Three Sheets Restaurant has one of the friendliest staffs in Road Town. Every time I visit, I am welcomed with smiles from Jason, Karen and the rest of the gang. And when I climb the stairs to the open-air Castaways Lookout Bar on top of the restaurant, I always get a hug from Soljah. This is a true island restaurant in its laid back attitude, sunny atmosphere and dishes made from fresh, local ingredients.
The welcoming staff of Three Sheets. All photos by Dan O'Connor.
While it embraces the best qualities of the chilled Caribbean lifestyle, the restaurant is also pretty plugged in—offering free Wi-Fi to customers, displaying satellite TV on five high-definition flatscreens and a 100” image projector with surround sound (broadcasting every FIFA World Cup Soccer game this month), and using social networking sites such as facebook and twitter to announce daily specials, sporting events and bar promotions. Despite all this, it still maintains a relaxed vibe.
Perched above Waterfront Drive across from the ferry dock and beside Sir Olva Georges Plaza, the bright dining room provides a view of the lunchtime bustle of the British Virgin Islands’ capital city—lawyers exiting the commercial court, taxi drivers parking their vehicles, passengers disembarking from ferries, and business people chatting by the fountain. But my friends and I felt disconnected from our own busy lives as we sipped our beverages and browsed the menu.
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Karen warned us that because she was out of regular maraschinos, she’d used a fire cherry to garnish one of the drinks. After BVI Beacon editor Freeman Rogers, our guinea pig, tasted it and declared it edible, we all wanted one, so she brought us more. The fire cherries, infused with amaretto, rum and Tabasco sauce, certainly earned their name. The sweet and spicy flavours complemented each other, and I imagined making spicy cherry Cokes with them. We ordered another round of beverages to cool our tastebuds.
Chicken Goujonettes.
Soon thereafter, the chicken goujonettes arrived and pleased everyone. Three Sheets’ goujonettes consist of fresh, tender chicken breast strips that are lightly battered then fried and served with a honey mustard dipping sauce. They went fast, and the troops were ready for their meals when they arrived.
Each plate practically overflowed with our entrees and side dishes. My veggie roti—chick peas, carrots, peppers, potatoes and onions stuffed into a perfectly chewy roti skin—was accompanied by a fluffy side salad of lettuce, tomato, corn, red onion, carrots and mandarin oranges along with a helping of fresh, homemade Caribbean cole slaw—cabbage, raisins and carrots and in a tangy dressing. Freeman’s fresh mahi mahi sandwich came with the same sides, with additional salad on his bun.
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“I like that I have corn on my fish sandwich,” he said.
Beaconite Todd VanSickle ordered his veggie burger with cheese, mushrooms and bacon?! Sort of defeats the purpose, but he pronounced it delicious then mumbled something about how the overflowing sandwich conjured memories of lava lamps and watching Captain Kangaroo. Beacon reporter Dan O’Connor and Deon Morgan from National Parks Trust both ordered the chicken special—chicken breast pan seared with garlic and olive oil served with scalloped potatoe casserole, corn on the cob and fresh salad.
Grilled chicken breast with abundant sides.
“This tastes like home cookin’,” Dan declared. I don’t know how he finished it all, but he did. Deon was not as successful, but Freeman was happy to help her out.
By the end of the meal, all plates were clean, so no one had room for the homemade desserts that Karen offered—carrot cake, chocolate cheesecake with cherries, key lime pie and passionfruit cheesecake. Someone mentioned having some more fire cherries, but we refrained, and left the restaurant feeling content, relaxed and appreciated.
