Dinner at Calypso Grill

Day three of this year's Cayman adventure started off with reveille at 5:50 AM, allowing for a relaxed two cups of coffee and breakfast before heading down to the West Bay dock. There I was greeted by the wonderful folks at DNS Diving Grand Cayman, would be taking me on two dives this morning. I have been diving with DNS for the past 5 years or so, and highly recommend them to anyone who is interested in diving Grand Cayman. They have nice, open boats that are not packed like sardine cans, as done by some other operators. Their dive masters are friendly, informative, and dedicated to your enjoyment and well-being. They also do the little things, like offer you a towel, bottle of water, or surface interval snack. I had a great first day of diving, and a lot of that was because their operation is world-class.

Yet another gorgeous Cayman sunset
2017 Grand Cayman, BWI

Enjoying another sunset, this time sans gin and tonic, the Madre and I made our way down to one of the islands truly special restaurants: Calypso Grill. Since starting to visit the island regularly back in 2009, Calypso Grill has been the hallmark on fine dining on Grand Cayman. The venue has a nice combination of excellent food and aesthetic charm that is not found in fancier joints chained to large hotels. Indeed, Calypso Grill is located off the beaten track in Morgan's Harbor (right next to The Catch), and features both an indoor and outdoor seating area.


The indoor area, housing the bar and reception area, is an open concept running the length of the establishment from kitchen to patio. Doors leading to the patio open completely, allowing a seamless transition to the outdoor area that features wafting breezes coming in from the harbor. All the while the restaurant's aesthetic of bold blues, reds and yellow-oranges lit by hurricane lantern provide the ultimate romantic appeal.

The Madre and I were brought to a lovely two-top in the front right corner of the patio, and next the server was standing beside us with the chalkboard of daily specials. It was completely unnecessary, as we knew exactly what we were going to order. What we didn't know, was what wine to select. After a brief look to the wine list, our server returned and we placed our order: moules marinière with extra bread, grilled Cayman lobster Calypso style, and a bottle of 2014 Chateau Montalena chardonnay.

Moules marinière
2017 Calypso Grill. Grand Cayman, BWI

First to arrive were the moules marinière, essentially mussels cooked in a white wine garlic butter liquid, and served with extra bread. The bowl was overflowing with P.E.I. mussels, which were meaty and delicious cooked in the broth. The best part was the broth, which was soaked up by piece after piece of the warm baguette provided with the dish. The cooking liquid was not overly buttery or rich, being balanced by the garlic and white wine. This happens to be one of the best mussel dishes I have ever had, and is always ordered when visiting Calypso Grill. The only downside, requiring a bit of self control, is not consuming too much bread before dinner!

Grilled Cayman lobster, Calypso style
2017 Calypso Grill. Grand Cayman, BWI

Speaking of dinner, the next course on the docket was grilled Cayman lobster, served "Calypso style." Half a lobster tail, with thorax cleaned out and filled with scallops, shrimp and squid, drizzled with a light garlic butter sauce. This came accompanied with mashed potato, carrot, broccoli and cauliflower. The lobster was perfectly grilled, easily coming out of the shell. The flesh had the perfect consistency - not too tender, not too firm - and its rich buttery flavors were enhanced by the light buttery garlic sauce. The accompanying seafood was also perfectly cooked, and was enhanced by the butter sauce as well. The vegetables were steamed to an al dente tenderness, and the mashed potatoes were the right consistency. All in all, the dish had big fresh flavors: the buttery rich flesh of the lobster, the trademark notes from the shrimp and scallops, and the accompanying vegetables.

Sticky toffee pudding
2017 Calypso Grill. Grand Cayman, BWI

No trip to Calypso Grill is complete without ordering their signature desert: sticky toffee pudding, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The pudding itself is warm, and topped with a rich toffee sauce that has been allowed to soak into the cake like a sponge. With each bite, one is offered rich, warm buttery toffee flavors. Adding a little ice cream to the bite does a nice job of cutting the richness, while further imbuing the morsel with cream tones. The overall combination is outstanding, and a must try when visiting the island.

All in all, there is a reason why Calypso Grill has become one of the backbones of the Cayman culinary scene. A combination of great food, quaint aesthetic, and delightful ambiance separates this locale from most on the island. I highly recommend this restaurant for any occasion worth celebrating while visiting Grand Cayman.