Dining Under water
by Karen Lee and Mie Ali Didi
Back in January, Mie and I went on our own FAM trip to the Maldives and visited a handful of resorts. Hurawalhi was the first resort we visited, and the underwater restaurant was definitely a highlight for us!
5.8 Undersea Restaurant is situated by the overwater restaurant Kashibo. Upon arrival we were greeted by the team with a warm welcome accompanied with a refreshing coconut drink. Before heading down into the restaurant we were given a quick introduction where they explained the construction of the restaurant, how it was built and the logistics of transporting it to the Maldives.
We then headed down a round staircase and with every turn you can gradually see that you are going deeper beneath the surface and eventually the sky disappeared. Finally, we arrived at the breath-taking undersea restaurant.
We were free to choose where to sit, so we happily placed ourselves on the table next to the ‘shipwreck’ that was on the other side of the glass. At lunch, they serve a 5-course set menu, whilst dinner is 7 courses. You can choose seafood or vegetarian. Of course, being in the Maldives, naturally we opted for the seafood option!
All the dishes were very creative and were elegantly presented. The waiters are very informative with the menu and a sommelier is there to assist with wine pairing. Every course was well explained.
Tuna Tartare
Seasoned wakame , wasabi sorbet, avocado puree
Seared scallop
Scallop ceviche, pickled zucchini, prawn coconut bisque, pea mousse
Red Mullet
Lobster bisque foam, lemon confit, fennel&vanilla, bean puree
Poached Lobster
Lobster claw emulsion beurre blanc, smoked trout beet ravioli, cucumber yuzu & galangal foam, truffle caviar
Mango Cheesecake
Overall, we had a fantastic time. To be able to indulge in the freshest, local seafood underwater, whilst admiring school of colourful fish swimming in and out of beautiful corals – it is a truly mesmerizing experience.
5.8 Undersea restaurant offers a friendly atmosphere with a good balance of understated luxury. All the staff were extremely approachable, and you never feel intimidated. This definitely carries throughout the resort. For a more romantic setting, we’d suggest going for the dinner option rather than lunch.