Chef’s Table at Rendezvous

I have had the pleasure, honor and gusto to dine at Rendezvous Restaurant in the past and dining there under a starlit night once more made me realize that Head Chef Colleen Schwendinger’s culinary skills, like a good wine, keep getting better as the years go by. Schwendinger’s ability to combine French cuisine inspired by Thai influences while adding Asian spices certainly makes for an explosive dinning experience. With an awesome menu, Rendezvous Restaurant has managed to stay on top since its opening 12 years ago. Adding to the dining experience is the fact that Rendezvous makes their own wines as well (the winery is located in the basement of the establishment), perfectly complimenting your meal. The wine, along with the menu, speaks highly of Schwendinger and her husband Glenn’s love for fabulous food and good wine.

On this occasion both my girlfriend and I were eager to not make any choices as far as dinner was concerned (sometimes while on vacation, choosing what to have for dinner may be the hardest decision of the day). Arriving at Rendezvous you almost feel at home. Rendezvous’ dinning room is cozy and homy with rattan chairs, comfy cushions and light colors, the smells emanating from the kitchen complete the ambience. Maresha warmly welcomes us and we chose a cozy corner near the open kitchen where we can admire the chef at work.

After choosing a glass of Rendezvous Wines Estates’s chardonnay and merlot, our candlelit evening begins. First up is a delicious, warm and spicy Pork Dumplings Asian Soup. Chef Colleen has combined chicken stock with a blend of Asian spices with pork dumplings swimming next to spinach leaves. Warm as it travels down the throat, one can enjoy the heat that flames as the liquid goes down the throat ever so smoothly. What a way to begin!

Next up, Seared Tuna – and when I say seared I mean lightly cooked and seasoned with a delicious outer crusted seared tuna – sitting on top of a bed of seaweed salad. The salad is a combination of seaweed and grated papaya and carrots mixed with ginger, cashew and mango, cool and crisp.

Maresha arrives with our third dish, Roast Pork Loin stuffed with goat cheese and fresh herbs, this perfectly cooked piece of meat is topped with a demi-glaze sauce. Roasted potatoes, colorful veggies complete the meal. Tender and soft the meat melts in your mouth. The fourth meal has always been a favorite of patrons to Rendezvous Restaurant, the Newton Circus Singapore Crab Claws, delicious, spicy, scrumptious to the palate. These crab claws are topped with a large shrimp still on its shell, and as Glenn says sucking the head is the best part of the spiced up prawn. Cori takes a taste and totally agrees with Glenn, the savory broth is the perfect compliment to the seafood delight. Rendezvous’ dinner bread, toasted with sunflower seeds and fresh herbs are the best thing to dip into the broth. No wonder the Schwendingers brought this Singapore open market special to Ambergris Caye.

Our taste buds have certainly been taken for a ride. The way Rendezvous awakes all the sensations of the tongues is superb. The wonderful fusion that Rendezvous blends, Thai to its core, marries all the senses: sweet, sour, hot, salty and bitter. Our sweet ending arrives, tropically sweet. July being mango season on Ambergris Caye, Chef Colleen adds this bright orange fruit to the traditional American dessert – a Mango Cobbler arrives at our table. A scoop of Coconut Ice-cream complete with coconut shavings melts next to the warm dessert.

A wonderful combination and a fantastic ending to a wonderful meal.

Chef Colleen, Glenn, Maresha and Shaggy welcome you along with the rest of the staff to enjoy a wonderful dinner at Rendezvous Restaurant.

During the day the restaurant is open for burgers during lunch.Chef Colleen i also on hand to whip up great afternoon snacks. A definite “you have got to try” is the delicious toasted bread tip with a shrimp toasted blend, crunchy, great and wonderful. A spicy sauce drizzled on top makes this perfect afternoon snack a delectable treat. A definite must have accompanied by a cold beer or a glass of wine as you watch nature around the secluded three story wood and thatch home.

Gay Travel Belize is your passport to your gay or lesbian travel and dinning experiences on Ambergris Caye, Belize. Contact us for further information.