Bahamian Vacation Continued

The Bahamian Club

The Bahamian Club is the Atlantis Resort's answer to a white table cloth surf and turf restaurant. The interior is dark wood, big leather chairs, big leather booths, dark green faux suede textured walls, dark burgundy carpeting, and art work depicting wealthy horse estates. The interior design was made by someone who wanted to transport the diner to a time and place of the wealthy Newport or Hamptons set of yester-year. This is where we had our xmas dinner. The service was very good. There seemed to be a head waiter, and an assistant server per table. There is no risk of an empty glass as this place, there was a guy waiting to refill at ever sip.

I generally never dine this way. Let me rephrase. I never dine this way. First, I can't afford to dine anywhere with personal servers, and second, food offered here is packed with good old fashioned fat calories. BUT, xmas only comes once per year, and it is truly a treat to eat such decandent and extravagant food. Throwing caution to the wind, I ordered really old fashioned goodies. I usually start dinner with a salad, but that is so boring! This time I treated my taste buds to an old fashioned French onion soup. The bowl was easily the size of 3 cups, and there must have been about 1/2 lb of cheese melted on top. I ate all the cheese! I think the last time I had French onion soup was when I lived in Los Angeles, many many moons ago when I did not know that cheese had fat in it.

If the soup wasn't enough, I opted for Lobster Thermidor, my first time ever to eat this food. Wikipedia said that this dish is difficult and labor intensive, and must contain ground mustard to be an authentic recipe. This one, I believe was true to form, as there was a slight nose of mustard. This dish was made with chunks of lobster, cream, cheese, and brandy, and it was very Very VERY Rich! I have given up eating table salt, and I was pleased that the chef went very light on the salt, and let the lobster and cream drive this dish. The lobster tail shell was overflowing with the creamy lobster. The lobster was overcooked, in comparison to how Bostonians would choose to eat a lobster, but the recipe made was still tasty (and RICH!).

The portions at this restaurant were out of control! I mean, huge! I believe that I could have stopped at the soup, and I would have been fine for the next day. So, what should one do on xmas, when they are stuffed to the gill? That is right, get dessert. We tried the key lime pie and creme brulee. I don't really remember much of these two desserts, as I only had one bite of each because I was so stuffed from the soup and lobster.

I just cannot believe how we well we were waited on (that would be hand and foot) on xmas at this restaurant. It was truly luxurious. I could get used to this type of service. It was a rude awakening coming home when I had to fill my own water glass, and make my own dinner again. Sigh.