On Tuesday, December 6, sushi- and cocktail-lovers flocked to Bamboo House to formally welcome Chef Jack Nobles as Bamboo’s new culinary maestro. The legendary live Sugar Apple Band was playing, the delicious drinks were flowing, trays full of Bamboo’s seasonal menu items were going around and the guests were clearly enjoying themselves. But if you missed the event, don’t worry – you can find the same amazing ambiance, views, food, and drinks at Bamboo House any day of the week!
From Bamboo’s early days next to the old Bliss, to its well-loved location in Maho, to the Bamboo Bar in Cole Bay, to its current location on Diamond Hill, Bamboo has become an iconic brand on St. Maarten. The restaurant’s newest location offers the same elegant ambiance, excellent service and exquisite food and drink we are used to, but with the addition of the breath-taking panoramic views of Cole Bay, Simpson Bay, the airport, Maho and Marigot and the rich history that the monumental Fleming House has to offer.
Jack Nobles, Bamboo House’s new chef, is from San Diego and has been cooking up a storm for over a decade. Bamboo’s new culinary maestro grew up with coastal cuisine and flavours, especially coastal Mexican as San Diego is on the California border with Mexico.
With an uncle who worked for international agencies and hosted Jack for extended periods of time in Thailand and the Philippines, Jack expanded and incorporated Asian fusion into his cooking style, an American coastal cuisine with strong South-East Asian highlights.
Nobles served as an executive chef in Asheville N.C., which opened his eyes to very different types of food. After obtaining his butcher’s license, the chef worked at a Southern barbeque restaurant that fused traditional American BBQ with Asian flavours.
Last month, Jack Nobles brought his culinary talent to St. Maarten’s shores – and the Bamboo House kitchen. Having grown up in San Diego, Nobles is more than happy to be so close to the ocean again, and you can find him at Mullet Bay every morning enjoying the sea and island spirit.
Now, Chef Jack Nobles and his culinary team work their magic preparing the tasty appetizers, delicious dishes, award-winning sushi – and Bamboo’s new menu showcases some of that magic.
Besides Bamboo’s well-loved sushi classics, such as the original angry dragon, amazing tuna and sexy salmon roll, the restaurant also offers new favourites, such as the charita roll with baked octopus and marinated mackerel and the windmaker with spicy salmon and pickled vegetables – both proved to be a hit among the invited sushi-lovers on Tuesday evening.
The new appetizers include aburaage sushi with tofu sushi rice and quinoa, shrimp toast, tempura avocado toast, vegetable crudité with edamame hummus, chicken dumplings and four-fish crudos and ceviche.
Although Bamboo is mostly known for its amazing sushi, the restaurant offers a large selection of main dishes. New on this menu are the Bamboo pad thai, filet mignon, ribeye steak, pork and branzino en papillate. But favourites such as the crispy snapper filet and grilled salmon still taste just as good – judging by the crowd’s reaction during the tasting.
The crowd also got to enjoy Sugar Apple Band’s sweet tunes. The band plays a wide array of music, including Latin and local hits – all with a classy and festive vibe. According to one of the guests, their music makes you feel like you are on vacation without even leaving the island and makes it hard to sit still during your meal.
With a full-service bar and some of the best bartenders on the island, the drinks were most definitely flowing. The Out N About team may or may not have enjoyed one too many cocktails. Our favourite? The Sexy Geisha with fresh watermelon, passion fruit juice, lime and caramel infused vodka – a deliciously sweet and addictive drink, perfect for the festive occasion.
Bamboo House is located in the historic Fleming House on Diamond Hill in Cole Bay across the street from Carrefour Supermarket. Bamboo offers Valet Service for $5 or free self-park down the hill at Carrefour where you can meet the Bamboo Shuttle.
The restaurant is open daily for dinner from 5:00 until 11:00pm. From October 1, the restaurant’s opening hours expanded to include lunch with a complimentary car wash while you enjoy your meal from 12 noon to 3:00pm Tuesdays through Saturdays. For reservations or more information, call +1 (721) 523-1508 or go to www.bamboohouse-sxm.com.
