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| The outdoor terrace of Shima restaurant at The Island House |
"Got our tickets?" Alan double-checked with me.
"Already saved in Apple wallet," I confirmed as I buckled up in the front passenger seat of the car. Then we started our journey to the other side of Nassau for dinner and a movie.
We made it to The Island House (see my previous story) right before our 6:30 pm dinner reservation. Walking through the lobby, I noticed they've added a big sofa since my last visit here only three weeks ago. They do a fine job with seating areas. They're inviting and relaxing.
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| The lobby seating area with the newly added sofa |
We proceeded to Shima, the Asian restaurant on the second floor. It has an open design with its upper walls wrapped in a colorful frieze by artist John Cox.
Normally, Alan would shake his head in frustration, if not disgust, when I take pictures while we're at a new restaurant. He didn't flinch this time, ignoring me while I wandered around and snapped away with my iPhone. The late afternoon sunlight challenged my camera skills and I worried about taking photos that might sell the place short. But the place is gorgeous. I couldn't possibly fail.
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| Main dining section |
The great thing about Shima is that it has two open-air spaces offering splendid views. One, which is to the left of the entrance, is the terrace overlooking yachts in Lyford Cay Marina and the ocean beyond.
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| Outdoor terrace overlooking Lyford Cay Marina |
The other, directly across, is the outdoor bar and lounge area overlooking the hotel's pool. And in case your back faces the pool, you'll be gazing at an intricately wood-carved mural behind the bar. It's a spectacular creation by local artist John Beadle.
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| The bar and lounge overlooking the pool |
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| A wooden carving creates a spectacular backdrop for the bar. |
Our lovely server, wearing a chic denim apron, assured us we'd have plenty of time for a relaxing meal and still catch the 7:30 p.m. movie. After placing our orders, she brought us our sodas in glasses with black paper straws.
Meanwhile, I noticed the chef was chatting with a family in the next table. I overheard him say he's originally from Sydney. He came to our table too and personally brought our appetizer. As we exchanged pleasantries, he revealed that his specialty leans more on Thai cuisine.
Later, he returned to check on us. "That will go straight to your hips," he teased as his eyes landed on our entree. "So having it once a week should be fine."
His smile faded when he realized something was absent from our meal. We already had the chicken curry plus egg fried rice on the table. I didn't think anything was amiss.
He vanished for a moment and then reappeared with the missing dish saying, "The Thai Style Butter Chicken is best with our papadum." (They spell it "poppadom" in their menu, by the way.)
"Just dip it in the curry sauce and enjoy!" he added. I thought it peculiar to eat Thai curry with the Indian papadum but hey, it works!
As promised by our server, our delicious dinner was complete with enough time to spare. I stopped at the restroom before heading to the movies and felt spoiled lathering my hands with Bamford products. The scent of spa replaced my Asian dinner's aroma from my fingers.
From the outside, the small cinema appeared nondescript. Inside, the moon-shaped piece of art and pretty chandelier in the doorway served as a prelude to what's to come.
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| Our starter: Shrimp Tempura Roll with spicy mayo, avocado, and black sesame |
Later, he returned to check on us. "That will go straight to your hips," he teased as his eyes landed on our entree. "So having it once a week should be fine."
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| Chef Dave Rogers of Shima at The Island House |
His smile faded when he realized something was absent from our meal. We already had the chicken curry plus egg fried rice on the table. I didn't think anything was amiss.
He vanished for a moment and then reappeared with the missing dish saying, "The Thai Style Butter Chicken is best with our papadum." (They spell it "poppadom" in their menu, by the way.)
"Just dip it in the curry sauce and enjoy!" he added. I thought it peculiar to eat Thai curry with the Indian papadum but hey, it works!
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| Thai Style Butter Chicken with green chili, cherry tomatoes, and fresh coriander. |
As promised by our server, our delicious dinner was complete with enough time to spare. I stopped at the restroom before heading to the movies and felt spoiled lathering my hands with Bamford products. The scent of spa replaced my Asian dinner's aroma from my fingers.
From the outside, the small cinema appeared nondescript. Inside, the moon-shaped piece of art and pretty chandelier in the doorway served as a prelude to what's to come.
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| The Island House art cinema |
Surprisingly, I only had to give my name and didn't have to show the tickets from my iPhone. Once my reservation was verified, we were led to our sofa in the back row.
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| The intimate theater seats only 48 |
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| Making myself comfy and ready for the movie |
Each seat was appointed with a plush pillow and a tray table intended for snacks or drinks. Although the seats don't recline, each sofa comes with a matching ottoman as a footrest. I stretched out and glanced at Alan, "You better not fall asleep."
We didn't know what to expect of the featured film, Dunkirk. Thankfully, it wasn't a snoozer. But after watching the movie, I came to this realization: If you're not going to speak for a couple of hours after dinner, try not to have Asian food. Or at least bring some mint. I took a whiff of my own breath and man, was it lethal! So much for date night.
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| Shameless selfie at the movies |
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