Above: Sarjai’s in Anguilla (All photos by CJ)
By Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon
CJ Travel Editor
ANGUILLA — With more than 100 restaurants spread over its 35 square miles, Anguilla is a bonafide Caribbean dining destination. And now, just in time for high season, yet another eatery has popped up to tempt foodies’ tastebuds.
Today chef Darren Connor will throw open the doors to Sarjai’s. Named for his daughter, the Meads Bay restaurant – walking distance from the newly re-opened Malliouhana on the site previously occupied by Lucy’s – will offer a menu of local and Caribbean dishes punctuated with other international flavors.
Expect to see regional staples such as stewed goat; the lobster-like Anguillian crayfish; and jerk chicken alongside tuna tartare, chicken quesadillas and seafood fettucine.
Above: Chef Darren Connor
“I’ve been wanting to open my own place for a long time now,” says Connor, who is a member of the national culinary team and walked away with two gold medals at the Taste of the Caribbean competition this summer. “A lot of thought went into every dish and I think each one is something special. But make sure you try the steak au poivre with curried fries; that’s really good.”
Also good: The prices, which, on an island well-known for being one of the Caribbean’s most expensive, are comparable to those you’d pay Stateside. Appetizers range between $7 and $15, and even the grilled crayfish – the priciest entrée on the menu – is a very reasonable $37.
Sarjai is open Tuesday through Sunday, serving lunch from noon to 2pm and dinner from 6pm to 9pm. 264-497-6755