Grand Cayman’s worst kept secret is officially out of the bag.
Reid Dennis, centre, has signed a two-year lease with the Tourism Attraction Board to operate the café at Pedro St. James. Pictured with him are manager Alberto Estevanovich and Chef Vian Williams. Reids at Pedro will run as a family style restaurant in a smoke-free environment. |
‘Durty’ Reid Dennis has signed a two-year lease with the Tourism Attraction Board to operate the café at the historic Pedro St. James and is now open for business.
The new restaurant is being called Reid’s at Pedro and will run as a family style restaurant in a smoke-free environment, Mr. Dennis said Tuesday.
‘This new partnership is intended to complement our mission at Pedro as a cultural and historic site,’ said Gilbert Connolly, CEO of the Tourism Attraction Board, which oversees Pedro St. James and other Cayman attractions.
The restaurant opened with little fanfare Wednesday, but Mr. Dennis expects business to pick up over the weekend, with live coverage of sporting events, including American football, Champions League Soccer and the Rugby World Cup.
Although the same eclectic mix of sporting memorabilia has moved to the new venue, patrons will notice a discernibly different view, particularly from the ocean-front terrace.
‘Our view at the old Durty Reid’s was a dumpster out the back and a petrol station with cars going by at the front,’ joked Mr. Dennis.
‘This place has an absolutely astounding view – it’s twice as good as where I was,’ he said, before adding that he missed the old bar.
‘After 18 and a half years, you do have a lot of memories.
‘I would be lying if I said it didn’t bother me driving past there (the now demolished Red Bay Plaza site where Durty Reid’s Palace was located).’
Located only eight minutes drive from the former site, the new restaurant will retain the menu that Reid’s made famous, including the revered chicken wings (the recipe remains a closely guarded secret). ‘I’m not bragging but it’s the best formula on the island,’ said Mr. Dennis.
The move to Pedro St. James comes after the Government in August demolished Red Bay Plaza to make way for the new East-West Arterial corridor.
Plans for Durty’s to take over Davey Jones Locker at Grand Harbor then fell through, leaving Mr. Dennis and his staff without an income for the last six-weeks.
Mr. Dennis feels lucky all of his staff stayed on-board while he found a new venue.
Long-time friend and Manager Alberto Estevanovich said he is thrilled to be going back to work. ‘You better believe it, I am. We miss the old place but this one here; we are going to make it just as good as the other one.’
Although he plans to be around most of the time, Mr. Dennis will leave much of the day-to-day management to Mr. Estevanovich and son, Wes Dennis.
A Tourism Attraction Board press release Tuesday said Reid’s at Pedro promises a one-of-a-kind experience for Cayman.
‘In a sense, Reid’s is actually going home because the concept for the original restaurant came from the movie The Cayman Triangle, which was filmed at Pedro St. James and in which Reid ‘Walker’ Dennis appeared,’ it added.
An official opening celebration is planned for Saturday, 13 October, featuring live music and Reid’s renowned BBQ.
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