Friends and well-wishers gathered this week at the Driftwood Restaurant to wish the owners, members of the Merryweather family, another successful 25 years!
Francine Merryweather and her son Herbert, his wife Carolina and the restaurant’s staff enjoyed a champagne toast with guests, escorted by the restaurant’s famous seafood hors d’hoeuvres, in honor of the special day.
Spreading the good news even further, during the month of July, the Driftwood restaurant is offering locals and visitors added value worth a celebration on its own, in the form of 25% discount, off dinner.
Twenty-five years ago, on July 4th, the Driftwood Restaurant unceremoniously opened its door on Klipstraat 12, in Oranjestad.
Herby used to go fishing every day, recalls Francine, and his catch was always much in-demand among friends. Finally Francine, or was it Herby, who came up with the idea of opening a quaint fisherman’s restaurant at the heart of town, on a quiet street, in a typically colonial former residence.
The décor idea came to the Merryweathers in a flash. Driftwood, of course. Herby encountered large quantities of it bobbing in the waves while on his fishing safaris and he started to bring the weathered, well-travelled wood home, to store for future use.
When the restaurant idea was hatched Herby recruited all fish-loving friends to collect more washed in wood on the North Shore, and deliver their loot as building material for interior decor, which he inter-wove with mirrored glass, shells, fish nets, and retired maritime bric a brac.
Francine recalls just 8 tables, and a hand-written menu, which she designed including the logo. The tablecloths were hand-sewn at home, and the atmosphere distinctly cozy and intimate, which restaurant patrons, both locals and visitors found irresistibly charming.
While the restaurant expanded over the years, a few things never changed including the quality of the daily fresh catch, swimming in the sea in the morning and starring on plates by dinner time, and the Aruban-style congenial hospitality.
Yes, the fish soup too. After 25 years the restaurant's traditional Fish Soup is still based on an old family recipe, the soup is made fresh every day and served brimming with Wahoo, Mahi Mahi and Grouper. Francine reveals that the secret to the taste is a twig of basil, otherwise known in Aruba as Yerb'i Hole, grown in her garden. Francine says that the best way to enjoy the fish soup is with a piece of the restaurant's buttery funchi – baked polenta or with a slice of traditional Pan Bati – corn meal pancake wedges.
At the helm, Francine is a passionate restaurateur, who cares deeply about the restaurant’s dinner experience making sure each one of her guests enjoys his meal to the fullest. Combined with Herby’s passion for fish and fishing, the last 25 years flew by quickly.
The Driftwood restaurant menu still features the largest Shrimp in the sea, Fresh Fish & Caribbean Lobster even Alaska King Crab Legs, all cooked in a variety of tasty ways with garlic and wine, curry and cream, in the traditional Creole style, or blackened, while also offering famous combination platters making any seafood lover’s dream, come true.
Meat eaters will be pleased with the restaurant Black Angus beef steak, chicken and lamb. Patrons find the Pasta Thermidor or even the Chicken Parmesan, hard to resist.
The restaurant is open for dinner every day, and should you desire to catch you own fish for dinner, join the owner on Driftwood I and Driftwood II for a half or full day deep sea fishing charter.
Happy Anniversary Driftwood restaurant!
Pictured here, the Merryweather family, the dedicated staff members of the restaurant, some local taxi drivers who dropped in to congratulate the family, besides assorted friend and acquantances.
