Island Dining in Roatan

​The Honduran Island of Roatan

Last summer, Don and I spent a week exploring Roatan. We had 2 evenings at the West End of the the island.  Our B & B host recommended, The Lighthouse for one dinner.

​Finding It

During the day we wandered back behind the main street in search of the hidden place. The restaurant built over the water looked fun, but the boy climbing above the sign was having the most fun!

​The Deck
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We wandered out on the deck and took in the view.  We hoped the heat would lift by sundown, so we could return later and enjoy dinner at one of those purple tables. 

Arriving in the Dark

​It was trickier to find at night. Luckily there was an employee near the street, ready to guide diners to the restaurant. We were lucky to get the last outside table. 

My camera flash lit up our table brightly, but the tiny flame of our candle was comical.  When our laid back, local server arrived wearing a ball cap, I couldn't see his face.  He propped the menu board on top of a chair. I acted like a little old lady tourist and pulled a tiny flashlight from my bag. 

​A Humid Feast
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We both look a little slimy here, but the food was delicious.  I ordered Lion-fish, since I'd heard some scuba guides talking about how the cute sounding fish are actually destroying the reefs. Don ordered 3 lobster tails.  We had grilled veggies, salad, beans, rice, potatoes and coconut bread! Of course, I did use my flashlight to peek at my food before I dug in.

Lion-fish
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After attempting to photograph my lion-fish, the world got very dark again.  Don and I were a bit jolted when suddenly a small person was standing near our table.

Selling Key Fobs
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I could barely make out the young girl's smile as she began to unroll a piece of notebook paper.  The serious words on the paper described the hardships of the family, but young "Miriam" smiled and giggled when Don spoke to her. We could see her mother watching nearby and then a younger sister joined in. We could tell the waiter was ready to pounce and shoo them away, so we completed a quick purchase.  2 for $5. I so hope we weren't doing the wrong thing by buying.

Argentinian Grill
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On our second night at the West End, we started a little earlier.  

Since we'd tried some of the local Honduran food, why not sample a little Argentinian?

​Drinks on the Sand
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There were a few empty cafe tables set up on the sand, right across the road from the restaurant.  Maybe it was the heatwave or maybe the bugs that kept others away. But we were getting used to the heat and we had a bottle of bug. A server from the restaurant, graciously crossed the road to deliver our drinks.

The View
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Where in the world can you watch the sunset over the water, while being entertained by youth on a boat?  We watched kids repeatedly, climb the mast, swing like a pendulum and plunge to the water... until it was too dark to see!

Classy Causal
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We headed to the patio deck after sunset.  I was delighted right away by the basket of bread sticks, olive bread and dip.  ​Then we moved onto beef and chicken empanadas.  All mighty tasty!

Sizzling Sounds
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I just wish I'd gotten a photo of the open grill area, behind us. We worked up appetites, while smelling the sizzling meats!

Our plates arrived, looking very exciting! I had Shrimp and Veggies with Pumpkin Rice. The service was surprisingly efficient as well. Roatan is pretty laid back, so this was a nice surprise.

Don had Beef Tenderloin, which came with veggies and twice baked potato. I of course needed to help him.
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Walking Back
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​There's something so satisfying about having a delicious meal and then strolling back to your home for the night.

As we turned down the dirt road to our inn, the night suddenly became lively.  The quiet church we had passed before was spilling over with guests.  The open windows shared the music and voices and the road outside gave young children a little roaming room.  What a way to end our evening!