Retire Early Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler

In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this financially independent lifestyle, they invite you to take advantage of their wisdom and experience.

La Terrasse Restaurant Piano Bar

Saint Martin (French side)

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

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We were staying on the Dutch part of the island of Sint Maarten, but with Billy being a French Chef, we were eager to try out a quality French restaurant on the other side.

Marigot, the capital of the French island of Saint Martin, is a vibrant cultural hub.

The border between the two countries is casual and people go from one region to the other regularly.

Marigot, the capital of the French side of the island, is clearly marked

Barbara at the desk of Alicia's Hotel had forgotten to reserve us a taxi, so she found herself scrambling a bit to find someone else.

By now it was 12:30pm, our reservations were at 1pm, and the restaurant closed at 3pm.

It was beginning to be a bit tight to get there on time.

As we were waiting on the shady side of the street, we were offered rides 3 different times – a bus/combi who came by, a couple of women who wanted to work and make a little money by offering an unregistered taxi service, and then finally, another taxi came by.

Since we were becoming pressed against the clock and we were unsure that the taxi Barbara called might not show up, we jumped into Frederica's car instead. For $25USD she would take us to the French side and drop us off.

It was a good thing we did not wait any longer, as driving there, the traffic was jammed due to an accident.

Sign guiding us to the rooftop

La Terrasse is a rooftop restaurant located in the West Indies Shopping Mall in Marigot.

It is known for its elegant French bistro cuisine and the stunning panoramic views of Marigot Bay and Marina Fort Louis.

The view of Marigot Bay

La Terrasse, with its emphasis on blending Caribbean and Asian influences in its cuisine, has had consistent recognition at the Festival de la Gastronomie. 

This restaurant became a local favorite and won public votes from 2021 to 2023 in this competition.

It has become a go-to spot for both locals and tourists, particularly for its rooftop views and romantic ambiance.

The view below of Marigot Bay

We arrive at the restaurant where we are taken to a reserved table inside.

 Billy then whips out his chef business card and we are immediately taken outside to a table with a view.

The View from our table

As you can see, it's quite a nice table with a beautiful vista.

Marigot Bay

From the restaurant we are able to look right into downtown Marigot as well as Marigot Bay.

Billy and Akaisha toasting to YOU!

We begin to order our meal beginning with a bottle of Petit Chablis.

It's a warm afternoon, the view is memorable, and we relax into our chairs.

Wine on the rooftop

Both our water bottle and our Petit Chablis have coolers.

Fortunately for us, our table was able to stay in the shade even with "sun creep" as the afternoon wore on.

Moules Gratinee

We like to order an appetizer, a full meal and a dessert. Then we share the whole thing together.

This way we have a variety of flavors and we don't eat too much

But as you can see, French food is rich!

Sea Bass with potatoes and vegetables

This Sea Bass was in a butter sauce with grilled vegetables and mashed potatoes on the side.

The fish was moist, but Billy thought we had better food in Paris... and for a better price.

But it’s “de islands, Mon” and everything is imported.

Creme brulee

Creme brulee means "burnt cream" in French and is a classic dessert.

It's one of my favorite and with the caramelized sugar top it has a very satisfying contrast between the creamy custard and the crunchy caramel.

The origins of this dessert are debated with France, England and Spain all claiming versions dating back centuries.

Our bill for 2

This is the bill for the two of us.

The meal came to $118 USD plus tip.

Would we recommend La Terrasse?

Yes!

It's an interesting experience to go between the Dutch and French sides of the island, and the view is brilliant.

Reservations are recommended.

__________

La Terrasse Restaurant

Rue de la Republique Front de Mer West Indies Mall

97150 Marigo, Saint Martin / St Maarten

Website: https://www.st-martin.org/us/restaurant/la-terrasse/ 

Email:  reservationlaterrasse@gmail.com

Tele: +590 690 66-9999

Retire Early Lifestyle appeals to a different kind of person – the person who prizes their independence, values their time, and who doesn’t want to mindlessly follow the crowd.

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