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KOALKEEL RESTAURANT email: koalkeel@anguillanet.com
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History
Originally constructed in the 1700’s as a sugar and cotton plantation, KoalKeel Restaurant was built by slave labor for a Dutch family from St. Maarten who owned the property. It was part of an estate whose acreage extended down to Crocus bay. Just across what is now that Valley road stands a yellow house with a bright red roof. This house was part of the original estate and was utilized as slave’s quarters.
Emancipation of the slaves in the 19th century combined with years of drought and famine resulted in abandonment by the plantation owners. Eventually the forsaken properties were purchased by the decedents of the very slaves whose blood and sweat tilled the land.
After a series of owners and divided parcel ship of the estate, the building came into the hands of Gussie Hodge who leased it to the British Government as a residence for the medical doctor assigned to Anguilla by the British Sovereign. Due to the small population of the island, the medical doctor doubled as Chief of Police and Magistrate.
A long list of representatives of the British Crown inhabited the six room house which continued through the early and mid 20th century. Because of the professional responsibilities of its occupants the estate became known as the “Warden’s Place.”
After the revolution of 1967 and the eventual elimination of the position of magistrate the house was once again left empty. In the early 1970’s the Gumbs’ family purchased the abandoned house and began the restoration in 1984. Every attempt was made to correctly match materials to the original stonework around the base of the building, once again exposing the rocks from the cliffs at Limestone Bay. Where needed, additional stone and dirt were gathered from certain parts of the island to restore the Old Rock Oven and today, just as in years past the Old Rock Oven is fired up to slow-cook foods just as it did hundreds of years ago.
In 1989 KoalKeel Restaurant was built in place of what used to be the garden. Meticulous detail was used in the duplication of the style of the Old House. In 1994, construction of the wine cellar, Le Dôme was completed. In its construction the builders again searched the hills of Limestone Bay to match the solid Limestone staircase and interior and exterior walls to the original structure. Housed 17 feet below ground level, the fully temperature controlled Le Dôme houses approximately 15,000 bottles and represents wines from around the world. KoalKeel is currently the proud recipient of a Wine Spectator award for its carefully selected wine list as it has been for several years in the past.
Upstairs in “Le Petit Patissier,” is the English salon where you can have tea and pastries, browse amongst antiques and bask in another era. The lower floor of the Warden’s Place now houses “The Old Rum Shop” where you can shop for vintage rums and Cuban cigars. The Old Rum Shop features rum tasting of sprits from all over the Caribbean.
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