With Lionfish Tacos on the menu and “White Tip Shark” draft beer on tap, new restaurant is Eco-friendly
“It’s the social heart of the Compass Point Dive Resort and Ocean Frontiers with a killer view of the lagoon,” says Steve Broadbelt of the newly opened Eagle Ray’s Dive Bar & Grill on Grand Cayman’s East End, which served its first guests on July 26, 2013. Located dockside up on the main pool deck steps away from the shoreline with a panoramic view of the Caribbean Sea, the open-air restaurant accommodates up to 49 people in a colorful, laid-back island atmosphere that features a thatched roof, yellow picnic tables and a modern and spacious kitchen. Broadbelt, co-founder and partner of Compass Point, says the name came naturally. “Dozens of spotted eagle rays live in the lagoon and we see them often in the shallow water in front of the resort.”
Chef Ron Hargrave, owner of nearby Tukka Restaurant, has partnered with Broadbelt to provide food at the restaurant, so expect an enticing menu. Items include Caribbean favorites like Conch Fritters and Jerk Chicken, plus fresh seafood entrees like Caribbean Pepper-Encrusted Yellow Fin Tuna and Coconut Shrimp. Guests can also enjoy culinary treats such as Sushi, Lobster Rolls and Plank Pizza. The menu also includes assorted pastas and curries, plus a Caribbean Vegetarian dish. Casual lunch fare includes hamburgers, sandwiches and salads, and because Eagle Ray’s serves up something for everyone it also offers a kid’s meals.
Steve Broadbelt’s favorite menu item is Lionfish Tacos − not only because the fish is tasty − but because eating them helps rid the reefs of the invasive species. A two-time recipient of the Project Aware Environmental Achievement Award and a PADI Green Star Certified Dive Center, Ocean Frontiers remains an active foe of the invaders, operating regular lionfish culling dives. Now they are upping their game by offering lionfish on the menu at the resort. Keeping Eagle Ray’s eco-friendly, the bar is serving “White Tip Shark” lager by Cayman Islands Brewery on tap so there is no waste with cans or bottles.
“Our guests have been asking for this and we listened − so here it is,” says Broadbelt who added that work on the restaurant began as soon as Phase II of the resort was completed. “We opened almost as soon as deliveries were made and finishing touches completed.”
Eagle Ray’s Dive Bar & Grill has been three years in the making, and Broadbelt says it is in direct response to guest requests. Although each unit at Compass Point includes a kitchen, guests often commented that having a place to enjoy drinks and a meal at the resort instead of cooking would make their dive vacation even better. Although the island’s remote East End offers superb diving and a relaxed atmosphere, restaurants and bars are limited. Now guests of Compass Point and Ocean Frontiers can end a fantastic day of diving at Eagle Ray’s.
“Perched up there with a snack or a cold drink guests can enjoy the view, watch the activity on the Ocean Frontiers dock as the dive boats come and go,” said Broadbelt, who adds that locals are discovering Eagle Ray’s too.
Eagle Ray’s Dive Bar & Grill is located at Compass Point Dive Resort, 344 Austin Connolly Drive, East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. It is open from 11:30 am until 9:30 pm, seven days a week. For more call 1-345-640-8888 (ate-ate-ate-ate). Check out our menu at Eagle Ray’s Dive Bar & Grill.
About Ocean Frontiers and Compass Point Dive Resort
Ocean Frontiers Dive Shop is located at Compass Point Dive Resort on the remote East End of Grand Cayman. Founded in 1996 with one dive boat and a dream to introduce divers to the wonders of East End diving, the company has grown into one of Cayman’s premier dive operations with a reputation for catering to small groups and having the island’s friendliest staff. Ocean Frontiers is also recognized as one of the most conservation-minded dive operators in the Cayman Islands with a long history of promoting ocean protection through its company programs, and an unwavering support for outside environmental projects. The winner of Project AWARE’s Environmental Achievement Award in 2004 and 2010, Ocean Frontiers has again been recognized in 2012. The company also received the PADI Green Star Dive Center accreditation in 2012 for demonstrating a dedication to conservation, the first dive operator in the Cayman Islands to receive this distinction.
The Compass Point Dive Resort, which received the Green Globe Certification award in 2010 for sustainable tourism, is the epitome of laid back luxury. It features 28 luxurious one, two and three bedroom oceanfront, oceanview and poolside condominiums, each with its own private patio or balcony and all beautifully decorated with stylish island décor, and fully equipped with all of the comforts of home.
For more information:
Call Toll Free: 1 800-348-6096, Grand Cayman call (345) 640 7500
E-mail: info@oceanfrontiers.com, Website:www.oceanfrontiers.com.
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