"I assume that you are taking a guess at the year, but Mario's wasn't open in 1994"

They were indeed open in 94. Your are very sadly wrong. They were open in 94 and then lost everything in 95 to Luis.

94 may very well be the year they opened, but they were open before 95

From www.mariosbistro.com

Marios Bistro Website

Mario's Bistro was created in the spring of 1995 by Mario Tardif, Martyne Audet, and Didier Gonnon. As soon as the doors opened, the restaurant became very popular with the local crowd and tourists from around the world. To this day, we are still unsure if it is the particular style of Mario's cooking, the informal yet elegant decor, or the attentive service that makes our patrons ask for more. We believe a good dosage of it all has made it work.

Mario trained in Québec City and became one of the youngest chefs to take a gourmet kitchen in his hands at Le Marie Clarisse. He then came to St Martin to be successively the chef at Chez Martine, Le Fish Pot and Rainbow, all of them located in Grand Case. The project of Mario's Bistro came right after. There, he adapted a concept of cuisine that suits the Caribbean and its cosmopolitan clientèle.

Martyne started working in the restaurant business at the age of thirteen and kept week-end and summer restaurant jobs throught her studies in sciences and philosophy. When the time to enter the work force came, she concentrated on food and wine studies. She was an assistant maitre'd in Québec City where she met Mario. They then came to St Martin and worked together.

Didier is from the region of Valence, France. He studied in restaurant service and management and trained at the famous Restaurant Paul Bocuse. He left France to work at Disney World at Bocuse's establishments at the French Pavilion at Epcot Center. A few years later, he came to St Martin and worked with Mario at Rainbow.

Just Another Ho Hum Day On D Planet

Quote

Your[sic] are very sadly wrong.

Quite a flair for the dramatic. In this case I was going off recollections from a discussion that I had with Didier during the summer of 96, which also concurs with their website. But then again, I could be be very sadly wrong.

Shoot me - I passed by late 94 during their construction - thought it was open at the time.

If you are speaking of the owner (Didier) or his wife - they were very unhospitable; just 6 months after Luis hit. She was quite miffed we didn't have reservations. Cmon - there was virtually no one on the the island - miffed about having reservations - be glad you had anyone there at all.

Quote

OhMy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Shoot me - I passed by late 94 during their
> construction - thought it was open at the time.
>
> If you are speaking of the owner (Didier) or his
> wife - they were very unhospitable; just 6 months
> after Luis hit. She was quite miffed we didn't
> have reservations. Cmon - there was virtually no
> one on the the island - miffed about having
> reservations - be glad you had anyone there at
> all.

The reason I responded to you was because of your absolute certainty of the facts which indeed were incorrect. I find it better to say "if I recall correctly" as opposed to "you are very sadly wrong". Just a point of clarification, Martyne isn't married to Didier, she's married to Mario.

I have heard people from time-to-time say that the waitstaff was short with them. While I haven't experienced it myself at Mario's it wouldn't surprise me since I've had it happen to me at other restaurants on SXM that people rave about. I haven't conversed much with Martyne, but some nights I can see she's relaxed and socializing and other times she's stressed.

donnde Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> OhMy Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > >
> I have heard people from time-to-time say that the
> waitstaff was short with them. While I haven't
> experienced it myself at Mario's it wouldn't
> surprise me since I've had it happen to me at
> other restaurants on SXM that people rave about.
> I haven't conversed much with Martyne, but some
> nights I can see she's relaxed and socializing and
> other times she's stressed.

Ditto - there have been nights where Didier has pulled up a chair and chatted, last year we brought the kids, made the reservation, had the water front table it was nice. The kids loved it, and Martyne was awsome with my 6 year old, after he broke a butter dish and the butter floated down the canal, she brought him markers and a coloring book, she was very swweet with him. We arn't big spenders, occasionly order wine or champagne, but not all the time, usually water and a soda, so its not like were big spenders, and have never seen or witnessed this rude behavior people talk about. They even go out of there way and make my husband his favorite meal, tuna and gnocchi when its not on the menu or specials!

Kim...I have to agree with you about Mario's and having them go out of their way to make something for you. A few years back my husband was celebrating a birthday and we made reservations for our favorite table there. Paul (my husband) had told them he would love a rack of lamb which is not on the menu. And they bought two of them for us. Now I don't care for lamb but I told them we would buy both of them and bring one home with us. They would not hear of that. Martine and Didier have always been very, very gracious with us and we are treated very well there.

Annie

Wow, I guess I am getting older I am starting to forget about my past years.

Until neil clarify when they opened up I really thought it was before Luis that I had been there(more than once anyway). My apologies