Creative coastal cuisine is the hallmark of the new Beach House restaurant at the Westin resort on Seven Mile Beach, the latest venture headed by award-winning chef Michael Farrell.
“It’s very exciting,” says Farrell, who came to Cayman from his acclaimed Le Meritage restaurant in New Orleans, where he was executive chef. “We had our ‘soft opening’ about three weeks ago and the response has been excellent. We’ve had nothing but great comments. People are really liking the change,” he said of the refurbished restaurant, formerly Casa Havana.
His coastal cuisine takes advantage of the obvious local ingredients and enhances them with combinations of flavors, textures and colors.
The chef says, “We’ll purchase only the freshest ingredients from local Caymanian farmers and fishermen to incorporate coastal options such as oysters and caviar from the Gulf, and delicacies like spiny lobster from neighboring islands.
“We came up with a fun menu that incorporates [flavors] of the Gulf Coast,the Caribbean and a little of the Atlantic,” said the chef, who has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation, Zagat and Wine Spectator, among others. “I think we’ve done that. We also pair all of our dishes with wine, so diners can see what wine the chef thinks goes well with the food and can drink a lot of wine!”
Beach House offers small and large plates, the former being appetizers, soup, salad and unusual starters; the latter are entrees meant for one or to share, which Farrell encourages.
Dinner
Before the “official” opening, a companion and I enjoyed dinner at the Beach House in the early evening, taking advantage of the world-class beach view. The restaurant is close enough to the sea to provide a great view, yet far enough back on the shore that you avoid sea spray and sand.
We each started with a salad. My companion chose the local kale salad with prosciutto, plums, feta cheese and pine nuts, topped with a poached egg and just the right amount of sherry vin. The feta and prosciutto were a nice, sharp contrast to the kale, and the creamy poached egg added another layer of interest and texture. (Suggested wine pairing: 2012 Fiordaliso Pinot Grigio).
I chose the very refreshing crab and watermelon salad, accented with micro greens and sherry vinagrette, and beautifully presented – almost like a small island landscape. (Suggested wine pairing 2012 Sutter Home, White Zinfandel).
For an entree, my companion had Jamaican coffee crusted lamb sirloin with rosemary potato au gratin and lamb demi. This was tender lamb at its most flavorful, with just the right amount of crust.
I had one of the chef’s signature dishes – pan-seared sea bass with lump crab, apple smoked bacon and chive potato cake. The layered presentation was visually enticing, and the sea bass was done to perfection. I can see why Farrell mentioned this dish when I interviewed him later. He said it has been well received, along with his crab cakes, which (as aficionados know) contain no filler.
We tried the 2010 Silver Palm Cabernet, which, while paired with the lamb, was also excellent with the sea bass.
We also ordered dessert – of course! – and I must say, by all means try the chocolate pop-up cake with Grand Marnier anglaisem, a rich and chocolaty dish which is not too sweet.
As a final note, our server Baizad was excellent and extremely knowledgeable about every menu selection and wine – much-appreciated, especially at a new restaurant.
Resort renovation
The opening of Beach House represents the third and final phase of a resort-wide renovation.
“The launch of Beach House represents our continued commitment to position Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa as a dining destination in itself,” said Morty Valldejuli, the resort’s managing director and general manager.
“We are not only excited to welcome diners from the local community, but also hope guests will feel as if they have every gastronomic experience they need on location, so they’ll be less likely to travel beyond the resort.”
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