If it’s Friday night in Barbados then you better be down at Oistins Fish Fry with every other tourist and local on the island. Ask around during the week and you will see that Oistins every Friday night is the talk of the town and the place to be whether you’re a tourist or not.
Down south in the fishing village of Oistins, the outdoor food market has become an institution on the island happening week after week. There are rows and rows of roadside food stalls all set up, packed in like sardines serving a delicious fresh dinner from the day’s catch.
After meeting a local the night before I was taken to the best of the best aptly named Chillin’ and Grillin’. There are big communal tables, the menu is on the board and nothing is official. Just sit, order, eat and enjoy.
As I perused the menu, the standard fish appeared. Tuna, Swordfish, Flying Fish…Dolphin… DOLPHIN!
They eat Dolphin!
I was glad to be informed that dolphin is just the local name for Mahi Mahi. Though I am sure I’m not the first to make that mistake or the last.
All dishes come with a hefty serving of three sides to choose from including rice and peas, plantains and the local specialty macaroni pie, all for about $30 Barbadian dollars. We topped it all off with a couple of Banks beer and some Barbados rum.
The atmosphere is pretty electric with the music blasting and a mix of locals and tourist wandering around.
After a good feed, everyone moved around to the pavilion stage and the whole market turned into a mini dance festival dancing to the local music all together.
And then the rain came! Just in typical Caribbean weather form. But no one stopped dancing, which was the most hilarious of all. They all just ‘wined’ and ‘twerked’ their way to the shelter while it sprinkled for all of 8 minutes.
And when it stopped…they ‘twerked and wined’ their way back to the open-air dance floor.
Oistins brings together two of my favorite things; food and music. There was plenty of food to satisfy any appetite and great Bajan music that can only make you feel the rhythm. If you make it to Barbados and wonder where everyone is on a Friday night, it means you haven’t made your way to Oistins, because that’s where the locals and tourist are and so should you.
Herstory is a weekly column on women and travel by Steph Ridhalgh. Steph is a Sydney born; New York based television producer and travel blogger. Not one for being quiet for too long she simply loves talking about travel and lifestyle.
Steph is the founder of STEP(h) ABROAD, a travel and lifestyle resource for those who love to be in the know and know how.
