Many restaurants offer both international and Bajan cuisine at a variety of prices.
Things to know: Numerous bars emulate the British pub and serve genuine British bitter and stout. Night-time street vendors selling local favorites provide a cheap, non-committal introduction to traditional Bajan dishes.
National specialties:
•
Cutters (large flying fish sandwiches, often served with
coucou (seasoned cornmeal topped with spiced tomatoes, onion and peppers)).
•
Conkies (cornmeal blended with coconut, pumpkin, raisins, sweet potato
and spices steamed in a banana leaf).
•
Rice'n'peas (made from a local bean and usually flavored with coconut).
•
Sea eggs (devilled sea urchin roe).
• Other specialties include crane chubb, grilled pigtail, conch fritters, plantains and breadfruit.
National drinks: • All types of rum-based cocktails, rum punch, planters punch and pina coladas.
• Famous rums include
Cockspur’s Five Star and
Mount Gay, the oldest rum blend on the island.
• The local beer is
Banks.
•
Falernum (rum, sugar, lime and almond essence).
•
Mauby (non-alcoholic, made from the boiled, strained and sweetened bark of a local tree), tastes like an extremely potent sarsaparilla.
Legal drinking age: 18.
Tipping: In restaurants or nightclubs, tips are usually 10 to 15%. Porters’ tips are at the customer’s discretion.
NightlifeNightclubs, discos and bars provide live entertainment including limbo dancing, fire-eaters, steel bands and dance bands. Most bands play calypso and reggae, but a few play excellent R'n'B. There is a small cover charge. As in all Caribbean countries, swinging nightspots tend to come and go with seasons. Coastal boat trips with live entertainment are very popular; most sail twice daily and run buffets, bars and live music. Calypso and reggae will always be in the air, ready to inject the night air with that lively West Indian ambience. Dinner shows are always well attended. The
Harbour Lights Extravaganza Dinner Show offers a truly tropical evening of dancing, fire-eating and stiltmen with a barbeque serving food and free drinks until 0300 (website:
www.harborlightsbarbados.com/beach_extravaganza.htm). The
Bajan Roots & Rhythms at the Plantation Theater (website:
http://theplantation.bb) is highly interactive with a family-friendly party atmosphere. Dinner is served to the sounds of the steel pan, and followed by a spectacular show with limbo and dancing.
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