (no entry fee). The legal gambling age is 18.

For related Martinique contact information, please visit Caribbean-Direct.com.

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