TAO Restaurant at The Body Holiday Le Sport, Santa Lucia

Barbados is approximately 100 miles east of the Windward Island chain that runs from Saint Martin to Trinidad and Tobago. This proximity to neighboring islands offers an ideal opportunity to experience a different taste of paradise in less than a 30 minute plane ride. We recently visited the lush, green island of Saint Lucia, opting for a “BodyHoliday” at the Le Sport resort located on the northern tip of the island of Gros Islet.

Le Sport is an all-inclusive property, but don’t let the all-you-can-eat stereotype give you the wrong impression – it’s an experience you’ll remember for world-class cuisine, highly-trained and efficient staff, and invigorating spa. , Oasis. There is a selection of three restaurants at Le Sport, all under the watchful eye of highly organized and successful Executive Chef Daniel Echasseriau. There is a Deli facing the beach, offering delicious salads, sandwiches and light meals. The Cariblue is the resort’s main dining room and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Emphasizing the abundance of fresh local fruits, vegetables and seafood available in St. Lucia, Cariblue’s innovative and authentic ethnic fusion in an overwhelming number of well-presented buffet selections is an epicurean delight. The efficiency and quick smiles of the highly trained staff are on par with any resort in the Caribbean.

But it is Tao, Le Sport’s flagship restaurant, that deserves the highest praise. Recently awarded the AAA Diamond rating, the prestigious distinction given to restaurants that meet rigorous standards for quality of service, décor, ambience, and cutting-edge cuisine, Tao is truly a world-class restaurant. Tao creates an absolutely delicious culinary art gastronomic feng shui from fresh local ingredients with a Pacific Rim preparation. Trilogy of Scallop, a delicious home of citrus scallop ceviche, grilled scallops over filo pastry, and scallop skewers with Teriyaki sake sauce, was brilliantly crafted. “The Sultan Fainted” brings a cumin and tomato flavored roasted eggplant salad with goat cheese fondant and black olive tapenade. The freshness of the ingredients, the subtle layer after layer of flavor, actually makes your knees weak. All entrees are luxurious sculpted presentations designed with an obsession for perfection.

Main courses take on a whole new dynamic of gastronomic nirvana as the meat ying of menu items like the fragrant tamarind lamb with taro dauphinoise, miso pork tenderloin, duck supreme with whispers of truffle oil and the yang of seafood from Mahi Mahi poached olive oil, yellow fin tuna medallion to the sublime Seafood Tajine.

Executive Chef Daniel Echasseriau’s European training and traveling palate are the driving force behind the wildly imaginative menu creations. The restaurant’s owner, Jesse Joseph, presides over the dining room, gracefully moving from table to table, and leading his outstanding team of first-class servers, who are informative and eager to please.

Reservations are an absolute must for Tao, which is open to guests of the property as part of their resort fee, as well as the general public.