Cocktail – Green Island Fragrance
vodka, midori, lemon, pineapple, sugar
Date visited – November 2022
Well there was a golf course and a green drink, but neither from the book. The Golf course at the five star Le Saint Geran Hotel is long gone but there were plenty of other bars to choose from at the hotel, if you can get in that is. Exclusively for guests, I had to make a restaurant booking in order to be let through the gated entrance. As it happened there was a three Michelin starred chef in residence, Anne-Sophie Pic, or “Le Dame de Pic” so I dined in style.
Whilst walking to the hotel though I passed a golf course at the nearby Constance Belle Mare resort so popped in for a green cocktail, a non-alcoholic one but it had pineapple in so I got one ingredient right. With views of the golf course I imagined this is what The Golf Club Bar at Le Saint Geran would have been like, but I was soon to discover that the sea views are a worthy substitute.
Arriving at Le Saint Geran I headed for Le Badamier, the closest bar to the sea, and ordered their “Tipsy Thyme”, which I was reliably informed by bartender Moogum, was their signature drink. Made with the local Labourdonnais spiced rum, lemon juice and homemade spiced syrup, it was a very refreshing sundowner.
I stayed on the deck until the sun set and then headed for my restaurant reservation. I opted for the vegetarian tasting menu while perusing Le Dame’s cocktail selection. I ordered the “A Tout”, a herbal and lemony based cocktail, that had me at Campari, thanks to the waiter, as it wasn’t an ingredient listed on the menu. After five delicious courses of tomato, avocado, beetroot, pasta and Mauritian pineapple, I unfortunately didn’t have time for the Umeshu digestif as the taxi driver was already on his way home, and it was only 9.30pm, such is Island life.
The World Is My Cocktail 