# St Barts Forums > St Barts Restaurants Wine & Food Forum >  >  Santa Fe

## amyb

It is so nice to have such a fine dining destination so close to our home in Lurin.

Enjoyed my Dover Sole and Frites, Phil the chicken Supreme. We shared a melt in your mouth tarte tatin with a Ball of vanilla ice cream and drizzled with salted caramel sauce.

Important NOTE re closing
David is planning to close June 27thT this time he can not say whether lunch or dinner will be the last meal served as the plan is to get the frig cleaned out that day!

----------


## le_reve

They do make a wonderful sole...  

Great, now I'm hungry and it's only 10:15!

----------


## amyb

Try not to drool on the keyboard.

----------


## GramChop

Sounds like the perfect evening in your neighborhood. Life is good in Lurin!

----------


## le_reve

> Try not to drool on the keyboard.



Too late!

----------


## GramChop

> Too late!

----------


## NancySC

Inquiring mind would like to know how Santa Fe get that name ?

----------


## JEK

> Inquiring mind would like to know how Santa Fe get that name ?



  I'm not sure how, but I do know that the owners of the property(David is a renter)  require that the name continue on without change. In the lease!

----------


## JEK

Oh and it is Santa F*é*!

----------


## GMP62

One of our favorite dishes there! Can’t wait to dine there again and already have our reservations made. Twelve more days but who’s counting!? WE ARE!!!
 :thumb up:

----------


## GramChop

> One of our favorite dishes there! Can’t wait to dine there again and already have our reservations made. Twelve more days but who’s counting!? WE ARE!!!



As our Southern Belle forum friend, Magnolias (not to be confused with Blooming Magnolia), started saying some years ago, you are “Tangl’n with anticipaaaayshun!” 

 :Big Grin:

----------


## GMP62

> As our Southern Belle forum friend, Magnolias (not to be confused with Blooming Magnolia), started saying some years ago, you are “Tangl’n with anticipaaaayshun!”



You know we are Tangl’n with anticipaaaayshun, Missy!!! It is a sorely needed trip, as it is for almost all of us at this point. We’re trying out a different villa in our favorite Lurin locale, so that’ll be exciting. The other place we dearly loved and stayed i many a trip has been long term leased so had to move on, but all good!!

----------


## Rocket

Santa Fe is my favorite place to dine on the island, a perfect combination of food, hospitality and view. Some of the other proprietors could take a quite a few pages from David's book.

----------


## Eve



----------


## cec1

Saw a longtime Dr in NY today.  He & his wife just returned from a “long weekend” on SBH.  Despite many visits to the island, they never had been — ‘til this trip — to Santa Fe.  For them, it was the highlight of their four night trip (even after multiple island standout restaurants, daily for lunch & dinner).  Kudos to David, Alix, & team!

----------


## amyb

Eve, that chicken supreme is Phil’s favorite meal at Santa Fe.

----------


## Eve

> Eve, that chicken supreme is Phil’s favorite meal at Santa Fe.



Jim’s too. Doesn’t even look at the menu.

----------


## Goodie

What dish is that in Eve’s photo?  Looks delicious.  I’ll be there next Thursday.  Can’t wait!

----------


## Cwater

Closing the 27th? Arriving the 24th 1st night is always Eddys.  2nd night we will be at Santa Fe!

----------


## amyb

I knew this would be important to your planning.

The dish is Supreme of Chicken

----------


## Goodie

Thanks Amy.  Winner, winner, chicken dinner!  Jim and Phil’s nod for their favorite is high praise…I think I must try it.

----------


## KevinS

> Inquiring mind would like to know how Santa Fe get that name ?



My fuzzy recollection is that the property owners chose the name based on a 50’s song or movie that they liked.  As JEK noted, the terms of the lease require the name to stay the same.  The closest thing to a name change that I’m aware of is when it was called Cap au Sud at Santa Fé for a few years, prior to Manu taking over.

----------


## csordas95

> My fuzzy recollection is that the property owners chose the name based on a 50s song or movie that they liked.  As JEK noted, the terms of the lease require the name to stay the same.  The closest thing to a name change that Im aware of is when it was called Cap au Sud at Santa Fé for a few years, prior to Manu taking over.



We were first there in 1986 when it was a bar owned by the family next door. The very pretty daughter served lunch;  hamburgers, hot dogs, steak and chicken only on the terrace. Very casual, came up from the beach and changed in the bathroom. She got married and moved to St Thomas. Watching the Super Bowl on the large screen TV drew big crowds. But basically I think it stayed that way until they leased it out. Could be somewhat mistaken but that is what I remember.

----------


## Hawke

> We were first there in 1986 when it was a bar owned by the family next door. The very pretty daughter served lunch;  hamburgers, hot dogs, steak and chicken only on the terrace. Very casual, came up from the beach and changed in the bathroom. She got married and moved to St Thomas. Watching the Super Bowl on the large screen TV drew big crowds. But basically I think it stayed that way until they leased it out. Could be somewhat mistaken but that is what I remember.



The first time we went to Sante Fe in the  1980's it was owned by the Latino family next door and served Mexican Food. First Super Bowl we watched there was Patriots Vs. Eagles.

----------


## Cwater

> We were first there in 1986 when it was a bar owned by the family next door. The very pretty daughter served lunch;  hamburgers, hot dogs, steak and chicken only on the terrace. Very casual, came up from the beach and changed in the bathroom. She got married and moved to St Thomas. Watching the Super Bowl on the large screen TV drew big crowds. But basically I think it stayed that way until they leased it out. Could be somewhat mistaken but that is what I remember.



I heard of Santa Fe back in the early 90’s when clients of ours traveled to St. Barth and enjoyed the best lunch hamburgers on the Island according to them

----------


## Cwater

Now we have a dilemmaI love the sole meunière.  What to do with regards to Chicken Supreme?  This is due to the fact that Cheryl rarely orders dinners in St. Barths just appetizers

----------


## amyb

Oh boy..a dilemma for sure. You are right…it is the best  Dover sole on the island.

----------


## KevinS

Not such a dilemma.  Don't limit your self to one dining event at Santa Fé.  There's lunch and dinner on the same day, lunch today and dinner tomorrow, etc.

----------


## shihadehs

We are heading back again Thursday also...
Will definitely try that chicken!!!

----------


## elgreaux

> The first time we went to Sante Fe in the  1980's it was owned by the Latino family next door and served Mexican Food. First Super Bowl we watched there was Patriots Vs. Eagles.



Latino family next door? are you sure about that. Rosemond's god-mother Josephine has lived next door forever, and still does.

----------


## JEK

I seem to remember the property has been in the Questel family for decades.

----------


## amyb

> I seem to remember the property has been in the Questel family for decades.



Querrard family is well settled up here now.

----------


## JEK

You have the right Q name!

Porter Hentry had the answer! Opened in 1966 by islander Claude Querrard.

----------


## JEK

Perhaps along with the name, being a genial host is in that contract  :cool:

----------


## cec1

As I understand the situation, not only can the name not be changed, but the brown ceiling also cannot be painted.

----------


## Hawke

Very sure.

----------


## elgreaux

> Very sure.



i think you remember incorrectly, Josephine has always lived in the house next door, she is not Latino, but we will ask her...

----------


## cassidain

> Josephine



Joséphine is a lovely old school name. 
I read that it’s faded popularity has seen a rebound in the last couple of decades.

----------


## JEK

> i think you remember incorrectly, Josephine has always lived in the house next door, she is not Latino, but we will ask her...



Also there is the fact that it seems the restaurant was opened in 1966 and has remained in the family through all these decades.

----------


## Cwater

> Not such a dilemma.  Don't limit your self to one dining event at Santa Fé.  There's lunch and dinner on the same day, lunch today and dinner tomorrow, etc.



I like the way you think.  Thanks

----------


## PeterLynn

Curious. Do any of the current chef's/personalities own any of the properties they are associated with?

----------


## KevinS

Very few restaurant owners or chefs own the property.  The dream of many owners and chefs is to “own the walls”.  There are a few exceptions, but not many.

----------


## amyb

Yes, the chef king, I believe Jean-Claude does and he has poured his heart and soul into L'Esprit.

----------


## cec1

> Curious. Do any of the current chef's/personalities own any of the properties they are associated with?



I can’t think of any “chef/personality” that owns the property where his / her restaurant is located.  A few situations come to mind where the restaurant proprietor is owner of the restaurant — e.g., Eddy at Eddy’s Restaurant, Annie at La Langouste, and Café Gloriette.  Maybe La Licorne, Au Regal, and Chez Rolande.

----------


## PeterLynn

> Annie at La Langouste, and Café Gloriette.... and Chez Rolande.



 Two places we frequent. Annie is Annie Ange, correct? What's the relationship to Café Gloriette (and La Gloriette)? Also, Mme Rolande. Does she own the property (thus the CHEZ)? If so, good for her. We've penciled in lunch in a few weeks and looking forward to some curried mahi-mahi.

----------


## elgreaux

> I can’t think of any “chef/personality” that owns the property where his / her restaurant is located.  A few situations come to mind where the restaurant proprietor is owner of the restaurant — e.g., Eddy at Eddy’s Restaurant, Annie at La Langouste, and Café Gloriette.  Maybe La Licorne, Au Regal, and Chez Rolande.



I'd double check on Chez Rolande, the others on your list highly likely...

----------


## cec1

> Two places we frequent. Annie is Annie Ange, correct? What's the relationship to Café Gloriette (and La Gloriette)? Also, Mme Rolande. Does she own the property (thus the CHEZ)? If so, good for her. We've penciled in lunch in a few weeks and looking forward to some curried mahi-mahi.



Yes . . . “Annie” of La Langouste is Annie Ange . . . and Restaurant La Gloriette (& Cocoloba) were owned / operated by Albert Balayn, who also owns Café Gloriette in Gustavia. One more that occurs to me — family owned, I believe, Chez Yvon.

Chez Rolande . . . as I said, “maybe” — uncertain about it.

----------


## cec1

> I'd double check on Chez Rolande, the others on your list highly likely...



I’m confident that you have better sources, Ellen, than I do for double-checking the issue.  I only know it as a “maybe.”

----------


## shihadehs

Just had the chicken supreme at Sante Fe....amazing...!!!

----------


## amyb

> Yes, the chef king, I believe Jean-Claude does and he has poured his heart and soul into L'Esprit.



I was wrong..Jean.-Claude rents the land for his excellent restaurant. Alas, he is not the land owner.

----------


## Eve

> What dish is that in Eves photo?  Looks delicious.  Ill be there next Thursday.  Cant wait!



hope you arrived safely!  Enjoy!

----------


## shihadehs

The photo is the chicken supreme which I happily dined on last night 
Highly recommend it, and the mashed potatoes are amazing!!!

----------

