Ever Restaurant Aruba: A Foodie Traveler’s Review

The restaurant is named after executive Chef Ever de Peña.

Ever moved from Venezuela to Aruba in 1998 during his teenage years. He interned at several local hotels and found he loved being in the kitchen. He quickly became the Executive Chef at the highly-rated Manchebo Beach Resort.

Ever met fellow Chef Teddy at the Iron Chef cooking competition. Their friendship eventually became a partnership. Chef Teddy runs the more casual restaurant, Lima Bistro, next door. And Chef Ever heads up the appropriately named fine dining experience, Ever.

Chef Ever uses innovative cooking techniques and gets inspiration from famous chefs like José Andrés, whom he met at Lima’s Mistura Food Festival.

I am a huge fan of Peru (love Maido!) and José Andrés. We went to Lima many years ago, which is a fusion foodie mecca. My hubby and I are from the DMV area, so we love José Andrés’ minibar and Jaleo. I thought it was really cool Chef Ever had the chance to meet him and take a photo.

Ever Restaurant is located in downtown Oranjestad near the water.

When we arrived, we were led into a private intimate room with a speakeasy vibe and handed a refreshing glass of sparkling wine. Let the dinner party begin!

 The 14 recessed seats hug the periphery of the open kitchen. Drop-down lights showcase the marble prep table, where the chefs put their final touches on the dishes.

Because of the close proximity to all the chef action, we got a lot of one-on-one interaction with the chefs and staff. They encourage questions as they prepare each dish from scratch.

Love the intimacy! It reminded me a little of the CHEFS setup in Bonaire, another one of our favorite chef’s table experiences.

We happened to be seated by a friendly couple, which made the dining experience more engaging and fun.

There’s only one seating a night, which starts at 7 pm.

The 7-course menu is a surprise. Chef Ever is always working on new creations, which keeps it interesting. The dining experience will always include a fish, a meat, and a dessert.

A wine pairing is offered for an additional cost. We wanted to make it easy and leave it up to the Chef, so we elected to do it.

The tasting menu was exceptional. Each dish brought a different flavor profile from earthy and comforting to fresh and citrusy.

My husband and I are not wine experts but wine travelers who have explored many wine regions around the world.

Wine pairings are always fun because they are often choices I would not have picked otherwise. Sometimes I’ll find a new favorite, and other times I discover what I do not like. Be open to exploring!

Alright, now the fun part. Here is our delicious 7-course tasting menu with wine pairings:

I appreciated Chef Ever using South American ingredients given Aruba’s proximity. For example, he used aji amarillo when he constructed his Mahi Mahi course. 

If you go to Peru, you’ll see they use the aji amarillo (Peruvian yellow chili pepper) quite a bit in their cooking. We enjoyed learning how to use it when making lomo saltado in Cusco during a cooking class years ago. 

Chef Ever tries to work with local culinary artisans. For example, he teamed up with local baker Zaida from T2 Pan. One of the courses at Ever is her delicious sourdough bread.

We tried the wonderful local bakery called Huchada after the Hooiberg hike, but the next time we are in Aruba I would love to stop by T2 Pan and try her monkey bread.

One thing you’ll notice is all the beautiful plates Chef Ever serves his dishes on.

He works with a local potter named Rani, who creates stunning handmade ceramic pieces.

Several restaurants in Aruba showcase her designs including Infini, Lima Bistro, Bingo, and The Coco Cafe (which is located in my favorite Aruba hotel).

Truly beautiful work!

I do not know why it took me so long to be introduced to pommes aligot. It’s best described as a French cheesy potato fondue. It’s to die for.

I first had it at Blue Rock Restaurant in Virginia from the former chef at Pineapple & Pearls. I dream about these silky mashed potatoes.

Chef Ever does a fantastic version and pairs it with short ribs. Delicious!

Desert was delicious and combined two timeless favorites: chocolate and berries.

The cocosette gave it a little texture. A cocosette is a Venezuela crunchy wafer cookie. 

The staff takes a photo of you and your partner with a Polaroid camera towards the end of your dining experience (as seen in my desert photo above). Makes a nice memento.

When we were at The Test Kitchen in Cape Town, South Africa many years ago, the staff did the same thing. It’s kinda fun to look back at those photos to remember a nice dining experience.

Book in advance!

My guess reservations have become harder to snag because of the recent write-up as one of the 50 Best Restaurants in the Caribbean by the Caribbean Journal.

We booked about a month in advance through Open Table.

According to the Caribbean Journal, Aruba has the most chef’s table experiences in all of the Caribbean. You’ve got a lot of great choices, but Ever Restaurant is one you do not want to miss.

Be open, and let Chef Ever de Peña surprise you with his delicious flavor combinations and beautiful presentations.

REACH OUT, FOLLOW, OR SHARE THIS POST WITH A FRIEND!

Questions about our Ever Restaurant Aruba dining experience?  

Let me know in the comments below!