Restaurants
Dining in the French West Indies 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 and the French Caribbean continues this delicious tradition. Visitors discover a wide range, from classical and nouvelle French cuisine to spicy Créole and local specialities. Le déjeuner, or lunch, is often the main meal of the day and usually served from noon to 2 p.m. It's generally a good idea to call ahead for reservations for dinner.

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 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 in English and French on local restaurants. Bon appétit!

Cuisine
Les Saintes' cuisine mirrors its many cultures. The local Créole specialties combine the finesse of French cuisine, the spice of African cookery with the exoticism of East Indian and Southeast Asian recipes. Fresh seafood appears on most menus. Other specialties are: shellfish, smoked fish, stuffed land crabs, stewed conch, and curry dishes. Local rum drinks often precede a meal and imported French wines often accompany it.
No trip to Les Saintes would be complete without a taste of the island’s traditional treat, Tourment d’Amour (Torment of Love). These sweet, coconut custard tarts are readily available throughout the island, but most visible near the main boat dock. Local women with large baskets in hand tempt arriving and departing visitors with these delicious confections.

Nightlife
Even in this peaceful little archipelago, it’s possible to find a place to enjoy some nightlife during your visit

Seemingly everybody, both locals and visitors, heads to Coconuts, rue Benoit Cassin (tel. 590/99-53-02). This old-style lolo ("food kiosk" in the local dialect) is called Chez Cécile by locals; it's named for its owner, Cécile Samson. The club is near the place where the fishermen rest between trips, and some of them often hit the bar with their congas and bongos to drum up some music.

Links & Sources:

• Frommers
• Frenchcaribbean.com