Iconic Harbour Island restaurant Sip Sip will open its first outpost location at the ultra-exclusive The Cove on Paradise Island in November. Bahamian Chef Julie Lightbourn will bring her "Caribterranean" menu -- "Bahamian but with a twist" -- to The Cove's brand new, redesigned poolscape with two restaurants: one poolside and one on the beach, on Paradise Beach.
To enhance the dining experience, and to help replicate the spirit of Sip Sip Harbour Island and its sea-facing deck, Bahamian architect, Mark Henderson, in conjunction with Jeffrey Beers, have been tapped to design the dining terrace and beachfront deck, bringing guests into a fantastic, al fresco, long-lunch paradise by the resort's breathtaking turquoise waters.
The renowned, no-reservations lunch spot on Harbour Island has earned international buzz for the past 15 years. Sip Sip is known for its barefoot Bahamian feel and welcoming environment where everyone feels like a local. Staying true to its original vision and design, Sip Sip will offer a culinary experience featuring the freshest and the best of what The Bahamas has to offer at the new Paradise Island location.
The restaurant uses locally sourced, seasonal ingredients and is committed to supporting Bahamian culinary traditions by working directly with local fishermen and farmers.
"My husband and I dreamed of having a place that was true to Harbour Island's legacy of friendly hospitality, a place where locals and tourists would come for a home-grown, Bahamian-inspired meal and the perfect rum punch," said Lightbourn. "We are absolutely thrilled to be partnering with The Cove to bring the spirit and tastes of Sip Sip Harbour Island to Paradise Island. It's even more exciting that the resort wants to capture our open-air, laid-back vibe, feature Bahamian artwork, and the new beach deck overlooking The Cove's lovely beach and the turquoise water will be the icing on the cake!"
The name "Sip Sip" is a play on words that takes guests from thoughts of sipping tropical cocktails to the discovery that sip sip is Bahamian slang for "gossip".
The design team will bring the restaurant's vibrant tropical colors and fun, beachy feel together with intimate, locally-inspired design, genuine Family Island hospitality, the spirit of historic Bahamian architecture and locally-sourced, home-grown food.
Sip Sip at The Cove will deliver a fresh, modern take on the original restaurant.
The new bars at Sip Sip Paradise Island will incorporate elements of the original, using Sip Sip's trademark green and blue colors, traditional white louvers and playful director chairs. The patio restaurant and bar will translate the essence of The Bahamas throughout its outdoor dining area, where Henderson will use white wood shutters, mahogany bar tops and art made from buoys salvaged from Bahamian beaches. As Sip Sip has long supported local artists and shown their works in the restaurant, new pieces from many of these same artists will be incorporated into the new design.
At the new Sip Sip outpost, the menu will feature much-loved favorites like the spicy conch chili and curried chicken salad, the cult classic lobster quesadilla, and the Sunday special, "boil" fish with homemade johnnycake.
Dishes featuring limited fresh or seasonal ingredients, from Bahamian-grown arugula and heirloom tomatoes to pineapples and mangoes, will be on the blackboard menu and will change daily.
The chef's passion for savory, sweet and spicy "Caribterranean" flavors will shine through in the new, exclusive recipes created just for The Cove, while popular "sips" will include the signature Sip Sip rum punch, Sip Sip sky juice, a trio of Sip Sip margaritas, passion fruit sangria and the watermelon-vodka cooler. The famous Sip Sip carrot cake with ginger caramel will also be served, along with homemade ice creams and fresh coconut cream cheesecake.
"When conceptualizing our new 'Come to Life' vision, with the intention of supporting and bringing out the authentic Bahamian culture, we sought out Chef Julie to instill the spirit of the surrounding Family Islands to our resort in Paradise Island. Sip Sip is the perfect addition to The Cove and we are looking forward to bringing Julie's delicious and inspired local cuisine to our guests," said Howard C. Karawan, president and managing director of The Cove and Atlantis, Paradise Island resorts.
Although famous for its no-reservations policy, guests at The Cove and The Reef will have a seat of their choice within the restaurant or on the outdoor decks overlooking the ocean. Lunch service will also be offered to those renting cabanas at The Cove pool for the day as well as all poolside service. Initially opening for lunch only, Sip Sip will expand into evening private cabana dining.
For behind-the-scenes video, "From Harbour Island to Paradise Island, Sip Sip Joins the Cove", featuring Chef Julie Lightbourn, visit http://sipsipatthecove.com/.
About Sip Sip: Perched on a dune overlooking Harbour Island's famous pink sand beach, this lime green beach bistro has been dishing up lunch, libations and local buzz since 2002. Everyone that's anyone queues up for a coveted table on the deck, orders a Sip Sip rum punch and the famous lobster quesadilla, and catches up on the local sip sip, Bahamian for "gossip". Lightbourn features what's fresh and what's in season on the daily blackboard menu, and the staff, most of whom have been at Sip Sip for years, greet regulars with hugs. There's even a little gift shop stocked with "I never repeat gossip, so listen carefully" t-shirts, as well as global goodies collected on the owners' off-season travels.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian