Saba Snack has outgrown its name

Whenever we land on Saba, it feels like coming home a bit. During the three years when we lived and worked there, the island’s friendly people and its beauty stole a bit of our hearts. And of course their warm welcome embraces and sincere inquiries after our health strengthen this feeling of coming home. Ever since we left the island, we have tried to come back at least once per year, but often we’ve managed to come two or three times in a year. Our favourite pastime on Saba is hiking its well-kept trails. During one of these hikes, we passed through Windwardside and noticed that Saba Snack had again extended its premises.

When we asked the friends with whom we were staying about it, they told us that it had also become one of their favourite places for lunch and we immediately invited them for one, to thank them for their hospitality and the delicious meals our friend had been preparing for us. Th e extended porch, which gives you an excellent opportunity to follow the comings and goings of tourists and inhabitants of the island, fortunately had a table for four left, because the place obviously has also grown in popularity. For drinks, the men quickly settled for beer, while my friend and I opted for their fresh fruit smoothies; she had the mango and I had the guavaberry, an excellent choice. Th e simple snack menu that the restaurant had been off ering when it opened in 2006, now also has various choices in full meals, from Mexican to Italian and Caribbean, and quite a list of sandwiches and burgers.My friend’s favourite is the Vegetarian Lasagna, while her husband often has the Chicken Sandwich, for which he opted this time as well. I decided to follow him, while my partner chose the Curried Chicken, which came with rice and vegetables.

All meals are homemade by owner Maria Zagers, who runs the place assisted by her sister. She’s originally from Colombia and, after she had married Saban Jeffrey Zagers, she opened the small snack place in 2006, when the former shop became available for rent. At the time, there were just two tables outside next to the building. When the shop next door became available in 2010, they turned that building into a bar and built a narrow porch in between. At the end of 2011, they extended the porch and now – even though it is still called Saba Snack – in fact, it is a proper restaurant where you are served good, homemade food for a very reasonable price. Our delicious Chicken Sandwiches came with French fries and a nice salad, while the Veggie Lasagna and the Curried Chicken came with a good selection of vegetables and were declared to be very tasty. For dessert, you can have one of the homemade pastries or ice-cream, but we were happy with just a main course this time. While waiting for and enjoying our meals on the porch, we had seen and greeted many acquaintances, which was food for our souls as well. Saba Snack is open seven days a week from 8:00am to 7:30pm. Full meals start at a price of US $12, but you will have to pay cash.

Source: Daily Herald – By Marga Hart