Mundo Bizarro

Saturday 27^th November

So, last night we went out to dinner, how wonderful after 2 weeks of non-stop work from dawn to midnight and beyond, it was such a treat.  Bob had arranged to meet Louie and Cecil at a bar in town at 7:30, but because it’s us, obviously we were late.  We didn’t even leave the boatyard until 7:40, but this is Curacao, so a few minutes shouldn’t matter, However while it doesn’t worry Bob, I absolutely hate to be late, and was ready to leave at 6:50, Bob always works until the very last second, squeezing every possible ounce of work out of the day, but because of all the stress we have both been under recently with all the work we’ve been doing I didn’t make a fuss, it wouldn’t have speeded up the leaving process anyway.

Cecil was waiting for us when we arrived. The bar was called “Mundo Bizarro” it was quirky and quaint, my best description of it would say Baroque meets the Adams Family.  I loved it, three huge doors opened onto the street, and another large side door leading to a small courtyard with tables and chairs.  The doorframes resembled large ornate old master picture frames. The floors were patterned tile, and the walls were painted in delicate faux terracotta shade, reminiscent of a makeshift repair of an old ruin.  A large wall painting of a black woman smoking a cigar was painted over the fireplace, and hung on the wall behind my sofa was a Rembrandt style old master painting.

The bar had groups of sofas and comfy chairs around coffee tables, sort of a Starbucks in Louisiana meets grand old English country house. 

Chandeliers hung from the ceilings, and amusingly a stuffed parrot in a cage.  Wall sconce lights provided a lovely saffron glow, and tiffany style jar lamps adorned all the tables.  Huge gates of wrought iron separated the bar from the lounge area, creating the feel of being in a garden.  The paintwork throughout was cleverly done to look old and peeling.  The high ceiling was incredibly beautiful made of wood.  The interior designer who put this place together obviously had a great sense of humor, and a lot of talent.

We went upstairs to their restaurant to eat.  I wished I had taken my camera, because the restaurant was another mix of styles similar to the bar, but much more elegant and ornate. 

The food was absolutely spectacular, and I don’t say that lightly, I am rarely impressed when I eat out, but this was truly fine dining quality. I ordered a risotto which was a risk because I rarely find anyone can make it properly, but I was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be every bit as good as the wonderful risotto I had in Tuscany in September. 

Bob had lamb, and Louie and Cecil had filet mignon, all of which was superbly plated and apparently delicious.  Bob and Cecil had a trio of crème brulee for desert, which they both said was truly delicious.

This restaurant has a very accomplished chef, and anyone reading this who is likely to visit Curacao should definitely not miss a chance to eat in this fabulous restaurant.