Straw Hat: The Restaurant built on years of international experience
If you happen to be staying at the Frangipani Resort on Meads Bay, then chances are you have tried Straw Hat restaurant. A gorgeous addition to the high-class resort as it sits directly on the beach. Prior to that, for 12 years, Straw Hat fed patrons in Forest Bay, out of a homely little wooden building on planks, on the water. The owners decided they wanted to expand their restaurant and teamed with fellow restaurateur Bryan Malcarney and Marc Alvarez to create the ultimate Caribbean fantasy in cuisine.
Peter and Anne Parles became residents of Anguilla back in 1996. The team wanted to carve their own piece of Heaven and contribute to the beauty and experience of Anguilla and that same year they launched Straw Hat. Unfortunately in 1998 Hurricane Georges hit the Island hard, destroying the restaurant. The Parles remained resilient and decided to rebuild their beloved venture bigger and better. They moved the venue to Meads Bay, residing in the distinguished Frangipani resort, undergoing a classy makeover. They revamped their Caribbean menu adding an upscale touch and then began receiving critical acclaim, being named one of the top 50 restaurants in Anguilla. Not bad for a restaurant coming back from a disaster!
Some of the staff at Straw Hat are familiar faces. There are a few employees who have actually been there since the late ’90s. The restaurant is a blend of Straw Hat and Frangipani employees at your service, all working hard to provide the ultimate savoir-faire. The staff is always so accommodating, it’s impossible not to find their kindness contagious. With bright smiles to match their bright orange work shirts, they make ordering from the eclectic menu a breeze. The only problem you may encounter is deciding what to try from all the enticing options.
Straw Hat is both great for the food and the ambiance. Enjoy a fresh Asian salad while watching the waves ebb and flow over the island! Engage in thrilling conversations with bountiful fluffy clouds and shimmering blue skies above. Simply sit in silence and take it all in while you munch on the spicy fresh fish sandwich served with a spicy jerk aioli on a spicy baguette, a natural favorite for many patrons.
Straw Hat is well-known for a unique menu. The Parles have always wanted to expand the idea of what beachside cuisine consists of, never afraid to step outside the box for the sake of taste. The Lionfish was considered a plague to the waters in Anguilla. In 2014, Straw Hat was given the opportunity to be one of the first restaurants to serve Lionfish as a dish. Since it’s debut, the problematic predator is now a deep-sea delicacy, battered and fried to a golden crunchy perfection. It is definitely worth sampling.
The starters on the lunch menu are contemporary, complete with variations of Caesar salads and mixed Island greens and paired with a sweet lemon vinaigrette. It is not unlikely that you will want to spruce your greens up with Straw Hat’s eccentric take on seafood. Snapper, tuna, crayfish, and shrimp are excellent additions. Lunchtime is an exotic fare. From a grilled Angus burger, Beef Hot dogs, the Meads Bay Turkey Clubs, and Pastrami sandwiches, Straw Hat takes these lunchtime classics and puts an island spin on them!
Like Roy’s Bayside Grill, Straw Hat offers a pub-like classic, Fish and Chips. This is actually considered a huge favorite of patrons, past and present. People come from all over to indulge in the fresh local fish, dipped and fried with a panko and potato crust, giving it a golden complexion and an amazing crunch. However, one must remember to order “fries” with the meal as the “chips” are found in the batter for the fish as opposed to being a side dish.
Open steak sandwiches and portobello mushroom focaccia are a couple of the dishes also available. Prefer a light meal because you have snorkeling or swimming plans for the day? Straw Hat has a feature for that as well. Known as small plates, these dishes are basically like appetizers, entrees in smaller portions. The delectable tequila-lime ceviche of Red Snapper and flavorful shrimp crepes are magnificent palette pleasers. Rounding out the lunch menu are entrees that have a Caribbean spin on them, sure to make a fan of anyone who partakes. The succulent blackened lobster and shrimp tacos melt in your mouth, bursting with a sweet mango creme fraiche and a robust chipotle aioli. The pan-seared fillet of fresh Snapper is the perfect blend of sweet and salty with housemade pineapple salsa and sauteed vegetables. A Caribbean staple, Rice, and Peas is included with this dish.
Straw Hat offers a beachside menu that consists of items you would find on the regular lunch menu, available all day. Lunch is normally served from 11 am to 5 pm, however, there is a limited lunch menu served between 3 pm and 6 pm. Whatever you choose, it would be hard to find a dish that disappoints at Straw Hat.
Dinner brings a whole new ambiance for Straw Hat. As the sun goes down and the evening island air wafts about the beach, Straw Hat comes alive in mood and atmosphere. With soft lighting, the stage is set for anevening of fine dining. The menu truly reflects the feeling of a night in paradise. For the avid vegan or vegetarian, Straw Hat offers a delicious option in the Frangipani Plant bowl. Filled with ingredients like quinoa, shredded carrots, fried plantain, kale, and a host of other vegetables, the plant bowl is nutritious and quite filling. It’s also paired with an agave lime vinaigrette that brings a dance of culture to your tongue.
The zestful dinner menu boasts of bright dishes made with an upscale quality of meats and fresh local fish. The magic in spices is fearlessly apparent. The spicy curry goat, grilled chicken breast, and the honey rosemary pork chop are all examples of savory entrees that have a mix of classic ingredients fused with Caribbean herbs. Entrees are paired with variations of sides, like garlic or onion mashed potatoes, braised carrots, as well as peppers and onions.
For those with a high dollar palette, it is recommended that you try the 12oz Angus beef NY strip steak. Juicy and grilled, the steak is prepared toin perfection. It’s accompanied by a housemade steak sauce and your choice of garlic mashed potatoes or Straw Hat’s special cut fries as a side dish.
Dinner is served from 6 pm to 9 pm every day.
Straw Hat is enriched with novelty experience and a knack for innovation from the Owners and their partners to the veteran staff, which shows in every interaction and every plate. Whether relaxing and enjoying the classic rum punch and other cocktails on the beach or sitting in for an awe striking meal, you are guaranteed to enjoy the fun and romantic atmosphere that this restaurant offers.
Straw Hat Restaurant is open every day from 7:30 am to 9 pm.
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