A wonderful eatery in Grand Case

By Alexander Britell

SAINT MARTIN — It’s hard to find a bad meal on Grand Case Boulevard.

In fact, it’s just about impossible.

The question, then, is where to eat, whether at the waterfront Creole “lolos” or one of a number of high-level French Caribbean, haute-cuisine eateries.

That brings us to Ocean 82, a crisp, modern restaurant perched above the beach.

It’s got the kind of menu you’ve come to expect on this street: playful, creative dishes married with longstanding French classics.

The standout appetizer was fresh mozzarella wrapped in eggplant on a baked crust, joined by “eggplant caviar,” a kind of puree, and garlic-accented tomatoes.

It was followed by an excellent magret de canard.

It’s all accented by inspired plating, including the vertical insertion of parsley that adds a different kind of dimensionality to the food.

This isn’t just food — it is art.

And this is a must-visit restaurant in St Martin.

— CJ