L’Oizeau Rare: Rare Selections from a French Steak House

Last year on St. Martin’s Day, some friends and I were driving around the island trying to find the St. Martin’s Day celebration on the French side. Since we got a little lost and spent too much time driving in circles, we decided to just settle down somewhere to eat since we were all hungry. Luckily, we may not have found the celebration, but instead, we found a cute French restaurant that we all enjoyed, L’Oizeau Rare.

Glancing at their outdoor menu, the word “kangaroo” caught my eye. Kangaroo? I didn’t even know you could eat that! I asked the host, “Is that really Kangaroo?” He replied, “Yes, we keep them in a zoo at the back of the restaurant.. would you like to see them?” Of course, it was a joke, as they actually import the kangaroo tenderloins from Australia, but we had a good chuckle, and my friends and I decided to check out the restaurant.

Atmosphere:
L’Oizeau Rare is a super-cute little restaurant, set in a colorfully restored creole house, overlooking Marigot harbor. The restaurant is outdoors and there is a little waterfall fountain that trickles by the restaurant. L’Oizeau Rare, which translates to “The Rare Bird,” is decorated with bird sculptures.

Service:
The waitstaff and owner were all very personable. The waiter that served us had a great sense of humor and was more than happy in giving recommendations. They even gave us complimentary after-dinner wine on the house!

Food
L’Oizeau Rare serves steaks, duck, kangaroo, lobster, grouper, and more. I ordered the Kangaroo steak with black-peppercorn sauce. I would have never thought that my first time trying Kangaroo wasn’t in Australia, but in a French restaurant located in the Caribbean. I was quite surprised how tender and good it was. Unlike what I expected, the taste wasn’t gamey or anything, and the black peppercorn sauce was just the right complement. The main entrees are served elegantly, in the French style, with ratatouille, scalloped potatoes, and other small side dishes.

Located in Marigot, L’Oizeau Rare is located right next to the West Indies Mall, just at the base of Fort Louis. It’s hard to miss.

As it is on the French side of the island, all items are priced in Euros. And because the Euro is getting expensive compared to the dollar, expect to be paying a little more than usual for a meal. My kangaroo tenderloin was 17 euros. A 12 oz angus strip loin steak would cost 24 euros.

Located in Marigot, L’Oizeau Rare is located right next to the West Indies Mall, just at the base of Fort Louis. It’s hard to miss.

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