Where in Bermuda do you find yourself eating alfresco, with the sounds of the waves rolling onto the beach, with palm trees towering over your head, and with a great expanse of sand running out to meet the water? Mickey's is Cafe Lido's answer to that question, and is the brilliant idea of Cafe Lido manager Mr. Gioacchino Di Meglio who designed the bar and restaurant. Bermuda has never had a restaurant that is actually part of the beach, an exciting attraction that tourists think of as the Caribbean way. Mickey's, named after a long time beach attendant of Elbow Beach, looks like it is straight out of a resort in the Caribbean. Its wooden decking merges with the sand of the beach.

And Royal palm trees spring from the decking accented by special recessed lighting. The tables are laid out in a green pattern with small candles, keeping light to a minimum -- a perfect place for a midnight snack and drink.

As of May 1, 1995, Mickey's will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m., serving breakfast, lunch and dinner with a wide variety of snacks for a late night munch. Mr. Di Meglio explained that Mickey's is an alternative to Cafe Lido, something different for the family or for special functions. Mr. Di Meglio feels that Mickey's offers a great way for our visitors to wake up in the morning. Fresh pastries and cappuccino, a wonderful view and the smell of the sea air is the perfect way to start off the day. Mickey's offers a take-out service and happy hour prices at the bar from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. each evening. Head chef at Cafe Lido Mr. Serge Bottelli explained that Mickey's food is on the lighter side, made mostly in appetiser sizes. "If you are hungry, one or two appetisers will do, if not we have a wide selection of many types of food for you,'' Mr. Bottelli said. Mr. Bottelli explained that Mickey's is a new-venture for them. "It's a fun place, somewhere you can order a bottle of wine and enjoy what's around you,'' he said. Mr. Di Meglio feels the same way. "It's what Bermuda needs, it's what the tourists want.'' I tend to agree with this, and when I ate there last summer, I was completely satisfied with every aspect of the restaurant. Mr. Bottelli told me that Mickey's had only been open for three months last summer, but had been a big success with tourists and locals alike. "It has the potential to be a hangout,'' Mr. Bottelli said. Mr. Bottelli and Mr. Di Meglio are both pleased with their creation, and so is Mr. Jefferis of Elbow Beach Development Company. "Mickey's is a big success,'' Mr. Jefferis said. "We are extremely satisfied with it. It gives our guests something different and something that no-one else on the Island can offer.'' PHOTO SURF SIDE RESTAURANT - Mickey's bar and restaurant offers customers a unique and special dining experience.