When Linda Pool walked into the empty 18th-century building at the corner of Wilhelminastraat and Kruisweg now known as Restaurant Anno 1877, her first thought was: “Wow! I can make something out of this,” she recalls.

Each of the dining rooms are accentuated by a low exposed-brick archway, and each dining room has a French name to complement the modern French menu concept at Restaurant Anno 1877: Grand Chambre, Chambre Aruba and Chambre Reuben. Chambre Reuben (which translates to Reuben’s room) is named after a loyal guest who followed Pool’s career since her first restaurant venture on the island.

“We always try to be creative,” Pool says with regards to how crucial guests have been for the evolution of Restaurant Anno 1877. “When we first opened, we asked our friends and local guests to donate something to hang on the walls,” Pool says. Much of the original artwork and decor remains to this day as an homage to Pool’s valued supporters.

On any given evening, there is one sitting in the restaurant, which only serves 36 people, and they can be found enjoying a traditional French dish like coq au vin (braised chicken in red wine), barramundi à la meunière (a pan-seared barramundi filet with capers and almonds), or bouillabaisse de Marseille (a rich seafood soup served with rouille). 

Coq au vin
Serves 4

2 oz butter
4 chicken thighs
2 oz bacon, diced
2 oz onions, chopped
2 oz mushrooms, chopped
2 oz carrots, chopped
2 oz potatoes, chopped
1 garlic clove, sliced
½ oz fresh rosemary
½ oz fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 cups red wine
2 cups veal stock
1 oz pearl onions

1. Preheat the oven to 250°F.

2. Heat the butter on medium heat in a saucepan. As soon as the butter is melted, add the chicken thighs to the pan and brown on both sides. This will take about three to four minutes per side. Once golden brown, place the chicken thighs in an oven-safe dish.

3. Add the bacon, onions, mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, garlic, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, red wine and veal stock to the same oven-safe dish. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for one hour.

4. When the chicken is cooked through, add the pearl onions to the dish.

5. Strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan and reduce on medium heat. Reduce the liquid by half or until the sauce is thickened.

To Serve

Serve the coq au vin with mashed potatoes or rice. Place a chicken thigh and a portion of the braised vegetables on top of the mashed potatoes or rice, and drizzle a generous amount of sauce on top.