The Cove, West End, is the location of Anguilla’s newest cuisine business – Poker’s Plank restaurant. It is named after, and shaped like, a once family-owned boat, and is complete with a breezy bow serving as a second dining area.
Located in the middle of a large parking and fenced area, the restaurant opened its traditional wooden shutters to evening guests on Thursday, December 20. They were greeted by the owner, Doreta Samuel, and her staff, attiredin sailor-like uniforms attractively enhanced by custom-made pirates’ hats.
Doreta, who resides at Rock Farm, South Valley, is no stranger to the hospitality business. She is backed by years of experience at a number of properties in Anguilla, as well asknowledge gained from her travels to European countries.
“I am the last of a family of nine four boys and five girls,” she told The Anguillian. “I worked in the hotel industry for about twenty years of which I served for ten years at Cap Juluca. I opened my own restaurant at Sandy Ground – the Dolphin Mediterranean for one year. After that, I had a food van – Fojito – which I managed and also served as cook. I then worked at Luna Rosa (an Italian restaurant overlooking Sandy Ground)initially for six months. When it reopened, I managed Luna Rosa for another six months. I am now here at Poker’s Plank.”
Asked about her entry into the hospitality field, Doreta, known as a very hard worker, fired by a passion to serve, replied: “My original desire was to be the first Anguillian lady architect. I worked as a secretary and did drafting for an architect for about a year and a half. After that, I took up a job as a bar tender in the hotel industry and continued in that service. I developed a passion for talking and interacting with the guests. I think I have a great personality and it just becomes natural and something that I wanted to do.
“When I finished working at Cap Juluca, I saw myself managing a restaurant or something to interact with guests. I also like to travel. I have been to Italy, Germany and other places, to know more about the outside world than just Anguilla. In a way, that has helped me in communicating with guests and where they are from.”
Doreta’s architectural original talent paid off in her effort to own her own restaurant. “The design was thought up by me. I actually sketched it and then took it to an architect who drew it out for planning approval as Poker’s Plank,” she said. “As you see, the building is shaped like a boat. This is actually the bow that we are sitting on. The name Poker’s Plank originated from my dad, Cecil Samuel, but he was also called ‘Lasy Porker’.
“My dad, who was from St. Kitts, had a passion for boats and fishing, but my mom is Anguillian-born, related to the Connors.It is three years since my dad passed away. I wanted to open the restaurant on December 12, because he passed on that date but, unfortunately, it isn’t until today (December 20), that this has been possible.”
When Doreta’s father became ill, and could no longer see, he was still hoping to run his fishing boat after hopefully regaining sight, but he eventually died.
“Well, he didn’t get to see to run the boat, so I am going to sail it for him which is this boat. That’s why I named it Poker’s Plank,like a plank from his boat,”Doreta said,with obvious devotion to her departed dad.
She has faith in the island’s tourism industry and is hoping that her restaurant will do very well. “This is a trying time for all of us,” she observed. “Things have differed from what we had four years ago due to the recession but, with faith, and positive thinking, I am hoping that Anguilla will rise again and that my place will prosper.”
Doreta added: “I think my restaurant is different from the others. It is as though you are sitting in a sailboat. It has the woody feeling. It is not really an elegant, upscale restaurant. I am doing it for locals as well. If you look at the menu, the prices are not really expensive. So I hope everyone – visitors and locals alike – will come out to Poker’s Plank restaurant for a great dining experience.”
She was just about to say something more, but dashed off to interact with a guest – one of the passions of service she has.
