Description: La Bussola is one of the more upscale restaurants in Antigua, and their reputation for serving great tasting food is not a fluke. Much like hunting for treasure, La Bussola is not easily found, and patrons must follow a trail of signposts to locate it. Hidden from plain view, it's a short distance away from an unpaved road, after passing boutique hotels such as Antigua Village.
After finding the restaurant, I noticed two things. The first, was that La Bussola wasn't quite what I expected from a fine dining establishment. It was literally on the beach itself, and the entire décor was rather casual. Long wooden tables san table clothes and chairs with beach cushions were used for the seating arrangements, and the restaurant was completely open air.
The second thing I noticed was the mellow atmosphere. Faint notes of Italian music drifted throughout the room, loud enough to be noticed, but too quiet to capture the lyrics. A soft golden glow illuminated the dining room, emanating from the many garden lanterns which hung on the walls with beautiful lattice patterns. White beaded chandeliers hung from the wooden rafters above me, and tiki styled beach huts could be seen on the sand nearby.
The laid back theme however, didn't hinder guests from dressing up in their finery, and dresses with heels and jackets and ties appeared to be the dress code for the evening. I was dining with seven other friends, and thankfully we were all smartly dressed, so none of us felt out of place!
We had reserved a table in advance, so when we spoke to the waitres she immediately led the way to a table which was fully prepared. We were each handed a menu and questioned on whether we preferred stilled or sparkling water. Our group agreed on stilled, and in less than five minutes, a waiter appeared with our bottle and neatly poured everyone a glass. So far, we were impressed with the customer service at La Bussola.
I perused the menu, trying to choose from a plethora of options, each sounding even more scrumptious than the one before. I have a penchant for linguine with Alfredo sauce, which started from $37 EC and adding chicken costs an extra $6, and shrimp would bring the bill to $45. I was convinced of my choice until my eyes landed on the Lasagna Romagna and I immediately craved th latter. The price of the lasagna was $45 as well, so I placed my order and proceeded to leaf through the drinks list.
I was feeling in the mood for white wine, so I scanned the menu and selected a dry wine with a fruity undertone called Stefano Chistiani Pinot Grigio and it was quite lovely. The waitress allowed my friend Jenn and I to sample it, and after agreeing that it was a decent choice we ordered a bottle for $75.
Finally my lasagna arrived! The cheese sauce was still bubbling and the aroma which wafted from my plate was mouthwatering! The waitress brought me a shaker of parmesan cheese upon request and I can truthfully say that it was the very best lasagna I've ever eaten. The portion wasn't the greatest, but what it lacked in size, it made up for in taste tenfold.
Judging from the blissful expressions on my friends' faces, I can safely assume that the chef outdid himself. My evening spent at La Bussola was truly delightful, and I suggest that anyone who's looking for a fine dining experience should give this Italian restaurant a try. I certainly didn't regret my visit!
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