Great selection at GT Yacht Club

By Lindsey Turnbull

Having become a little stuck in our ways when it comes to Friday evening dining, we thought we ought to spread our wings a little and venture out to the George Town Yacht Club for some relaxed eating in a lovely setting. I am familiar with this location, breezily perched as it is on the edge of the North Sound, as it has been a regular venue for all sorts of events that I have attended held in its spacious upstairs, with its panoramic 360 degree views of the island. There’s also a pool and deck area where you can go and hang out and unwind with a cocktail. I have never ventured in, but I have heard happy voices from that location many times! Having never eaten downstairs in the restaurant however, this was to be a new, and hopefully pleasing, dining experience.

The dining room runs the length of the restaurant with great views from every table and has a bustling bar that welcomes you in, a warm and somehow familiar way to introduce you to the restaurant. Once seated, we relaxed with the cocktail menu (a regular activity on a Friday night) and were delighted to note that the restaurant was still running a happy hour special – from 5pm to 7pm - with CI$3 off select cocktails. I toyed with the idea of a Captain Oakheart, made from spiced rum, mango puree and apricot brandy and a Seaside Plantation, with Bombay Sapphire gin, fresh basil, agave syrup and grapefruit among others, but in the end went for the Mango Ginger Mojito, with spiced rum, mint, lime, ginger syrup, mango puree and ginger beer. This was a cool and refreshing thirst quencher that delivered a nice hit of spiced rum as well.

The menu itself was a really impressive array of cuisines from all around the world. There was something for everyone here, from British fish and chips to Caymanian-style conch, with pizza, steaks, curries and even Shepherd’s pie in between.

In general, we aren’t looking for a heavy meal on a Friday night, more a light bite that will complement the cocktail, and it also felt right to order fish in this ocean-side location, so we opted for the crispy calamari served with pickled onions and a spiced aioli to share and then the soft-shell Mahi tacos, full of mahi-mahi, fresh guacamole, arugula, pickled fennel, with a bean salsa and also the escovitch fried mahi sandwich on milk bread, served with escovitch vegetables and a tartar sauce.

Calamari is a universal appetiser in the Cayman Islands, so it needs to be good to stand out from the crowd. While the calamari itself was lovely – crunchy on the outside but tender inside – the pickled onions were particularly addictive and a great garnish to the dish. The tacos were full of spicy, crunchy fish, offset by the cooling guacamole and fragrant with a good healthy bunch or arugula, while the mahi mahi sandwich was a truly delicious bite that actually has me salivating as I remember each bite.

As well as the cocktail two hour special, the restaurant also has an extensive wine list, draft and craft beers and regular cocktails that are well worth perusing, as well as a really impressive selection of fine rums – all nice little surprises that you might not expect but are delighted you have found them out.

With promises of an authentic East Indian curry every Tuesday night, fresh sushi every Wednesday night, Caribbean specials every Thursday for lunch and dinner and even breakfast served on the weekends, I have a feeling we will be back to the George Town Yacht Club sooner rather than later.