More About Orlando Satchell and Dasheene Restaurant at the Ladera

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Dasheene, Ladera's award-winning restaurant, has been refurbished and expanded. The view inside Dasheene complements the one outside. Guests from all over the island come to Dasheene to soak up the panoramic view through open-walls, sip cocktails in the Tcholit Bar, listen to live music and enjoy a creative menu featuring local and international delicacies.

Renowned Chef Orlando Satchell (visiting from London for winter season) has created a menu along with St. Lucian head chef Nigel Mitchel who manages Dasheene throughout the year.

The menu boasts an eclectic combination of local produce, freshly caught fish, just picked fruits and innovative, colorful presentations

Source: www.ladera-resort.com

A long time ago, in the first or second year of our marriage, we read an article about Santa Lucia in a travel magazine. It was instant love, and we dreamed about a vacation on this beautiful island. The years passed, the kids came along, and there was always something else we wanted to do or visit, so the island destination was forgotten. Santa Lucia came up again when Valerie Barnhart, a Caribbean specialist from Just Honeymoons, recommended the island and Ladera, a small resort, for our 30th anniversary.

It is a long trip from the Pacific Northwest. Late at night, a small Japanese bus, the typical local taxi, picked us up from the tiny airport at Castries. A newlywed couple from Denver, who also had booked the Ladera Resort, rode with us. The distance is only about 27 miles, yet the road is so steep and windy, filled with potholes and uneven pavement, that it took the driver well over an hour to deliver us safely to our destination. We asked many questions about the island while we drove through the warm and lush tropical night accompanied by a concert of frogs and crickets. It was almost 2 am when we fell into our large comfortable bed, protected from bugs and the rest of the world by a white and fluffy mosquito net.

Ladera, among the ten most romantic spots according to Caribbean Hideaways, is a small, somewhat rustic resort. Attuned to nature, it is the first property in St. Lucia that met the strict ecological requirements to earn the Green Globe 21 certification. Situated on a ridge about 1000' above the ocean, it is surrounded by the same prodigal flora as the adjacent Botanical Garden: bougainvillea, birds of paradise, and flamingo plants make for colorful splashes in the profuse vegetation.

Each of the 19 spacious, airy suites and Lunch on this day was at the Dasheen Restaurant south of Soufriere. The restaurant is attached to the exclusive Ladera Resort, located on what is probably the prettiest piece of real estate on the island. What makes this hotel, nestled near the summit of a hilly rain forest, smack dab in the middle of the Petit Piton and Gros Piton, so spectacular is the view down to the ocean. (The quietly luxurious suites, no wall on the Caribbean side and private pool attached to the living room, are ideal for a honeymoon.)

When you settle into a chair on the restaurant terrace, with a rum punch in your hand, you never want to leave. It's just that simple. In fact, the restaurant is so famous for its view that Bill Gates -- the software billionaire -- came up from his yacht a few weeks earlier to have lunch here.x villas has an open wall to the west side with a spectacular view of the ocean framed by the two sugar-cone-shaped pitons, the landmark volcanic peaks of the island. The breeze from the trade winds make it several degrees cooler than accommodations at sea level. Since there is no direct access to the ocean, guests can take advantage of free transportation to the beach of the Jalousie Hilton Resort, just below. The other beach Ladera's patrons can go to belongs to the Resort Anse Chastanet. This is probably the most beautiful natural beach on the whole island, with it's fine dark sand and large rustling palms providing protection from strong sun. Anse Castanet also hosts one of the island's scuba diving centers.

A wonderful asset of Ladera is its award-winning, two-story Dasheene Restaurant. It has open walls and a fantastic view. We made friends with the chef, Orlando Satchell, who is famous for combining local fresh produce, meats, and fish with creative flavorful cooking and attractive presentation. We had several excellent dinners there, choosing mostly from the daily specials. I was astonished by the extensive selection of excellent international wines, which were paired expertly with the dinners.

Everybody seemed very friendly and helpful, and everything you asked for will be done.

Source: www.byreconly.com

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Lunch on this day was at the Dasheen Restaurant south of Soufriere. The restaurant is attached to the exclusive Ladera Resort, located on what is probably the prettiest piece of real estate on the island. What makes this hotel, nestled near the summit of a hilly rain forest, smack dab in the middle of the Petit Piton and Gros Piton, so spectacular is the view down to the ocean. (The quietly luxurious suites, no wall on the Caribbean side and private pool attached to the living room, are ideal for a honeymoon.)

When you settle into a chair on the restaurant terrace, with a rum punch in your hand, you never want to leave. It's just that simple. In fact, the restaurant is so famous for its view that Bill Gates -- the software billionaire -- came up from his yacht a few weeks earlier to have lunch here.

I don't know what Bill ate, but I ordered the king fish (a local specialty), which I washed down with numerous glasses of an Aussie chardonnay while chatting with Dasheen's chef Orlando Satchell. The chef is an unpretentious, thirtysomething St. Lucian who spends half his time in London, where he picks up on the latest trends in nouvelle cuisine, and then returns here to give them his signature touch.

Source: www.canoe.ca

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A retreat for adults. That is how the Ladera Resort (www.ladera-resort.com) bills itself. Some 1100 feet up the mountain, the 24 suites and villas share one unique feature. The west side of each unit has no wall. Because of the hillside setting, all units offer total privacy with indoor gardens and plunge pools. The place is so popular that winter bookings must be at least four months in advance. A 20-minute complimentary van ride away from the beach, this hotel features a lovely setting, privacy and great service, such as high tea in their botanical gardens.

The Dasheene Restaurant has a spectacular cliff-top view. Executive chef Orlando Satchell and head chef Nigel Mitchel produce award-winning shrimp entries. They will also blacken, sautee, curry or grill the kingfish or red snapper catch of the day. An appetizer to try is the christophene and coconut soup. Seafood pasta and Piton lamb on sweet potato mash are also specialties of the house, not to mention the chocolate soufflé flambé.

Source: www.timesharebeat.com

More:

http://www.roadslesstaken.com/newsite/otherresorts/Ladera/DiningLadera.htm

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