L'Iguane Café

Supposedly one of the best restaurants in Guadeloupe, l'Iguane Café certainly doesn't look the part from the outside. The road abuts the entrance, and diners have a choice between a view of a side road, or surrounding residences. Better situated restaurants with prettier views, however, would have a difficult time measuring up to the cuisine that is served here.

The dining room is spacious and charming. A generous area furnished with low, wide couches is reserved for pre-dinner drinks. Exposed wooden beams support a high sloped roof, allowing for natural cooling. The decor demonstrates a traditional colonial sentiment but a more contemporary taste. Iguanas in all forms - statuettes, paintings - can be found throughout the restaurant.The service is attentive and professiona, but friendly. L'Iguane Café is proof, perhaps, that table linens and crumb scraper do not oblige the staff to be completely self-effacing.

Above, champagne cocktail with rose rum and grenadine; the amuse-bouche of a sweet and savory shrimp salad served with a one-bite campaillou.

Above, raw tuna squares covered in toasted sesame seeds, smoked tuna, accompanied by a cup of mascarpone wasabi froth, and a napa cabbage roll with fresh mint, spiced with Asian five spices; phyllo tulips stuffed with goat cheese, smoked spiced duck breast, and peppery fig compote, accompanied by mixed salad with pine nuts (1).

Above, young rabbit served in a ginger cream sauce and mustard seed jus, served with sauteed curried pineapples, accompanied by mashed sweet potato; Crispy sesame chicken served with mango chutney on basmati rice, accompanied by mesclun salad with mango vinaigrette (2)

Above, frothy arabica mascarpone, with crumbled coffee biscuits, meringue and chocolate shavings, emulsified Bailey's cream, served in a tall glass (3).

I thought everything was quite tasty and everything seemed to be the product of real effort - an impeccable staff, an innovative menu. I was particularly impressed with the mascarpone wasabi froth served with my appetizer and the ginger cream sauce on my entrée.

I wasn't quite sure how to eat the froth, I assumed it was sort of like a dipping sauce for the tuna. But I didn't mind just dipping my fork into the cup and licking the froth off with my tongue. The wasabi gave it a bit of chalkiness, against the creaminess of the mascarpone.

As for the ginger cream, I liked it so much, I tried making it myself at home several days later.
Above, my attempt at ginger cream sauce.

There is a reason why the professional kitchen dedicates one person to making sauce. It may not be the most important part of the meal, but it certainly is one of the elements most remembered. And it is so difficult to reproduce! My attempt is a combination of grated garlic, grated ginger, crème fraîche and butter. My sauce lacked the concentrated taste of ginger, the punch of real spicy flavor. It was too garlicky, and too thick. A nice exercise to further justify a pricey meal.

*Addendum* (June 2, 2009): Here is a review of the restaurant from Frommer's.



(1) Thon cru au sésame torréfié et tartare fumé, lait de mascarpone foisonné au wasabi, roulé de choux de chine à la menthe et cinq épices d'Asie; Tulipes de fromage de chèvre et de magret fumé aux épices à la compotée de figues poivrée, petites saldes de feuilles d'herbes aux noix

(2) Cuisse de lapereau à la crème de gingembre et ananas frais poêlé au curry, écrasé de patate douce, jus à la graine de moutarde; Poulet croustillant au sésame, chutney et mesclun au vinaigre de mangue, riz basmati

(3) Verrine d'arabica au lait mousseux de mascarpone, brisure de biscuit au café, meringue et pépite de cacao, crème émulsionnée au Bailey


L'Iguane Cafe
Route de la Pointe des Chateaux
97118 Saint François
Tel: 05 90 88 61 37