The ultimate beach party has come to Bermuda, and it goes on through rain, blow or shine. Great music, friendly staff, a tempting menu and a wide range of exotic cocktails, make a trip to The Beach much more fun than your average picnic. Located near the corner of Front and Parliament Streets, The Beach's extensive food and beverage menus offer something for every craving and taste.

Owned by local restaurateur, Rick Olsen, the uniquely-styled bar and restaurant was designed to imitate the beach experience. A concept he has been working on for years, it's the closest thing yet to a beach party on Front Street. Surfboards, brightly coloured picnic tables and murals with a realistic appearance, complete the decor which is perfectly accented by the facility's varied menu of food and beverages. "We're starting off with a menu to test the waters until we find exactly the right mix but a lot of the food menu revolves around beach-type food and can be eaten with one's hands, except for, of course, some of the hotter dishes,'' explained Tereza Glodenis, The Beach's chef and the creator of its menu. "The emphasis in on fresh food and so there will be lots of gourmet and deli sandwiches and some Baha/Mexico-type stuff like fish tacos and veggie tacos. We don't have a deep fat fryer or anything like that, so even though we have chicken wings and finger foods, they'll all be baked and healthy. During the night time we'll offer more bar-type snacks, things like shrimps, oysters and roasted chicken.'' From Toronto, Ms Glodenis has had chef experience in Canada, the United States and Europe. With a background in hotel management as well, she has worked at and managed several restaurants of the famous Movenpick chain in Canada and was one of the head chefs at what was formerly, Chit Chat on Queen Street. "I'm really excited,'' she said. "I can't wait to get it going. It will all be fun, lick-your-fingers food.'' On the bar side, daily specials and exotic drinks at $4.50 were designed with the tropics in mind. In addition to the various beers and alcoholic beverages typically served in Bermuda's bars, The Beach also features Swingin' Dick's Mango Melon Ball, a vodka and midori melon liqueur with its' famous `Mango Madness' punch. `Don't Make Me Snap', is a Cocktails comes frozen. For those with a penchant for heat, the `Horseshoe Bay Hangover Helper', a Bloody Mary specifically created for spice lovers, adds horseradish and Outerbridge's Sherry Peppers for taste. `The Strap-On-Billy', is a mango rum punch to be reckoned with. Loaded with three rums and three liqueurs, it's also laden with fruit juices. For a different version of the classic cocktail, customers can sample `Sex At The Beach', a combination of vodka, peach schnapps, cranberry and pineapple juice. And for yet another twist on the classic `Dark-n-Stormy', patrons can dive into the `Low Tide Black Rum Sour' -- Gosling's Black Rum with sour mix and a dash of bitters. The Beach is open from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Food is served from noon to 12 a.m. PHOTO Chef Tereza Glodenis Night manager Paul Sofianos (left) and bartender, Alphonso Harris Friendly staff, great food and fabulous drinks may all be found at The Beach