Think of ‘beach barbecue’ and you may conjure up images of friends, burgers in one hand and beers in the other but, at Amari Havodda, ‘beach barbecue’ has a whole other meaning – as Angie Aspinall discovered on her recent trip to the Maldives.
Turning the corner, past the lush, green vegetation, I was simply blown away by the tableau before me. My expectations, of clusters of guests clutching burgers and making idle chitchat at the ‘beach barbecue’, were shattered. This lavish production was like something out of a Kuoni brochure for a safari picnic.
What lay before us was an utterly enchanting restaurant under the stars. Chefs were busy grilling lobster, fresh tuna and mussels. The tantalising scents wafted towards us as we wound our way through the tables, and crisp white tablecloths fluttered in the cooling breeze which had arrived, hot on the heels of the afternoon’s tropical shower.
Triangular lanterns of purple, blue and green illuminated the lapping waves on the white coral sand. The rhythmic sound of the ocean was our soundtrack for the evening.
A boat, decorated with fruits of the sea sat amidst the tables, which were placed far enough apart as to give each couple or group a private dining experience.
Champagne in hand, we toasted the evening ahead before heading to the buffet. Chilled sushi from the Ember Robatayaki restaurant, nestled alongside dishes of colourful salads, and freshly baked bread.
We savoured our sushi starters whilst surveying the stars. More champagne accompanied my grilled lobster and Maldivian fish dish. I let out a happy sigh.
The moon was waxing; not quite a full moon, but bright enough that we’d easily be able to see our way back to our beach villa via paddling in the sea.
This really was some enchanted evening.
Further information
To experience the Beach Barbecue at Amari Havodda, visit:
http://www.amari.com/havodda-maldives
