We were on our way to Palm Beach, in the evening hours Sunday night when the car suddenly swerved on its own over the curb into a parking lot of the new Oak Restaurant & Bar at Waykiri Residence in Rooi Santo, Noord.
The surprise location, the oversize OAK sign, the glowing store front. We had to stop and check it out.
The new eatery is very attractive, it looks like a classy wine room and the prominent bar features lots of aged, expensive, single malt whiskey bottles, finicky vodkas, including FAIR. made of Quinoa, and really impressive top to bottom gleaming labels, towering over a professional espresso machine with Illy coffee.
The menu is eclectic — something for everyone, we went light and ordered four appetizers, Calamari Rings with a fresh marinara, Caprese Salad with beefcake tomato, Shrimp and Fish Ceviche with funchi sticks and deep-fried Goat Cheese balls, all very good. We liked the selection of wine by the glass and the homemade Orangecello, for dessert.
The restaurant/bar experience is overall very civilized, the music jazzy, the Barista/Bartender adorable and eager to please, and the staff, neatly uniformed in long bistro aprons and newsboy caps.
What a nice addition to the neighborhood!
Congratulation Ricardo Chirino and family members.
Ricardo already operates an oceanfront restaurant by his name at the Aruba Beach Club. His career was launched if I recall at Matthew’s Beachside Restaurant at Casa Del Mar, then he spread his wings and went next door to take over the neighboring eatery. Ricardo also ran Sweet Peppers at Caribbean Palm Village, for a while, with his sister Anky Chirino, but she moved it to Paseo Herencia recently, and he traveled to Noord.
I always wanted a cozy bar/restaurant with a more classic appeal, he says.
You got it, baby.
Opens at 5pm every day, with featured specials by a Spanish-trained chef, good with paellas, says Ricardo.
