By Alexander Britell
Is there a hotter foodie destination in the Caribbean right now than St Croix?
The largest of the United States Virgin Islands has become a hub of creative, high-level eateries in recent years, from recent standouts like Uptown Eatery to the venerable Savant.
And one of the chefs most responsible for St Croix’s culinary renaissance, Digby Stridiron, is at it again.
Stridiron, the St Croix native who opened the now-famous Balter, has debuted a new eatery on the island: Braata.
Braata, which styles itself as a “rum bar and West Indian kitchen,” opened its doors this week in the up-and-coming destination of Frederiksted, set in a courtyard between Strand Street and King Street.
Chef Digby Stridiron with the catch of the day.
The ever-changing menu focuses on Caribbean flavors, with recent dishes ranging from accra with chimichurri sauce to ginger jerk chicken and griot with shrimp palau, among others.
That’s alongside rum and Caribbean-inspired cocktails like “plum-infused rum” and libations featuring sorrel.
The decor is full of historic charm, along with keepsakes and artwork from Stridiron’s travels around the islands of the Caribbean.
But the most significant thing about the opening isn’t just the eatery itself — it’s where it is.
The addition of Braata is a jolt to Frederiksted, which has quietly been developing as a destination in its own right, thanks to beautiful coastline, funky cafes and a major new boutique hotel, The Fred, which officially opened this year.
That’s a change for St Croix, where the vast majority of the culinary momentum has been in Christiansted.
With Braata, things in Frederiksted are heating up.
For more, visit Braata.