Back in the 70s there were very few places to go for a small meal, restaurants on Bequia were few and far between. Once I discovered De Reef at Lower Bay I did not have to search further, it was perfect for my appetite as well as my wallet and I went there often.
De Reef was not far from where I was living at Friendship Gap, an easy walk down to Lower Bay, a more strenuous hike back up! I would wander down in time to enjoy the sun setting over Admiralty Bay, always a quiet, peaceful time of day.
Simeon Simmons had started a very casual restaurant at Lower Bay Beach, and I mean casual with a capital “C”. There was no real kitchen equipment, just a coal pot with a grill for cooking fish. To me dinner was perfect every time; a small piece of fresh fish grilled over coals, a spoonful of cabbage salad and half a slice of bread . Sometimes I had to start the coal-pot, sometimes cook my own fish, but for $1.00 EC (.38 cents U.S.) I certainly had no complaints! There were also cold drinks in a refrigerator – sometimes there was a young fellow to fetch the drinks, other times you simply helped yourself.
Simeon had a calabash (hollowed gourd) instead of a cash register sitting on top of a wooden ark he had made for the bar. When you were leaving you put your money in the bowl and extracted change if necessary. I learned to walk with the correct change as quite often there wasn’t any in the calabash. It was the “honor system” at it’s best, no-one abused it and I thought it was pretty cool.
Simeon loved to carve, and the bar was decorated with some of his wooden art. Other than the carvings the place was very simple and I loved it. I would sit and listen to Bob Marley as the sun went to bed, eat my fish, and feel at peace with the world.
De Reef is still there and is run by members of Simeon’s family. The restaurant now has an extensive menu and a fish dinner no longer costs $1.00 EC! The food is great, the staff friendly and it’s my favorite place to have Sunday lunch. The walls remain covered with wood carvings and Simeon himself can often be seen quietly enjoying a Heineken at the bar.
