A Tropical Paradise of Food and Fun-- Anguilla is the destination of choice for the discriminating traveler By Jim White Six months ago I had never heard of Anguilla (ann-Gwill-ah). Now, I'd like to figure out a way to live there. Or, at least, visit a lot. I knew the place must be hot, when the most astute traveler I know (Joel Chusid, VP Marketing for American Eagle) suggested I do a live broadcast from the Island--the most northern of the eastern Caribbean islands.    Joel said I had to check out Cap Juluca, an exclusive, 5-star resort that had nearly been wiped out by a hurricane. He also said I'd find great restaurants on the island. I figured it would make a ideal location for one of our quarterly "exotic locale programs" for the "KRLD Restaurant Show with Jim White" on CBS Radio in Dallas-Fort Worth. Little did I know that Joel was understating the attraction of Anguilla AND Cap Juluca Picture beautiful villas with the torquoise waters of the Caribbean right outside your backdoor. That's the setting at Cap Juluca. 18 villas featuring deluxe rooms and 2, 3 or 4 bedroom suites (with private pools) line a stretch of private white sand beach that is among the most gorgeous in the world.  The proximity to the beach is the blessing and the curse for this vacation wonderland for high rollers. A hurricane nearly wiped the place off the map in 1999. The resort was closed for a year. That's the bad news. The good news? Millions have been spent returning Cap Juluca to its original splendor, and it's open again just in time for "high season" to entertain its exlusive clientele. Executive Chef George Reid has reopened his eponymous beach restaurant, George's at the Beach, or you can choose continental cuisine and great wines at Cap Juluca's signature restaurant Pimm's. Kemia is the resort's newest restaurant where you can enjoy tapas Caribbean style and a large assortment of hors d'oeuvres. To learn more about a blissful stay at Cap Juluca visit their website at www.capjuluca.com, or phone (264) 497.6666. The island paradise is so different from the rest of the Caribbean. Only about 10,000 of the happiest inhabitants you'll ever meet live here. It's a British Crown Colony, so everyone speaks English. The island currency is the EC (Eastern Caribbean dollar) although US currency is generally accepted througout the island.  There's no unemployment, no gambling and no drug problem here. Just friendly people, exclusive resorts, great restaurants everywhere, and the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean. The major industry is tourism. The island attracts a higher quality of traveler, most likely because the cruise ships don't dock here, and just look at the view from the southern side of Anguilla! The mountains in the distance are on St. Martin, only a 20 minute ferry ride away. Anguilla is the fine dining capital of the Caribbean. That's a big statement, but true by all accounts. You can discover traditional West Indian dishes at very affordable prices, French, Indonesian, Italian cuisine and even good English food. Even if you stay on the Island for an entire month, you won't have time to try all the restaurants.  Here's a glimpse of some of the finest, and you can visit the Aguilla Tourist Board website for more information-- www.anguilla-vacation.com. This delicious morsel is the lobster satay with grilled pineapple from Blanchard's. It is one of the most memorable dishes you'll ever experience. American transplants Bob and Melinda Blanchard welcome Jim White, and discriminating diners worldwide for the Island's finest cuisine. Their story is fascinating. They've written a compelling book about leaving the Stateside ratrace behind to follow their dream and open a restaurant in paradise.  The book is called "A Trip to the Beach--Living on Island Time in the Caribbean (Clarkson Potter Publishers). If you can't visit Blanchard's read the book for an authentic taste of island life. Phone Blanchard's for more info--(264) 497-6100. Another great restaurant is Koal Keel in the heart of Anguilla, called The Valley. Lisa and Allen Gumbs run this high-style restaurant built in a two hundred year old house. The two centuries old stone oven is still used by Executive Chef Leonard "Smoke" Sharpless to turn out wonderful roasted specialties nightly. A 25,000 bottle wine list awaits you. www.koalkeel.com, (264) 497-2930. One of the island's most interesting destinations is Gorgeous Scilly Cay. Scilly Cay is an island, about an acre in size, off the northeastern coast of Anguilla where Eudoxie Wallace and his wife Sandra serve some of the best lobster and crayfish anywhere.  A day of great food, rum punch and snorkeling can't be all bad. The crayfish is as big as lobster. The spiny lobster is out of this world. CuisinArt is a fabulous new resort on Anguilla. It's a man-made Eden built by Leandro Rizzuto (who owns CuisinArt and Conair). At first, it was to be his private escape. Ultimately, it became one of the most exclusive resorts anywhere.  They've even found a way to improve on nature by building an 18,000 square foot greenhouse that produces incredible vegetables in CusinArt's hydroponic garden. Imagine tomato vines 20 feet tall! Executive Chef Denis Jaricot oversees the Mediterranean cuisine of CusinArt. Poolside, diners can enjoy lunch at Mediterraneo. When the stars come out (celestially and from the silver screen) dine on the patio at Santorini for snapper, lobster, conch and delicious housemade pasta made fresh daily. Of course, herbs, vegetables and more come from the hydroponic garden. (264) 498-2000.   Another good spot for island cuisine is E's Oven run by Vernon Hughes. Jim White recommends the fresh snapper and an ice cold Carib Beer. (264) 497-6261. A new island hotspot is called Sapphire. Executive chef Rexford Fleming who spent quite a bit of time with Cap Juluca and another alumnist from the resort, Pedro Marlin, have opened a delightful restaurant featuring Euro-Caribbean specialties, good wines, and a great view. (264) 498-8000. After a week of the finest wining and dining imaginable, it's tough on the pysche to return to day to faire. Visit Anguilla once, and you'll be back again and again! Do you have any questions, comments or suggestions? Email: jwdineline@aol.com Copyright © 1998 Inter Active Media Solutions. 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