A full revolution: Experiencing the views and brunch at 360 Degrees Restaurant, Port-of-Spain.

360 Degrees Restaurant: Dining on top of Port-of-Spain

By Nadia Ali. What better way to celebrate a milestone in your life than going out to dinner with your family or friends. Of the numerous restaurants that line Ariapita Avenue none offers the panoramic view of the 360 Degrees Restaurant located on the 14th floor of the Capital Plaza hotel in downtown Port-of-Spain.

We had made a reservation for Sunday Brunch and took the elevator from the lobby the 12th floor. Having realised that was as high as we could go, we got off to see a sign above an exclusive elevator that only goes to the 360 Degrees Restaurant. Once there we realised that the restaurant was disc shape almost like a UFO sitting atop the hotel.

The staff showed us to our table, but not before making mention of the golden metal line that marks the outer end of the circular floor which actually revolves – no not the entire top of the hotel. The tables for 2, 4 or more hug the ceiling to floor window panes. It was a little unnerving at first as we sat, sensing the gentle movement of the revolving floor. It’s slow enough not to give you motion sickness and actually takes a full hour to make a complete revolution.

Before venturing around to visit the various food stations, we took some time to admire the unrivalled revolving views of Port-of-Spain. Towering above the capital city, we could look straight down Wrightson Road at the ant-like cars that zipped along the roadway. The best part of the view for me was the waterfront view, peeping through the shafts of tall buildings to view the blue of the sea and catch the national colours of the ferry which was docked or loading. Looking further afield, the relatively flat buildings of Port-of-Spain showed the contrast of newly designed buildings alongside typical colonial Spanish Architecture of the scattered churches.

Every diner has access to these views as all the tables are on the outer circumference of the circle-shaped restaurant. The full window panes allow for the maximum view. Having enjoyed the view, it was time to visit the food stations, with soft easy listening music in the background we walked around to see what was available. The omelette station had an array of vegetables, meat and cheese to make the perfect omelette. There was also a variety of bread, croissants and bread sticks to accompany the omelette, There was big stainless steel food warmers that had sausage rolls, chicken pastries and cinnamon rolls which were kept yummy and warm.

One thing with eating buffet style is that there is quite a bit of walking to be done, so with my comfortable shoes on I made the rounds. The menu was varied and offered everything from pasta, rice, soup, veggies and a selection of meats, but the best was yet to come… dessert!

Port-of-Spain's hidden gem: A review of the revolving 360 Degrees Restaurant by Nadia Ali.,

Being someone who eats the main course only to get to dessert, I was not disappointed. The pastries, cakes, tarts, ice cream and crème caramel were a delight. The presentation of trays of bite-sized decorated cakes was visually stunning.

360 Degrees Restaurant review by Nadia Ali: Dining on top of Port-of-Spain's skyline.

The prix fixe Sunday buffet lunch menu is costly by all standards, but the ambience, the dining experience and last, but not least, the view was worthwhile. After our meal, the staff came over with an elongated white plate with “Happy Birthday” written in chocolate sauce and a fabulous square of chocolate cake with a candle lit singing Happy Birthday to me. It was a fitting end to a memorable occasion dining on top of Port-of-Spain.

This article appeared in Sweet TnT Magazine, Issue #7, December 2013.

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