We hadn’t been to Tuttu in some time, so when Peter invited us, we couldn’t say no. For those who’ve not been on the island in a few years, downtown [tag]Christiansted[/tag]’s perennial favorite [tag]Tuttu Bene[/tag] has moved to new digs. They built a new place just east of town (about 3 blocks), its upstairs, but there’s a handicap accessible elevator. Same great food, still great service, but a larger custom designed kitchen and larger dining room. Yes, they’ve left the small kitchen and small dining space behind, so you can usually get a table when you want (though the new place filled quickly) and the kitchen staff can get the food out in reasonable time, even when crowded.

Unfortunately, despite obvious efforts with sound baffling on the ceiling, they couldn’t get away from the over-whelming acoustics. The noise can add to the lively atmosphere, but some patrons may find it hard to bear.

Our gracious hostess Jessica seated us in the corner just inside the door to the right, our own private little nook, for a while. It was pleasant and not too noisy there. We would have preferred the tables out on the veranda, but some unseasonably strong showers had left everything outdoors, even under cover, dripping, so we were encouraged to stay inside.

We started with a Taste of Tuttu Platter to share. Its practically a meal for four. There are a couple of Tuttu’s famous whole roasted garlic bulbs and crostinis, assorted olives, goat cheese, pepperchini, prosciutto, sausage, salami, some kind of confit, and I’m probably forgetting more goodies than I remember. Then Terry and I shared Tuttu’s signature Misto Salad and a fish special, fresh pan-seared rare wahoo with pineapple salsa over rice and baby veggies. I’d never had wahoo rare, but boy was it good - melted in your mouth like buttah. Peter and Heike had a shrimpy night, sharing a salad special, grilled shrimp over organic baby greens from our local [tag]Southgate Farms[/tag] and shrimp and roasted red peppers in a Gorgonzola cream sauce over pasta. Everything was delicious. After decimating the Taste of Tuttu, we couldn’t finish our meals, but somehow found room to share a Tiramisu and complimentary [tag]Sambuca con mosca[/tag], literally “Sambuca with flies” (three espresso beans representing health, wealth and happiness), an enduring Tuttu tradition.

Pros: Great food, lively atmosphere, friendly staff

Cons: a little loud, no longer right downtown on Company Street

Overall:

[tags]restaurant[/tags]

Tags: St. Croix

This entry was posted on Monday, April 30th, 2007 at 11:38 pm and is filed under Reviews, St. Croix, Virgin Islands. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.