Food Review: A perfectly summery concoction

At Bermuda’s newest eatery, Thyme restaurant at The Club at Elbow Beach, the options are varied and adventurous and the prices reasonable.

Visiting last Friday for lunch, I opted for the lobster in cream sauce with asparagus, mushrooms, olives and zucchini. Maine lobster was used as Bermuda’s lobster season hadn’t yet started, but it tasted fresh.

Chef Rene Maypa used the succulent knuckle and claw meat, which paired particularly well with the mushroom, asparagus and zucchini. I’d take or leave the olives in this dish.

Cooked with white wine and a hint of dijon mustard, the sauce was delicate with a light, creamy consistency.

My guest chose the seared tuna salad — a summery concoction that was beautifully presented. The tuna was coated in lemon pepper, salt, sweet and sour sauce and the salad came with a homemade vinaigrette of pureed mango, lemon, honey and olive oil. The dish offered a balance of sweet and citrus, the only criticism would be the over-ripe, mushy pieces of mango in the salad (not the dressing).

The portion sizes were perfect for lunch and the service, by owner Joe Gibbons, was friendly and informative. 

My lunch guest brought her adorable, high-spirited little 18-month-old son to join us. A high chair would have been handy to keep him from wandering around while we ate. That said, he was overjoyed at the prospect of being able to use the pool after a hearty lunch.  

One of the joys of eating at Thyme is the element of surprise; the menu is ever changing. The menu is also very flexible as staff are more than willing to swap out ingredients to meet individual requests.

Details: 1 Cataract Hill West, Paget, Bermuda (On the grounds of Elbow Beach Hotel) Tel: 236-1379.