We love the Maldives and not just for its glittering turquoise lagoons and soft, white sands. The standard of food is incredible and there’s no end to its fine-dining options to match the Maldives’ amazing views, with each dish an explosion of fresh and tasty flavours that leaves you wanting more.
Narrowing down the plethora of superb culinary offerings is no enviable task, but travel specialist Emilie picks her trio of favourite dining spots…
Blu, Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru
When hopping between hotels, I love to order the same breakfast at each one so that I can compare notes. For me, it has to be Eggs Benedict! Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru offer a very impressive breakfast spread at their main restaurant but poolside à la carte restaurant Blu definitely won the eggs bene-off! Their spin on the classic is called the Landaa Eggs Benedict: poached eggs on multigrain bread, smoked salmon, asparagus and a lime-coriander hollandaise. Totally delicious!
Crab Shack, Soneva Jani
Soneva Jani is pretty unique when it comes to islands in the Maldives. All of the villas (with the exception of the one beach villa) and facilities are strung along a seriously Instagrammable jetty, with waterslides into the beautiful blue lagoon. If you continue down the jetty, you’re soon met by a mature, tropical paradise – not your typical manicured, Maldivian island! Winding through the coconut trees, letting a few resident crabs cross in front of you, you arrive at South Beach, which is home to the wonderful (and aptly named) Crab Shack – open for lunch & sundowners.
Think driftwood beach shack with swing-style seating, your toes wiggling in the sand, an ice-cold glass of Pinot blush in hand and an incredibly enticing menu.
Crab Shack serves up whole Sri Lankan mud, Kamchatka or Alaskan crab, doused in your choice of sauce from spicy curry, black pepper and garlic. It’s served with sides, a baguette to mop up the sauce and thankfully a finger bowl to rinse your fingers in! Not only was the food delicious and the setting perfect, it was a lot of fun, too.
Tapasake, One&Only Reethi Rah
When staying at One&Only Reethi Rah, an evening at their contemporary Japanese restaurant Tapasake is an absolute must! We were lucky enough to dine in one of their sunken circular tables over the water, with open sides and the Maldivian evening breeze coming through. It’s the perfect location for a special evening.
Tapasake serve tapas-style Japanese cuisine, with a modern twist. The dishes keep coming and the huge lazy Susan in the centre allows you to pick and choose as you please. To begin with, we were served a selection of appetisers: edamame beans, sticky chicken skewers and gyozas. It was followed by what we thought was the main event, a huge platter of sushi and sashimi with fresh tuna, salmon, reef fish and scallops. But the food kept coming! Beautifully rare beef and carefully seasoned fish was the main and followed by a selection of matcha ice creams and a chocolate treat. While it is certainly a fine-dining experience that appears really exclusive, with a dress code for gentlemen, it feels totally relaxed.
