This is no secret; something worth shouting about has arrived at Secret Harbour in the form of not one but two partner restaurants. Sunset Grille and Cruzan Beach Club may share the same owners, managers and waterfront location but they are two very different establishments offering different dining experiences.

If you haven’t visited Secret Harbour resort since Blue Moon Café closed, you are in for a pleasant surprise. Immediately obvious is the amount of time and money spent on revamping the restaurant area. The quality mirrors that of sister restaurants Pesce, The Cellar, and Café Amici.  So you can trust that you are going to enjoy every sip and every bite.

When you enter the casual Cruzan Beach Club, at night it looks almost like an oasis! Tables with umbrellas stretch across the patio area and an open-air tiki-feel bar also offers seats for dining. With dim lighting and the sound of the waves crashing on the shore, the atmosphere is matchless. It’s also worth mentioning that on Tuesdays and Fridays from 5-7pm there is live steel pan music which only adds to the mellow mood It’s a wonderful setting for a sunset meal.

In essence, the menu is American bar food with creative

Caribbean spin; there is something different and

appealing about it. American classics are featured

in restaurants worldwide, some may taste the same

one restaurant to the next. But Cruzan Beach

Club’s versions really do offer some variety.

Experimenting happily, we chose the Ahi Tuna “Nachos,”

for which they use wonton chips rather than corn, and top

them with ahi, mango salsa, seaweed salad, pickled ginger

and an incredible wasabi sour cream. Not having seen anything like it before, I was pleasantly surprised! The rainbow of flavors fused together perfectly and the portion was a sizable one. We probably didn’t need the bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers stuffed with roasted garlic cheddar cream cheese as well but I’m glad we got them! Definitely a must for all popper lovers!

For main course we enjoyed a Blackened Wahoo salad with Jicama, Tomatoes, Papaya, Cucumber, Mango Vinaigrette rather large, (we had to box half to go!) and satisfying chicken pesto wrap, which came with some seriously addictive garlic fries. Everything was really well priced and the service was fantastic. Jess took great care of us even though she was looking after her other tables at the same time; she was friendly, chatty and very informative when it came to the menu. 

It’s great that Cruzan Beach Club is open through the day. The food is perfect for beach-day lunchtime snacks. Not to mention the great happy hour specials! What I am yet to try is the breakfast menu, but even reading it makes my mouth water, so I will not be waiting too long to visit!

Now, we come to Sunset Grille, where things are very different. It is an approachable American Grille with a menu focusing on diverse and creative American classics highlighted with the same creative spin as Cruzan Beach Club. Without a doubt it was one of the best dining experiences I have had on St. Thomas so far. 

The décor is beautiful. It’s very beachy but upscale. It’s open-air and feels clean, fresh and crisp. Of course, the ocean view is the icing on the cake!

When you reach your seats and take in the view and atmosphere, you are presented with the extensive wine list and then the food menu. When your drinks are in hand, a basket of home baked specialty bread is brought to the table coupled with infused oil and balsamic vinegar. The bread is a nice touch, especially if you are indulging in a glass of wine or perhaps a dirty martini to start things right. Trying to make a decision from a menu where everything sounds so good could prove time consuming!

While there were a number of fantastically tempting specials that evening, sticking to the menu, we opted for the Braised Pork Belly appetizer, which arrives with mushrooms, frisee salad and a maple glaze. WOW! The pork was a melt in the mouth sensation and the mushrooms a perfect

accompaniment.

Quality over quantity is what you get, but it

really is worth it. Also notable,

The Grilled Lamb “Pops,” a triumph, came with

a unique goats cheese olive mashed potato,

which was crafted to perfection with a combined

flavor which wasn’t overpowered by any one

ingredient alone.

And then, there were a number of chocolate

desserts on the menu that evening; I was sold

at Chocolate Decadence. Place your

spoon in the middle of the chocolate volcano and

wait for the warm, dreamy chocolate lava to

ooze out. Even in all its wonderful indulgence,

the cake wasn’t too heavy. It was a light

chocolaty heaven, almost intoxicating!

On their website they make the claim

“We believe that great food starts at the local level

and will attempt to source locally as much of our

seafood items as possible. Like all of

our restaurants, the menu will be prepared from

scratch daily.” This is absolutely evident

in the mastered meals they produce.

So, as you can tell, the food was an absolute hit, but it is also important to mention that there was never an empty plate or glass on the table. Jamar was on top of everything, filling up water glasses at the perfect time, removing empty plates not too soon or too late and anticipating our every need for the duration. There were a number of servers working, each of them efficient and never standing around idly. Busy workers keeping things running smoothly and efficiently. It was impressive to witness.

The whole experience, atmosphere to food to service screamed excellence. It really did, and it’s not a place you have to pay through the nose for it either. The most expensive item on the menu is $45 for a Butter Poached Caribbean Lobster Tail with Pumpkin Truffle Risotto and Champagne Nage. I have no doubt that it is worth every cent!

Sunset Grille also gives you the option to dine right on the waterfront for a memorable and further exquisite experience. With white linen service surrounded by a ring of glimmering candle light and fresh island flowers on the white sand. The evening includes a Moet & Chandon Brut Champagne Toast, a seven course tasting menu for two and dedicated service. One for a special occasion!

So, they may be partners in crime, but each restaurant has is special qualities. I cannot fault either one. The quality extends across the board, but for a more casual and affordable option, chose Cruzan Beach Club. For an upscale experience, go for Sunset Grille. Either way, they both have their charm, they are both excellent and they both have me wanting to go back for more!