Bon Appetit
February 2001
Caribbean Cool

"Great Seafood and a spectacular view cap the dining experience at the Straw Hat Restaurant... The freedom to be imaginative has allowed American chef Bryan Malcarney to give a twist to the expected crayfish by presenting one version of it in a Spring Roll."

Conde Nast Traveler
May 1999
Hot List - A Global Guide

50 Hot Tables - The World's Most Exciting Restaurants - American Expats Anne and Peter Parles opened Straw Hat March 1997 only to see it squashed by Hurricane Georges the following year. Their response? They started over. This time the couple recruited chef Marc Alvarez, veteran of New York's Aureole. When Straw Hat reopened in December, it had definitely gone top hat. Though the decor is fun - straw hats hang from chandeliers, and the bar has shell-filled sandboxes for diners to play with while they wait for tables - the menu is very serious. A full dinner can be made of appetizers alone: tuna tartar and smoked salmon with avocado, braised octopus on a bed of arugula, Anguillian crayfish spring roll with marinated seaweed salad. Entrees include prawns in red curry sauce with shitake mushrooms, bok choy and basmati rice steamed in a banana leaf and a crispy snapper and shrimp tempura with stir fried vegetables served on top of a bowl of Thai bouillon with udon noodles.

Caribbean Travel & Life
July 2000
Tasty Diversions

Chapeau Chalet: The three-year-old Straw Hat Restaurant is generating a lot of well-deserved attention with chef Marc Alvarez dazzling diners with such offerings as tuna tartar, crawfish spring rolls and prawns steeped in red curry with balsamic fried rice

Condé Nast Traveler
July 2001
Views to Dine For

It's a simple wooden structure set on concrete pillars right over the water, with nine large windows framing the marine tableaux vivants. On this, the south side, are colorful fishing boats and, beyond, the dramatic silhouettes of St. Martin and St. Barts...Rest your arms on the windowsill, gaze down, and you're practically snorkelling amid coral and tropical fish...

Culinary Trends
December 2003
Anguilla: Beaches, 33; Cruise Ships and Casinos, 0

Elegant, yet casually decorated with lots of straw hats, it's Anguilla's only restaurant built in the sea, atop a deck erected on pilings jutting into Forest Bay...world class restaurant with an unforgettable view of the sea...

Gourmet
November 2002
10 Great Things About Anguilla

Waterfront Tables - At Straw Hat, one of the prettiest restaurants on the island, you can watch stingrays glide gracefully between the pilings, flapping their great gray wings.

Latitudes
March/April 2002
Thrillah on Anguilla

Anguilla's other big draw is great restaurants, including several - Blanchard's, Koal Keel, Smokeys and Straw Hat - that rank among the best in the Caribbean. Indeed, Anguilla probably has more great places to eat per capita (the population is about 9,000) than any other island in the tropics.

Caribbean Travel & Life
January 2002
Just Back

The Straw Hat perches on a pier built on the southwest shore; at night St. Martin glimmers across the channel. Try the crab spring rolls or the snapper ceviche for an appetizer.

Unfold
June 1998
Exotic Anguilla

Hats off to Straw Hat, which I consider to be the best new restaurant on the island. Situated on a pier jutting into the sea, its cleverly placed blue lights flood the water creating a surrealistic landscape. Inside the restaurant, brightly painted straw hats are everywhere - on the chandeliers and sconces, in the bathroom - even the warm bread is served in an upside-down straw hat. Colorful yet subdued candlelight illuminates the spatter painted floor. The cuisine is otherworldly, a mix of Pan-Asian, Cajun, Southwest and local...

Bridal Guide
January/February 2005
Hot Spots

Tinsel Town Tastes - Famous pairs, such as Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan, and Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgewick, have enjoyed the casual vibe at Straw Hat. This seafood restaurant's whimsical decor (think straw-hat light fixtures) compliments the stunning sea views. Be sure to try the red snapper ceviche and grilled crayfish with ginger vinaigrette.

Latitudes
July/August 2000
Anguilla: Better Than Ever

Dining out is a serious recreational pursuit on Anguilla and the three-year-old Straw Hat Restaurant is generating a lot of well-deserved attention with chef Marc Alvarez dazzling diners with such offerings as tuna tartar, crawfish spring rolls and prawns steeped in red curry with balsamic fried rice.

Life & Style
March 6, 2006
Celine Escapes to Anguilla

Mariah Eats Here - The vibe at Straw Hat makes everyone mellow! Ms. Carey was happy to sign autographs for the waitstaff during a recent trip.

Town & Country Travel
Winter 2005
Anguillas Allure

Built over the water, the Straw Hat Restaurant is particularly cozy at dusk.

Caribbean Travel & Life
October 2006
Heat Seeking Celebs and the Islands They Adore

...at feeding time, celebs flock to the Blanchard's, Straw Hat or Scilly Cay...