Balls & Wine

J. Kevin Foltz

Balls & Wine

Impeccable Wine Bar and Tapas Restaurant

People know this as the place with more balls in St. Maarten/St. Martin — and yes, it’s called Balls & Wine, a diminutive form of The Meatballs & Wine Shop. It’s a unique, intimate place located in the Paradise Mall near the Caribbean Cinemas in Cole Bay, where you can enjoy pleasant, new and unique flavors.

Balls & Wine has a bit of everything, including the best gourmet tapas on the island, like Tuna Pizzeta, Asian Biscotti, Truffled Potatoes and Carpaccio Deluxe, as well as the best selection of wines from countries like France, the United States, Argentina, Chile and Spain.

You’ll also find a high-end selection of Venezuelan rums like Diplomatico Reserva Especial, with orange slices and cocoa powder, Santa Teresa and more. And their list of artisan cocktails includes Citrus Reticulata, Blackberry Caipiroska, La Vie en Rose and the best mojitos on the island.

The menu at Balls & Wine is innovative and fresh with the best products and ingredients, so customers do not hesitate to return. You’ll also find an impeccable wine bar and tapas restaurant for gourmet dishes guaranteed to heighten your senses. Sit back, relax and sip refreshing cocktails and fine wines. It’s a lovely, intimate place to mingle and catch up with friends.

If you have allergies or dietary needs, Balls & Wine will gladly accommodate. Check out their dishes on Instagram or Facebook at @BallsandWine.

NAKED BALLS CLASSIC BEEF PORK VEGGIES FISH CHICKEN

WINE BAR & TAPAS RESTAURANT

WE ARE SPECIALISTS TO OFFER YOU THE BEST MEATBALLS AND MANY OTHER SIGNATURE DISHES ON THE ISLAND!

WINE BAR AND CRAFTED COCKTAILS

PARADISE MALL, WELFARE ROAD, COLE BAY Tel: 1 721-527-6146, 1 721-527-6145 Email: balls.wine.sxm@gmail.com

TheMeatballandWineShop SAUCES

HOMEMADE RED ITALIAN TOMATO SPICY MEAT PARMESAN CREAM PESTO

BY / ALITA SINGH Italian with an Island Flair

Chef Davide Zagami brings a taste of Sicily to St. Maarten/St. Martin.

Chef Davide Zagami of Sale & Pepe Italian Sicilian Cucina restaurant always has a sparkle in his eyes. His enthusiasm and love of cooking are reflected in the sparkling dishes he creates from traditional and unconventional ingredients. In the two decades Chef Davide has called this island home, he has made his name synonymous with exceptional Italian cuisine.

Chef Davide was born in Catania, an ancient port city at the foot of Mount Etna on Sicily’s east coast. This makes him very much an “island boy,” who has a deep connection with the sea and the cuisine spawned from it.

Sale & Pepe

He captures the essence of the sea in his dishes by opting only for the freshest, topquality ingredients. Many of his dishes feature local ingredients, notably fresh seafood. His menu is a combination of Italian cuisine and Caribbean influence.

The success of Sale & Pepe is a labor of love Chef Davide shares with his soulmate, Scarlet. The two met in St. Maarten in 2009, and their first offspring was their restaurant in Simpson Bay. The chef wanted his diners to connect with the land and water, which he prized back home in the Old Country. Sale & Pepe has achieved that dream for Chef Davide. This standout waterfront restaurant offers outdoor seating and boasts lagoon views. If you prefer to dine indoors, there is also a well-appointed, airconditioned dining room.

When you dine with Chef Davide and Scarlet, you are part of the family. They combine the chef’s talent and experience in the kitchen with Scarlet’s managerial experience and frontof-house presence. The menu highlights a wholesome sense of family with much care and attention given to healthy dishes and options.

There are pastas, of course. You’ll find Linguine alle Vongole (clams) and Rigatoni alla Siciliana (with Italian sausage). Also delectable are the risottos: one with porcini mushrooms, another is a vegetarian option featuring asparagus. Gluten-free pastas are available with yummy sauces, and there are non-pasta main courses as well.

Sale & Pepe is not just labeled a family restaurant. It is the epitome of that description. Here is a family adding care and love as the base ingredient in every dish. This is Chef Davide’s idea of wholesome, and he is happy to share that with everyone.