Roland Schoefer’s little piece of paradise

Roland and his dog, Alex, keep one of the guests
company

Friday,  January 14, 2005

It is easy to drive right past Roland’s Garden at Cottage just past the turn-off to Frank Sound on the main road, between Bodden Town and East End, but missing Roland’s means missing a lot. 

As owner Roland Schoefer says, his Garden is, “Not just another Restaurant,” and the friendly and informal atmosphere at Roland’s gives the guest the feeling of being a ‘friend’ rather than a just a ‘customer.’ 

As you sit among the beautiful plants in the Garden, it is refreshing to be able to relax, without the feeling of being rushed. As one sits and talks with friends, or with Mr Shoefer himself (recommended if you appreciate an extremely dry sense of humour), one feels less and less like a stranger, and more and more at home. 

Like many places here, Roland’s Tropical Garden is recovering from the effects of Hurricane Ivan. “I started just a couple of months before the hurricane, and the tables were filled with guests every night,” Roland said. “Since then, they have not been filled up so often, but I am hoping that people will re-discover us and start coming back here again.” 

Mr Schoefer has over twenty years’ experience as a chef, and ran the Lighthouse Restaurant from 1985 to 1992, shortly after coming here from Germany. 

Mr Schoefer explained just how the Garden is different from a restaurant: “There is no menu; whatever I cook each night is what everybody gets,” he says. “If I get fresh items, such as fresh fish or fresh lobster, then I use them. If I get a fresh fish, I make fish procuto, with melon as an appetizer, or possibly carpacio made from fresh tuna. Sometimes I might add a thin slice of feta cheese, or pesto made from herbs, before the main course,” said Mr Schoefer. Guests at Roland’s Garden are normally served a total of five courses.

Another change from a restaurant is that there is no bill; guests give whatever they think that the meal was worth when they leave.

There is no liquor licence at Roland’s, so his advice is to, “Bring your own bottle.”

If you would like to visit Roland’s, it is best to make a reservation, by telephoning him on 947 7570 or 926 7670.

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