Captain Brian (left) and first mate Doug looking hungry and thirsty.
Top of the Baths Restaurant & Lounge
Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
http://www.topofthebaths.com/
The sweet painkiller went down like a tiny pill and I wanted more, my thirst and hunger almost unquenchable from a hot and sweaty morning filled with sailing six-foot carribean swells, and then hiking up to this gorgeous restaurant for our crew’s first cheeseburger in paradise. My mouth was perma-salted from our morning workout and the painkillers, one by one, not only balanced my palate, but shifted the island buzz into defcon 2. Happy dappy.
The Top of the Baths Restaurant & Lounge offers guests a most spectacular view, one overlooking a beach on Virgin Gorda Island known as The Baths; a stunning beach full of massive stones and boulders, crazy caves, crystal clear waters and white sands. The cheeseburgers? Not so spectacular, but worth ordering if for the view only.
Our crew had been considering cheeseburgers in paradise , ala Jimmy Buffet, since our sailing trip had begun. Buffett’s music, which plays twenty-four-seven in the restaurants and bars dotting the British Virgin Isles (BVIs), finally took a toll on our crew during that morning’s battle with with seas. There was a breaking point.
As Virgin Gorda came into view, co-captain Erica said something about being hungry, and then it happened. Over the sailboat’s shifty speakers slipped this familiar intro:
Tried to amend my carnivorous habits
Made it nearly 70 days!
Losing weight without speed-eatin’ sunflower seeds
Drinking lots of carrot juice and soakin’ up rays,
But at night I’d have these wonderful dreams
Some kind of sensuous treat
Not zucchini, fettucini, or bulgar wheat
But a big warm bun and a huge hunk of meat,
Cheeseburger in paradise!
It was rum and cheeseburger time, for once and for the rest of the trip! And it was rum and cheeseburgers we found at the Top of the Baths Restaurant & Lounge.
The cheeseburgers were a little disappointing, as mentioned, but the rum and the views special. The presentation, of burger and fries, seemed too “country club, by the pool”, to qualify as a serious player in burger-land. You know the kind of burger I’m talking about.-those previously frozen, thin, tasteless patties combined with some pre-sliced cheddar, served with string French fries. All served poolside, just like a cookout!
The burger and fries fit the situation though. They were gone in 30-seconds, with the help of some ketchup and another pain killer. And within seconds of finishing we were soaking in the pool, ordering more rounds of painkillers, none too concerned with the taste, presentation, or originality of our first cheeseburger in paradise.
The beautiful Baths
Get there and you’ll soon understand why.
*This restaurant’s menu is pretty expansive, so this review might be a little unfair considering we ordered the lamest items on that menu.
–end
I adore this place as well. First went there in 2004 and try to go back as much as possible. Next time, make your way all the way through the baths to a hidden grotto/beach way on the other side. Well worth the 45 minutes it took to find our way through the caves. Don’t wuss out and take the path. Working for it makes it so much better. Happy sailing
Thanks for the comment Mindy. We missed out on the big cave adventure, as we had to set sail for Anagada. I wish we had more time at the Baths. I’ll be posting ‘Another Cheeseburger in Paradise’ tomorrow morning, which will feature Foxy’s on Jost Van Dyke. Definitely come back for that one. The BVI’s are amazing!!