Best of the Maldives: Pancake Station – Coco Bodu Hithi

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Coco Bodu Hithi - pancake station love

Often it is the little touches that turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. I had to start off my Best of the Maldives posts on Coco Bodu Hithi with their creative pancake station. I already featured the special Maldivian flag pancake made for the 50th anniversary celebrations a fortnight ago. But that was just a sample of the creative concoctions the chef Endro (see photos below) makes.

He uses three types of pancake batter – (a) Red (strawberry), (b) Brown (chocolate), and (c) White (plain). He made the above “Love” heart for me to give Lori and a special “Maldiv” flapjack for me.

In fact, this post made me realise that I didn’t have a “Breakfast” category tag…yet.

 

Coco Bodu Hithi - pancake station 2

 

Coco Bodu Hithi - pancake station 3

 

Coco Bodu Hithi - pancake station 4

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Best of the Maldives: Indian Teppanyaki – Hideaway Beach

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Fusion is blends one culinary tradition’s recipes with another locale’s ingredients. The Maldives is no stranger to a range of fusions incorporating fresh reef fish, tropical fruit and Indian spices into familiar concoctions from around the world. Hideaway Beach’s “Samasara” restaurant goes a step further infusing the cultural show and drama of Teppanyaki with indigenous flavours. Their chef, Rahul, performs twice weekly at their over-water prime location. He yields the knives with characteristic dexterity, but the climax comes with the flaming grand finale not just in pyrotechnic drama, but dazzling flavours – the flambé fruit (watermelon, fruit, banana, vodka, anise star).

 

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Best of the Maldives: Glass Table – Six Senses Laamu

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Six Senses Laamu - water villa glass table

 

 

Glass floors have become a signature design feature in Maldives water villas, but Six Senses Laamu has literally raised the concept to a new level. Their Lagoon Water Villa has transparent portal into the colourful lagoon below, but by making it a table, it’s easier to sit down and enjoy the spectacle with a tropical cocktail.

Today’s post has triggered the addition of a new category tag of the best “Tables” in the blog.

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Best of the Maldives: Pool Dining Table – Jumeirah Dhevanafushi

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Jumeirah Dhevanafushi - pool dining table

Jumeirah Dhevanafushi let’s you have you drinks in the water too. The inset seating is found at its Johara (“Jewel”) restaurant itself located out in the water with the Ocean Pearl villa complex. The pool in which it sits was awarded one of the “Best Pools of the World”. Soneva has one of these sunken tables but for exclusive use of a particular villa while the Jewel on is available for any guest.

Drinks in the pool without getting wet!

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Best of the Maldives: Mango Gazpacho – Soneva Fushi

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Soneva Fushi mango gazpacho

So much is my appreciation for gazpacho, and so apropos a dish for the equatorial paradise of the Maldives, I have now added a special “gazpacho” category to the blog to tag all of the distinctive examples sampled here. Today’s chilled cheer goes out to Soneva Fushi’s “Mango Gazpacho” (see above). The mango is a perfect tropical flavour to the characteristic smooth and silky gazpacho style. If you want a taste of paradise at home, here is a recipe for it (including a nod to Soneva in the comments).

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Best of the Maldives: Light Italian – Dusit Thani

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Dusit Thani - seafood lasagna

Bonjourno! Italy Day today is the occasion to celebrate all things italiano. And the best place to start is the cuisine. Many people think of Italian meal as heavy with the pastas and pizzas (and if you have ever sat through a Sunday family meal in Italy, then you indeed will know the true meaning of “stuffed”). In a hot tropical destination, one might not think of Italian. Usually, it seems that the Italian resort offerings are for the (a) unadventuresome, or (b) the kids (see #a). But Dusit Thani’s Sea Grill restaurant brings an inventive gourmet touch to some true Italian mainstays…

  • Seafood Lasagna (see photo above) – Why don’t more resort restaurants do more seafood pastas (instead of the ubiquitous bolognaise)?? It’s a winge of mine that crops up regularly in my “Haven’t Seen Yet” series (eg. Lobster Mac and Cheese).
  • Light Gazpacho (see photo below)– A twist on Gazpacho made from blanched tomato and garlic and force through cloth for a pure, clear essence of tomato served over tomato and soy garnish.

Now Lori and I go to Italy several times a year and eating are a big part of our visits not to mention that our hometown of London has its own sampling of Italian high cuisine. Gazpacho and Lobster Bisque are my two most favorite soups…and I love soup. I have gazpacho everywhere. And yet, never had never sampled anything quite so delicately exquisite as these two classics with almost ethereal twists.

Bravissimo!

 

Dusit Thani - soup 1

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Best of the Maldives: Coconut Waffles – Vilamendhoo

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Vilamendhoo coconut waffles

Waffle, waffle, waffle! There’s a day for everything, it seems, and today happens to be Waffle Day (a Swedish tradition).

I always wonder why more resorts don’t add a touch of the exotic to ordinary dishes. Which is why when I like to fuss over the exotic soupcon added to the soup, or the delicate tropical ingredient added to the delicacy.

One example is Vilamendhoo’s coconut waffles. All resorts have a breakfast buffet and most serve have a pancake and waffle station. Just a touch of coconut turned Vila’s from an ordinary offering to an extraordinary extra.

Läcker!

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Best of the Maldives: Roof Deck – Anantara Kihava

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Anantara Kihavah - roof deck

From the sea to the skies, Anantara Kihavah Villas’ perspective on the Maldives panorama extends more vertically. Starting from its celebrated underwater dining, the Sea, Fire, Salt, Sky dining concept is capped by the most elegant roof deck in the Maldives. I’m a big fan of lofty vistas in the Maldives – flying over the atolls, Trader’s Azur, Kandooma’s own deck. But Kihavah elevates this experience to new heights.

This post has prompted me to add a new category tag – “view”.

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Best of the Maldives: Asian Fusion Dessert – Ayada

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Ayada - coconut milk and water chestnut dessert

One of my all time favourite coconut delicacies is the “Tub Kim Krob” served at Ayada’s Kai restaurant. Kai serves gourmet Asian fusion food to rival Anatara’s memorable Geckos. Tub kim krob is the simplest of dishes – basically coconut milk and water chestnut – and yet so divinely moreish. I struggle to find Asian desserts that I really savour (especially if you eliminate all the mango concoctions). But this dish I could eat again and again. And I wasn’t alone. Ayada Sales and Marketing Director Niclas Prokop had joined us and like most resort management accompanying us for dinner was pretty indifferent to what he had to eat (I’m sure he’s had everything on the menu many times). Except when it came to dessert. Then, there was no hesitation and he immediately put in an order for the tub kim krob. And the other staff with us echoed his request. So I definitely had to try some myself.

More like “YUM tim krob”!

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