Dining out is the most basic form of travel. Eat at an ethnic restaurant and you’re instantly transported to the original locale through the senses. The dining triangle sets the stage: the food & drinks, service, and the ambience. But it is our approach to the triangle that ultimately determines our experience. Approach dining with a sense of adventure and your epicurean journey will delight your soul, as well as your senses.
She arrived in a beautiful shimmery gold midi dress with a low-cut fitted bodice and a billowy A-line skirt. Her gold earrings and gold stiletto open-toe evening sandals coordinated perfectly with her dress. Obviously, she had dressed for dinner at a nice restaurant. However, it was only when she and her escort stepped up to be seated by the maître’d that she realized maybe she hadn’t dressed for this nice restaurant. Her face took on a momentary look of confusion as her dinner date explained the situation to her.
I silently applauded her willingness to embrace the unexpected as, without hesitation, she reached down and unstrapped her glimmering slippers one at a time, grasped them both in one hand and clutched and lifted her elegant skirt with both hands. She then stepped down, barefooted, onto the sand and still holding her shoes and dress, gracefully followed the host, down one tier and then another, all the way down to their table… in the water!
What is the name of and where is this intriguing eatery where even the most elegant patrons are willing to slip off their shoes and walk on the sand to be seated at their table, you ask? It is the Flying Fishbone, an award-winning restaurant located in the quaint fishing village of Savaneta on the southwestern coast of Aruba, about a 20-minute drive from Oranjestad. There, beachside dining is served on a deeper level. Literally, and by servers wading in the water…somehow serving fine food and drink with finesse and decorum without splashing it on the diners or their food.
There are several beachside dining options at Flying Fishbone.
Not all beachside dining seats at Flying Fishbone are in the water but the unique experience is so popular that most people request it when making their reservations. Other options are beachside closest to the water and beachside on upper levels. Immersion dining not your drink of water? No worries, just ask for a sandy seat further away from the sea. The hosts are most accommodating.
After settling on your seating options, hang your shoes on the stand beside your table, sit down, order a drink and relax. Prepare to watch a glorious Aruban sunset fade into a beautiful starry evening and enjoy a dining experience you’ll remember long after your vacation ends.
The sun sets in the distance behind a dock adjacent to the Flying Fishbone.
The Flying Fishbone is a 2017 Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence winner. The certificate “…recognizes businesses that earn consistently great user reviews.” It was also named #8 of 21 Best Beach Restaurants Around the World (2013). Imagine the ideal island al fresco dining experience that would evoke these accolades – there would be delicious fresh seafood, great Caribbean sunset views, relaxed beachside dining, good company, impeccable service – that’s Flying Fishbone epitomized.
The Flying Fishbone describes their cuisine as “a marriage between European cuisine and Caribbean flair” but Americans need not be wary. Looking over the menu, you’ll find many familiar ingredients and dishes similar to those served in quality restaurants in the states. Don’t be afraid to explore new ones though. You may discover a new favorite.
The restaurant specializes in fresh seafood and steaks but they also offer poultry, including duck, as well as lamb and vegetarian entrees. Their ample menu features numerous warm and cold appetizers, soups, desserts, and an extensive wine selection, plus beer and cocktails. Everyone should easily be able to find an entree, beverage, and dessert that appeals to their palate.
Red snapper fillet, mashed potatoes, and cubed mixed vegetables in a wine sauce with an add-on shrimp trio.
On this visit, we skipped appetizers and went straight for the catch of the day. The catch was a red snapper fillet prepared with a choice of curry or wine sauce, which is shown above. There was an optional add-on of 3 shrimp, which I added, as I love dishes that combine different seafood flavors. The moist fish was served with mixed vegetables and mashed potatoes. The white wine sauce was a perfect complement to the fish and shrimp and a delicious gravy for the potatoes. The veggies were chopped small and cooked tender.
Baked Alaska flambéed with a sparkler added to celebrate an anniversary.
This was a celebratory meal so we indulged in the Baked Alaska Flambé for dessert. It arrived topped with a lit sparkler spewing white lightning streaks into the cobalt blue night. The server gingerly set the special anniversary china plate down on the table. He lit the cake which had a small well of white Sambuca, an Italian anise-flavored, colorless liqueur, in the saucy circles garnished with starfish and blueberries that surrounded it. He slowly drizzled more sambuca over from the top and a small blue flame enveloped the cake and toasted and crystallized the artistically piped meringue. The dessert was a work of art and we paused to admire its beauty before slicing it. It was heavenly – light and not overly sweet or filling. It was a spectacular ending to a special occasion meal and an unforgettable dining adventure.
An intimate dinner on the upper beachside dining level away from the water’s edge.
Bring your sense of adventure to the table using the gilded lady as your muse and dive in, for you never know what delightful experiences and treasured memories may be served along with your feast.
The Flying Fishbone entrance leads patrons into an atrium, then past the host stand, the bar and onto the al fresco dining areas.
Good To Know Before You Go
Aruba is on Atlantic Standard Time, so sunset may occur at a different time than you are used to back home. Plan accordingly. For example, on this visit, the sun set at 8:18 p.m. in South Texas. On the same day, in Savaneta, Aruba, it set at 7:00 p.m.
Reservations are recommended, especially for tables closest to or in the water.
Dress for the occasion – Nice Casual is a good choice but wear shoes you’re not afraid to remove if you want to walk in the sand or sit in the water, and maybe omit socks.
There is a foot shower close to the restrooms for a wash and rinse with paper towels for drying before putting your shoes back on to walk to your car at the end of the evening.
Flying Fishbone, Savaneta 344, Aruba; Reservations Tel.: +297 584 2506; Email: mainofficefb@gmail.com; Daily Hours: 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm AST. Directions Menu Wine List
Coral Reef Apartments
Next door to the Flying Fishbone restaurant and listed on the same website are the Coral Reef Beach Apartments, beachfront rental accommodations described variously as “apartments” “guesthouse” and “rooms”. We did not view the apartments and are including the information only as a tip for island visitors interested in lodging at the more rural, less touristy, community of Savaneta. Notice that the website states that the rooms do not have hot running water.
Coral Reef Beach Apartments Availability, pricing and photos
Flying Fishbone II
The Flying Fishbone II, a charter sailboat, is also listed on the Flying Fishbone website. The 41-foot Jeanneau sailboat accommodates 12 and is offered as a 5-hour cruise with a crew, open bar, fresh fruit, and food for sailing, swimming, snorkeling, and fishing. Flying Fishbone II, Captain Alan, Tel.: +297 592 8252; flyingfishbonesailing@gmail.com
21 Best Beach Restaurants Around the World
Rivera, Erica. “21 Best Beach Restaurants Around the World.” The Daily Meal, Jim Spanfeller, Spanfeller Media Group, 9 July 2013, www.thedailymeal.com/21-best-beach-restaurants-around-world.
Read more about Aruba: Charlie’s Bar and Restaurant
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