A week ago today, I got stung by a killer bee in Nevis. Don’t panic! My condition was not caused by contact with a honeybee or a bumblebee. Nor did it invoke any pain or allergies. In fact, it was quite a heady experience.
Oh, how I remember that day clearly! It was near high noon and my travel companions and I sought refuge in the air-conditioned vehicle of our Nevisian host while the sun buttered the narrow road leading to the source of my “liquid affliction”.
That memorable place was Sunshine’s Beach Bar & Grill, a very festive yet unimposing-looking structure on Pinney’s Beach. It is arguably one of the most celebrated parcels of real estate on the island.
In case you’ve never heard about it, please pay close attention now. You cannot visit Nevis and not go to eat at Sunshine’s or sample their Killer Bee, its world-renown rum punch. The drink gradually creeps up on you but you feel fine as long as you are seated. Stand up quickly and that’s a different story. Believe me, things can get noticeably mellow from there.
I am willing to guess that former US President Bill Clinton can tell you all about the fare at Sunshine’s. From all the pictures proudly displayed on its rustic drift wood walls, it is also safe to assume that Oprah, John Travolta, Britney Spears, Ellen DeGeneres, Jay Z, Beyonce and countless other celebrities can do so too.
A closely guarded recipe that was effortlessly thrown together in response to a 1995 drink competition, the Killer Bee is now unofficially a Nevis national treasure. According to Sunshine, the basic entry requirement was it had to be “easy and reasonable” to make. A combination of white and dark rum (he won’t divulge which ones), passion fruit, nutmeg and bitters, it is one of the most potent rum punches you’ll sample anywhere.
The food is fantastic too! We had sampler plates of the fresh tuna, grouper, lobster, ribs and one of the most tantalizing garden salads that I’ve ever tasted – mango cutlets included.
And nothing can compare to the size and magnetism of Sunshine’s personality. He is the owner after who the bar is named. As soon as we exited the SUV and walked up to the entrance, the legend himself met us on the top step with an effusive smile and firm handshake .
“Hello, I am Sunshine“, were the first words he said. After that, his aura took over and it silently screamed ‘warmth’ and ‘a genuine love of people’.
With that megawatt presence, it’s clear how he got that name. The rest – his business acumen and sustained success in spite of numerous odds – is now well-documented history.
Go visit with him when you can.
