I wanted something new and different at one of Dominica’s new fusion cuisine new restaurants, but I left with an unforgettable fine dining experience when I went to Lacou, Dominica.
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Easy French welcoming ambiance in a traditional cultural setting.
Did you know?
“Lacou” is the creole term for “La court” in French, which translates to ‘the courtyard’ in english. What a puzzling name among many Caribbean restaurants in Dominica, I thought to myself at first. I tried to understand it, but it finally made sense when the owners, Jesse Hoffman and Sutherland Haskell explained the rationale behind the restaurant’s name. In the French speaking culture, houses are generally built with a yard at the front (where family members can socialize while waiting for their meals or simply chill at family parties. In some homes (especially in African countries influenced by French culture such as Cameroon where I was born), “la court” can be at the back of the house (as this is the area closest to the traditional – wooden kitchen).
Growing up, I remember sitting with my grandmother and cousins at the back of the house, while (patiently) waiting for her delectable one-pot vegetable stews to cook. And we would move to the courtyard in the front when the dish was done, to serve everyone, eat together and eventually play in the sand (intentionally) with my siblings, after the mandatory and non-negotiable post-lunch sleep.
At the Lacou restaurant in Dominica though, there is no sand in the yard, but I can surely tell you that the location, layout, decor and ambience truly brings a “cozy” yet “refined” feeling that you get when you step into an easy french-influenced restaurant! You could choose to sit either outside underneath the umbrella sheltering you from any harsh sunlight and surrounded by plants, or inside where your senses will delight in the feeling of being in a mini-local museum, thanks to the different statement art pieces and dimmed lighting that help create that comfy, “almost” romantic feel.
And while we are dissecting the cultural and artistic layers of this fusion cuisine Dominica restaurant: Lacou has opted out of a traditional handheld menu and just went for a portable blackboard which is picked up and displayed by waiters to help you select what you’re going to feast on while you’re there. If this doesn’t say “Bien Joué ”, I don’t know what does! Besides, why print out a full menu when you can just write it on a board? This is “Oh so French”!
Though borderline unorthodox for a fine dining restaurant, this peculiar detail adds to the unique charm that Lacou has, especially in Dominica. Restaurants might have handwritten or hand held menus, but this might not be the norm when it comes to fine dining.
(Prefer video content? Watch the full vlog of my dining experience at Lacou here!)
A French/Canadian fusion cuisine restaurant at a historical location.
Lacou is located within the Melrose House square, one of the oldest surviving buildings in Roseau that dates from the 1770s. Back in those days, houses built in this style (Planters-merchant houses) were very popular and served as town residences and family homes to planters who had land and estate in other regions of the island. And even in those days, the house anatomy followed the traditional francophone pattern, with an outside courtyard surrounded by a cookhouse.
Select, but Delectable Dinner Menu Options
Lacou is one of the top Dominica restaurants where you can indulge in exquisite fine dining. Imagine local fruits and vegetables grown and harvested on Dominica’s fertile soil, finding (once again) their way to your plate through a tastebuds-tickling culinary display that (surely) hides the most intricate flavors. Chef Sutherland and his team are surely doing an amazing job at craftily selecting the freshest organic produce; focusing on the best products that will bring their dishes to life, and your appetite to satisfaction.
What I found the most fascinating about this easy french fusion cuisine restaurant, was seeing how Chefs Sutherland Haskell and Jesse Hoffman use locally grown and harvested ingredients that, with their line cook Guy Thorne (Guyana-born), transform into full-fledged meals that bring you to a different part of the world after your first bite. It could be Paris, Florence or Montreal, who knows! With their French, Canadian and Italian culinary influences, you could taste it all at once when you visit Lacou.
The Lacou team really takes pride in sourcing the best local ingredients for these dishes. After watching the preparation of the meals, I could really feel the multicultural influences behind every dish made at this Dominica-based fusion cuisine restaurant.
Our taste buds were privileged to try Lacou’s flavorful Goat Ragu Pasta, Mahi Mahi Ceviche, Roast Beef Salad and Tuna Tataki! Can you guess which one is which? (You can drop a comment below: I will wait!) These dishes all had varying textures and could either be eaten together, or on their own. The pasta was rich and creamy, the sliced fish was tangy and smooth, the thinly sliced beef was gentle to the palate, and the Mahi Mahi Ceviche? Unbelievably refreshing!
If you’re looking for a refreshing culinary experience in Dominica, I highly recommend Lacou. Their meals will transport you to another part of the world without you ever having to leave your home 🙂
(Prefer video content? Watch the full vlog of my dining experience at Lacou here!)
Montreal, Paris and Florence in one plate: international influences in this Caribbean based fusion-cuisine.
Ready, prep, go!
It’s one thing to order your meal and wait to be served at a restaurant, but, it’s another thing to actually come in and get a behind the scenes view of where the magic happens! Needless to say, a lot of work, passion and details go into this cooking business, especially when it comes to fine dining or fusion cuisine.
Firstly, we need to ‘prep’ our tools! Chef Sutherland(co-owner) is featured here sharpening his knife. No wonder my Mahi Mahi slices were so precise. Next, slice and dice! Chef Jesse (co-owner), is seen slicing up some radish as well as dicing some onion to put into one of the dishes you will see in this post. Thirdly, the assembly: The line cook, Guy Thorne (Guyanese by birth), is assembling our meals delicately and precisely, being sure to garnish and dress where necessary to ensure that we get the full flavor experience!
I longed for something new and different at one of Dominica’s new restaurants, but I left with an unforgettable fine dining experience when I went to Lacou, Dominica. Lacou Dominica is a fusion restaurant you absolutely must try, whether you live on the island, are a returning visitor, a diaspora member coming home or a visitor for the first time. The history of this fusion cuisine Caribbean restaurant and the inspiration behind it gave me more ways to enjoy and take in every aspect from a different perspective.
Understanding, seeing and tasting the French Montreal culinary influences in the dishes felt rare… I would recommend that you stop by Lacou to get a different fine dining and fusion cuisine experience if you are familiar with the concept, or if it’s your first time, this is an ideal place to start.
Prefer video content? Watch the full vlog of my dining experience at Lacou here!
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