We’ve tried the rest and for us Simona’s in Bara Navidad is the best. There are other very good restaurants in the Melaque/Bara area, but after visiting Simona’s at least a half dozen times it’s still our favorite.

Some new staff that speak gringo are a nice addition this year. Simona and Carlos are welcoming and accommodating as usual. We’ve visited twice in the last two weeks, the first visit was with Cathryn’s mother and her man.

C and I started with the Salmon carpaccio which melted in our mouths and was second to none. Two of us had the rib eye in mushroom sauce. It’s a big steak that I’ve had there before, but on this occasion it was a bit grizzly. Cathryn had the lamb osso bucco that gave her a food orgasm. Ray had durado with a honey mustard glaze that he devoured before we could ask how it was.

When C and I returned a few nights ago there was a mix up with our reservation, but Simona made sure we got a seat on the porch, overlooking the ocean, our favorite seat. We changed things up having the tuna carpaccio and calamri for appetizers. No matter which carpaccio you order there, I can guarantee you it will be awesome.

For dinner I had shrimp in coconut cream sauce – lots of shrimp, thick cream with a hint of pineapple, thinly sliced bell peppers, served with a lump of rice that mixed in perfectly. Cathryn had the chicken cordon bleu that had a touch of bacon flavor in the breading. Simona said it was just bread, but smiled and added it was a secret.

We found their house wine to be delicious and had two bottles. Since it was our anniversary, Cathryn suggested to our server that we should get a free shot of tequila. We were rewarded with a margarita about the size of my head. The staff all came outside for a laugh and to snap a few pics for us.

The truly amazing thing for us retired snowbirds is that our beautiful meal, which included two appetizers and two bottles of wine, cost about sixty bucks. We would have been lucky to get the wine for that at home.

Pictured in order: Calamari, Shrimp in Coconut Cream, Osso Bucco

You can find Simona’s on Facebook

They also serve pasta and German food.