Sweet Adventures in and Around Treetops

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Restaurants

Sunday, 06 February 2011 09:00

By D Francis

"I like to do my work with taste and meaning." Slip through the gates at Coolidge into Peter Harker's tropical wonderland, and you'll soon discover the truth behind those words.

Green is not just the colour of envy in here. It's the hue that transports you to serenity alongside a soundtrack of water dripping and flowing under a bridge and through secluded spots within this leafy hideaway.

If you're not content with simply admiring nature, partake in more inward delights at Treetops, Harker's restaurant that overlooks the property.

He's a long way from the Sealy mattress company where he originally worked about 14 years ago. Even back then, before the company closed, he knew he wanted to dabble in elegant furniture and interior decorating. He's combined all his passions at this oasis in Coolidge.

“All the buildings are done in a different colour to create a Caribbean flair," Harker explains. "The whole business operation centers around the home, and the plants were sort of the finishing touches to the whole theme. The plant business took on a whole life of its own - we sell plants, rent them, and do landscaping.

What I found out is most of my clientele are women, and when they come here they usually bring along their male partners, who would sit in the car impatiently, sometimes honking their horns.

"So I said, ok, while the ladies are taking their time looking at the beautiful furniture, plants etc, the guys can go down to the restaurant and have a drink, listen to some music until the lady is ready, and most of the time, the men always leave with something too. If not their favourite piece of furniture, a palm, an orchid... a gift maybe for a friend. Some even promise to return to do their purchases. What I do in this company is to make one business compliments the other."

Plant lovers keep him busy, while furniture and interior design lovers seek out his expertise. As for the food at Treetops, a full house is the norm, and the entertainment is great. Monday is curry night, when they also feature Roland Prince and Calypso Val. Thursday is seafood night, and while dining you’ll be treated to the sounds of country and western featuring Bernard Valmond. On Fridays, there's international cuisine and the sounds of rare grooves by DJ Inks. The regular a la carte menu dominates on Saturday night.

Reservations are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome before seating ends at 9:30 pm.

“We try to offer quality food and service, and we have a lot of loyal customers, efficient service and really good prices, so we have a lot of repeat customers,” Harker explained. "A lovely ambience.. and again the quality of food is really, really good. I am a behind-the-scenes person. I try not to stand in the limelight, and I do my thing with all the professionalism and commitment to get a good end-product."

Restaurant business is hard work, Harker cautions, as is keeping any business afloat.

We also spoke to Assistant Restaurant Manager Christmond Sylvester, who said, “I like this job, it’s challenging. You get a different challenge every day... something to plan... create. You also get to meet new people and I love to see customers enjoy our service and leave with a smile. I want everyone that
comes through this gate to be relieved and refreshed.”

Harker envisions filling Treetops with guests from visiting cruise ships as well. “We want the tourists coming up for fruit and rum punch," he said. 

We want to also give our visitors a culinary experience. We are joining with a travel agency to teach the tourists to prepare their own local dishes, which they can share with their friends when they go back home. We also want to promote a guided tour to educate people on the flora and fauna of our wide selection of plants we have here at the nursery. I think we have the widest selection of plants on the island, so there are so many to choose from.”

So whether you opt to relax in the gazebo and listen to the waterfall running into the fish-filled pond, cross the water using the quaint kissing bridge, unwind in the garden, visit the showroom to view exotic and unusual furniture, stroll through the nursery for a wide range of plants and accessories, or savour the refreshing drinks and chic Caribbean cuisine... Treetops is your first stop. As they say, if the butterflies and birds visit them, you should too. It’s the place to see and be - a small corner of
paradise.

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