Nassau's Fish Fry

If you’re looking for a true taste of the Bahamas when you’re in Nassau, head to the Fish Fry at Arawak Cay. The Fish Fry is a block of restaurants and bars, all serving delicious Bahamian dishes and, of course, lots of Kalik.

Since the Bahamas are made up of over 700 islands and cays, fresh fish, lobster and crab are main ingredients in Bahamian food. But the star of the show is conch, a large mollusk which can be fried (“cracked”) or chopped up into conch salad and conch fritters. Popular side dishes in the Bahamas include rice and peas, fried plantains and baked macaroni and cheese. Tropical fruits are used in drinks and desserts like guava duff, fruit rolled into dough, then boiled and served with a rum sauce.

Ron and I had lunch at the Fish Fry last weekend while we were cruising on Carnival Sensation. We’ve eaten at the Fish Fry twice before and decided to try a different restaurant this time. We ended up at Twin Brothers, thanks to the very persuasive host at the front entrance. It was a hot day so we started with cold drinks – a daiquiri for me and Kalik for Ron. Then we shared a fish sandwich with a side of rice and peas and a bowl of conch salad. The conch salad, which is kind of like ceviche made with diced conch, tomatoes, onions and peppers, was a lot more onion-y than I remembered. But the fish was probably one of the best I’ve ever had, so tender and flavorful. Yum! I forgot to save room for dessert so I didn’t get to try the guava duff. Oh well, we'll just have to plan another trip!

One thing you do need to know about the Fish Fry is that it is not fast food. Everything is made to order so be prepared to wait. And you may have to ask the waiter for something a couple of times before you actually get it, but that’s all part of the experience. Just relax and enjoy being on Island Time. :-)

Twin Brothers

mango daiquiri and Kalik

fish sandwich with rice and peas

conch salad

conch shells behind the Fish Fry

Travel Tips: The Fish Fry is located on West Bay Street between downtown Nassau and Cable Beach. To get to the Fish Fry from town, pick up the #10 bus at the corner of Bay Street and George Street. The bus costs $1.25 a person and you pay as you exit. The drivers don’t make change so you’ll need the exact amount (or just round up to the next dollar).