For the past few weeks of being back from the Maldives, I really have been dreaming about a return. Wishing the day will come when virtual reality will take you back for a few brief moments while you’re on your lunch break. Instead, I’m currently planning a return to the Maldives next year and one of those place I’ll be returning to – is Velassaru. The island is just a short 25 minutes journey from Male International Airport and arriving here is like being transported to heaven, the culinary kind – full of food, wines and pure indulgence.
If you read my post all about our stay at this island, then you’ll know just how much I fell in love with Velassaru. Upon arrival, our journey at this resort started with no less than lunch at one of its restaurants – Chill Bar. Perched over the clear lagoon waters of the ocean, Chill Bar offers an amazing selection of cocktails and tapas to satisfy even the fussiest of eaters. They specifically specialise in cocktails and the mixologists they have are nothing short of magicians when they get their hand on an array of spirits and fruit juices. My passion fruit martini was simply fantastic and the views while sipping on it were stunning.
Food wise you can expect modern small plates with flavours and influences taken from across the globe. I loved the Mexican chicken spring rolls, filled with crispy fried chicken, beans, corn and vegetables – served alongside a cream cheese sauce for dipping. Just as delectable were the fingers of fried halloumi cheese. Each stick had been covered in a golden sesame crust and a chunky tomato salsa on the side for dunking.
Tapas seemed to be constantly arriving from the kitchen during our lunch. Jamon serrano, a creamy seafood ceviche and juicy gambas al ajillo – soaked in a garlic oil. A visit to this resort wouldn’t be the same without taking out the optional Velassaru Indulgence Plan. For not a huge supplement extra, the Velassaru Indulgence plan is a carefully crafted package that offers the finest culinary experiences and a range of extras while staying here. Lunch at Turquoise Restaurant, drinks at Fen Bar or these delicious tapas from Chill Bar. Even dinner can be taken at any of the resort restaurants, as well as complimentary soft drinks, juices, water and the harder stuff – such as house beer, selection of wines and premium range of spirits. The Velassaru Indulgence package also includes complimentary snorkelling equipment and the two-hour use of an ocean kayak. It really is the only way to explore all of this resorts culinary excitement.
While we didn’t quite manage to get around all of the restaurants here in one day (we tried our best!), the islands Teppenyaki Restaurant is one of the most striking – perched across the white sands and located in the middle of the ocean. Here guest can dine by the water’s edge on a selection of Japanese delicacies such as sushi, sashimi and innovative grilled dishes.
Food and drink isn’t just allocated to the islands restaurants & bars, but extended into almost every experience possible. Nibbles by the pool, fresh cakes in your room upon arrival or in this case – delicious canapés and chilled Champagne on a cruise into the sunset. It was such a romantic and serene experience. Now a memory which we will cherish for a lifetime.
When it comes to evening dining on this island it really is a hard choice to make, especially on your first night – because all you will want to do is try everything. While our stomachs couldn’t quite manage that, we finally settled on what is probably the most romantic restaurant on the island, Sand Restaurant. Spectacular oceanfront dining, with views across the ocean and your feet buried in the sand beneath you.
Delicious homemade bread and Pacific oysters started off our meal. The menu here at Sand Restaurant has just about everything you could hope for on it, with a Pan-Indian Ocean influence at its core and a taste of the Mediterranean creeping its way in through the occasional dishes.
For our starters we tucked into a huge plate filled with thinly sliced Black Angus beef carpaccio, which was topped with juicy shimeji mushrooms, rocket salad and a wasabi cream which had the perfect balance of heat to it. Even better still was the gigantic tempura prawns on a bed of mango sauce. Everything was perfectly cooked, the prawns incredibly juicy and the mango sauce cut through that oily batter beautifully.
Our main courses really blew us away here at Sand Restaurant. That’s what makes this Velassaru Indulgence Plan so attractive. Prawns this big and lobsters this succulent would cost you an absolute fortune back in the UK – but here you can order almost anything you like and not have to worry about that final bill as it’s all arranged upfront. The grilled prawns we ate were prehistoric in size and most likely the biggest I’m ever to come across. How they cook such a large prawn, so incredibly well is beyond me. The grilled lobster was just as spectacular, but the star was the Maldivian yellow fin tuna. The fish was very simply cooked, but with so much precision and just a drizzle of olive oil – simplicity at its finest. The Maldives is home to some of the best tuna in the world and must be experienced at least once while staying here.
Dessert was nothing short of spectacular and ended up being one of the best warm chocolate fondants we’ll probably ever lay our eyes upon again. Rich, decadent and oh-so chocolatey. It was served with a refreshing fruit coulis and vanilla ice cream. After dinner we spent the evening on the beach, enjoying the full-moon party which we were lucky enough to have being held on the day we arrived.
Breakfast is served in the main buffet restaurant, Vela. Full of live cooking stations and some lovely casual seating areas. Choose from either the coolness of the indoor dining room or outside tables, basking in the morning sun.
There is quite literally everything here to choose from over breakfast. A selection of exotic fruits from across the world. Freshly squeeze juices and chilled Champagne on ice – the latter being my perfect start to a morning when on vacation.
A huge chunk of fresh honeycomb was dripping onto the plates below them. Every jam and condiment you could wish for was on offer and a vast array of pickled vegetables – perfect for pairing with the cheese and freshly made breads.
Slices of cured duck breast, spicy salami, mature cheese and freshly prepared sushi rolls were just a few of the other foods on offer. We felt completely spoilt for choice and this was just a snapshot of what was available every morning.
When it comes to food in the Maldives, Velassaru is a very special place. Almost every moment and experience at this resort is filled with food and drink and for the foodie in you this really is as good as it gets, with just about everything you could ever want from a luxury escape in the Indian Ocean. Will we be back? Of course – it’s not a matter of if, but simply when. If you like what you see just as much as I experienced, then read all about my stay at Velassaru and everything this beautiful island has to offer.
Kuoni (01306 747008 or www.kuoni.co.uk) offers 7 nights with breakfast at the 5-star Velassaru, Maldives in a Deluxe Bungalow, including flights with Sri Lankan Airlines from Heathrow and group transfers in resort. Prices for May 2017 are from £1,458 per person, based on two adults sharing. To book please quote: IO0001
NB: I was invited to review and my stay was complimentary. All views are as always, my own. My views are not influenced by anyone other than my own palate and slightly poor eyesight.
If there was ever a shade of doubt the I wanted to visit the Maldives it’s gone after reading your posts!
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haha. I can’t wait to see your travel plans next year!