Photo: Photo: Stephen Clarke
The Royal Palms is quite often seen as a tourist hotspot, but the restaurant and bar has a lot to offer locals as well.
The location right on a prime stretch of Seven Mile Beach is undeniably perfect, and the recent addition of a swim-up pool bar has made it even more attractive for those just looking to chill out. Nothing could be better than swimming up to the bar on a warm, sunny day and ordering something tall and frosty. The poolside DJ just takes things up to a whole new level.
The poolside white gazebos with the billowing white curtains must rate as one of the coolest spaces on Island – these can be booked for the day, for dinner, or for the post dinner party scene.
The menu offers a wide selection of items, from salads for those of with a healthy inclination, to hamburgers and pizzas for those with a healthy appetite.
One of the most popular items on the menu are the sliders – the perfect size for those feeling peckish, and available in a wide variety of options, including BBQ pork, Wagu beef, and Blue Crab.
After a fair bit of agonising, I decided on the California pizza, with chicken, smoked bacon, guacamole and cilantro sour cream. The chef told me this pizza is one of their best sellers, and not only for the colourful appearance. The pizza had just enough spiciness to lift the taste experience, while it was perfectly offset by the lettuce, tomato and sour cream.
Of course, it is terribly difficult to just spend lunch there and then head on back to the office, as the ocean and powdery white sands beckon. To be honest, if you want to make the fullest possible use of everything Royal Palms has to offer, you probably need to take the afternoon off and enjoy the complimentary beach loungers and umbrellas. The temptation to take a mental health day and just de-stress fully is very great indeed.
If you do find yourself spending most of the day there, the dinner menu in the upstairs restaurant has been updated as well. Even though many of the old favourites are still there, a couple of new options have been added, especially for those who are a bit more budget conscious. The menu ranges from sliders and pizza to Lemongrass curry risotto with Caribbean lobster, shrimp and scallops.
The gift shop is also well worth a visit, with a new Red Sail boutique as well as a Jacques Scott Duty Free store.
For more information, and even a webcam to see what’s going on, visit reefgrill.com, or call 945-6358 to make a reservation. You can also e-mail info@reefgrill.com