Something you should know about me, something that may be a bit of a hot take. I don’t research a place before I go. I like a surprise. I like going in with no preconceived notions or expectations. It allows me to be surprised happily in a lot of ways. Very rarely do I get let down this way. However, that also means that I can go in rather ignorant sometimes. When I decided to take a trip to Bermuda, there was an experience I expected. First off, it isn’t in the Caribbean. I know, you probably know that. I didn’t. I thought this was an island just a tad north of the Caribbean islands and a tropical environment. Nope. It is just off the Carolinas in the North Atlantic with a temperate weather profile in the offseason and a more tropical feel only over the summer. Also, I didn’t expect there to be as much of an English influence. That is a product of my time in the Dutch-influenced Caribbean and not from any other thoughts.
But here is the part I really didn’t expect. There was a restaurant in Bermuda that I never saw coming. While most of the places I went carried with them the typical island feel, the Intrepid restaurant, sitting tucked into one corner of the Hamilton Princess Hotel, brings with it a James Bond feel with a story unlike any other.
A WWII History
By late 1940, France had fallen to Germany, and the war had gone from a quiet conflict to a full-fledged and full-scale war of brutal attacks and counterattacks. England had begun rationing bacon, butter, and other food items, and the British were desperately trying to keep the Nazis at bay. Known as the Bletchley of the Tropics – a nod to the famous codebreaking centre at Bletchley Park – the Hamilton Princess (named for Princess Louise, the Duchess of Argyll, daughter of Queen Victoria) developed as a command center and home for around 1,500 intelligence officers, academics, codebreakers and support staff who descended upon the island. Their mission was simple, but not easy. They were tasked with intercepting any codes sent between the Axis Powers and the United States, who had yet to enter the war and come to the aid of the Allies.
Among those men and women who worked on the island was a man named Sir William Stephenson. He started as a Canadian fighter pilot in The Great War, then years later became a spymaster and the British Intelligence Service’s top agent in the Western Hemisphere during World War II. Codename Intrepid, Stephenson was knighted by King George VI in 1945; he received the Presidential Medal for Merit by Harry S. Truman in 1946, and holds one other honor. He was, allegedly, the inspiration for one of his compatriot’s life legacies, James Bond.
An inspiration to Ian Fleming
His compatriot, and another soldier who fell in love with the tiny island dropped into the North Atlantic, was none other than Ian Fleming. The legendary author became a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy and served as the assistant to Admiral John Godfrey, the Director of Britain’s Naval Intelligence Division. In that position, he got a first-hand look at the men who would subvert the Axis Powers at every turn, including men like Sir William Stephenson. Apparently, Fleming was so taken with Stephenson’s exploits during the war that he used him as the template for our favorite spy. Even saying:
James Bond is a highly romanticised version of a true spy. The real thing is… Sir William Stephenson. – Ian Fleming
Need more of a connection to James Bond? Fine, after he retired, Stephenson spent his last years on the island in his home on Tucker’s Point, where his estate was called…can you guess it? Goldeneye.
Food fit for a secret agent
Ok, now I may be a sucker for a good story. As a matter of fact, sometimes my favorite foods, drinks, brands, etc. are based less on a superiority to those around them, but on a story I connect with. So it would make sense that I would want to eat at Intrepid every single night of my stay in Bermuda. But there is another reason. The food is out of this world.
When I think of James Bond dressing for dinner, I think of a man putting on his best Brioni or Tom Ford suit and heading to a restaurant steeped in luxury and prestige. Of course, I wore a suit to dinner. How could I not make believe for a moment that I was 007 walking into a dining experience? But that falls apart if the food doesn’t live up to the moment.
However, the sirloin flight is the meat dish made seemingly for the purpose of keeping a spy sustained. Three premium cuts of meat, 3 oz each, and a delectable sauce make for a true experience. Outside of my triple meat delight, there were smashed truffle potatoes, mac & cheese, and sprouts that complete any meal for a Bond dinner experience.
Cocktails for a Bond Girl date
Yeah, you can’t do a James Bond experience without a stellar cocktail. The bar is full of top shelf level spirits sitting in the middle of the room. Catch this at just the right time, and the sunset pokes through between the bottles and creates the best Bond girl date night you could have on the island. How are the drinks? Glad you asked.
I am almost strictly old-fashioned. Sorry, no Vesper for me, even though it is on the menu. But the bourbon-based cocktail was made top-notch by the burning of a cinnamon stick, and the glass turned upside down to collect the smoke. The smoky cinnamon flavor created one of the best old fashioneds I have had in all of my travels around the world.
Bermuda is a place of beaches, mojitos, and relaxation. But if you are looking for something a little more intense, dark, and smoky, Intrepid is the perfect place for a blend of luxury, history, and a little spycraft feel.
