honest, humble, and down-to-earth critic – bringing you the best and worst of food in the maldives.
By Saththaaru, reporting from the English Midlands. Dhonthuthu and I were sitting on a bench on a crisp February morning, somewhere in the Midlands of England. A snow-tipped church spire,…3 MIN READ
By Ibrey, reporting from Henveiru Whenever I’ve visited Barcelo it’s always been to the Alimas Café on the ground floor. One does not go to this venue simply just to…3 MIN READ
we’re eating chocolates in the chocolate room of x – probably my favourite resort in all of raajje and for good reason. ‘you and all the a-list idiots of the…4 MIN READ
‘brother!’ hasanfulhu exclaims over the phone. ‘what’s up brother?’ i ask, eating a piece of cinnamon that i got from pick n save, the cornershop near holm deli. although it…5 MIN READ
well, i don’t know how it is that i end up at these functions of the australian high commission but here i am. it’s 5pm and the sun has lost…4 MIN READ
‘you’ll love their new stuff man, i’m telling you,’ i say to shaari as we meander through keneree magu towards scoop on his girlie turquoise scoopy. ‘girlie?’ he asks. ‘just…4 MIN READ
stepping into ranch, sampaafulhu and i are met by the full force of the restaurant’s bad plumbing. what a greeting. samfa wades through this to the counter and asks for…4 MIN READ
against my better judgment i went and voted. it seemed like a sacred ritual, seeing old men and women trembling out of the voting booth, people who were barely alive…2 MIN READ
me and my comrade caramel suttaa are heading to henveiru after he mistook ‘the bakery’ on ameenee magu for soho. and on our way, we pass a BML ad that…5 MIN READ
it is almost the end of the day, and what a day it’s been. i’ve done nothing but shiver fearfully, reading headlines on the screen. ‘you should get out of…4 MIN READ
zubaida’s house is aromatic: a warm, inviting smell beckons from the living room to the kitchen where she is arranging breakfast fare. or ‘items’ as samfa might say. there’s hummus…3 MIN READ
i’m seated behind mickey who’s taking me to this adda in maafannu, near frosty blue, next to a place called ‘pizza house’. he tells me they make a great grilled…3 MIN READ
i’m climbing the steps to the second floor of opa, the mediterranean restaurant that’s opened near raalhugandu at the old tuskaloosa’s spot (as millennials will recall). manike and moosaalhu are…4 MIN READ
i find myself nodding thoughtfully while an old schoolmate in a grey tux and a pale blue shirt speaks to me with the enthusiasm of a long lost friend reconnecting.…6 MIN READ
by Ibrey reporting from Singapore Ah, Singapore. The gleaming metropolis where East meets West, and Maldivian presidents travel to get their suits tailored and new Ferragamo shoes. As for me?…7 MIN READ
about 2km from our place in trivandrum is paragon restaurant, fabled in kerala for its leghorn chicken biriyani. but when our auto driver ullas, ibrahimdi, and i arrive at the…4 MIN READ
we’re riding with ullas, our crazed and perpetually cheerful auto driver who streaks like a demon through the streets of trivandrum. ‘can’t you drive slower?’ i ask him. ‘you’re in…3 MIN READ
my (real) brother ibrahimdi and i are roaming the streets of kumarapuram, trivandrum in the dark, trying to find a place that’s still open and serving food. we’ve passed some…5 MIN READ
‘where shall we sit?’ asks sampaafulhu as we enter DONS chinese restaurant at nasandhura. this evening, she’s in a tasteful wine-red dress with pale brown dots. the maitre d’, a…6 MIN READ
finally, i’m going to try patio’s sri lankan lunch special, this time with alifulhu, man of great talent and compassion. it’s been a few months since our last meal together,…4 MIN READ
it’s a beautiful afternoon in thoddoo and we’ve just been to the beach where women were bagging boli off the reef. closer to shore, children with nets were fishing for…4 MIN READ
