Tuesday, December 28, 2010

FOOD FOR THOUGHT IN MALDIVES

So here we are again! Just thought I will write some thoughts about food and restaurants in Male (since I am in Maldives at the moment). I guess you are thinking I will be pointing out where to eat or where not to eat. Oh how I would love to do that, but I guess I will get myself in to a very sour and dirty pickle with the so called restaurant restaurateurs. So my dear friends, as much as I would love to, I will do all I can to refrain myself from doing so!

But what I can do is to write about the local food scene and share some hilarious encounters that I had over the years and trust me dear readers they are very interesting.

About 15 years ago, one particular local chef (actually now a lot more chefs are in this band wagon!) tried to convince me that in all good Spaghetti Bolognaise, tomato ketchup is the most important ingredient! I just wanted to grab him by the collar and tell him that tomato ketchup was not found in Italy but in Asia and NO, Italians never made Bolognaise sauce with ketchup! Well I didn’t and I quietly disagreed within myself and let him be! So this journey of strange encounters began.

Where do I start? This is difficult as so many of these incidences have passed by over the years and to pick one particular occasion is difficult. So I will just jump in and pick whatever comes to my mind and it will take many of these posts to cover them all.

On this post my main point to bring forward is that why do restaurateurs in Maldives sell us gimmick food! Why would they call a pizza if it does not resemble anything to the true meaning of a pizza. Call it something else! Why fool and misguide the public!

Unfortunately, they are not totally on the blame here. We as the clients are as much to blame as them. We are victims of our own ignorance. We refuse to acknowledge food as a source of pleasure and indulge ourselves on feasting only to fill our bellies. This poor attitude towards food and its importance as a part of our emotional well-being keeps us in that ignorant bliss. Keeping us safely away from ever knowing or wanting to know more about what we eat.

Of course truly knowing about food and learning about food is an in-depth faculty of its own and one cannot expect and entire nation to engage in this learning process.  However, my point is, why not we as paying customers (over-paying in my opinion), demand food which is at least prepared true to its origin using the closest possible ingredients in the market if the original ingredients are not available.  In addition for the love of food, why don’t we demand that food is cooked properly to the methods required by its origin so that at least we can be assured that the restaurateurs have in the least tried, before demanding the prices we pay for crappy over-rated food.

So there you go, as they say, that’s food for thought! I guess this will be all for now as the subject has much to be revealed in due time of course!

9 comments:

MEMO's world said...

very true comments, I look forward to more post like this

rizzz said...

well said :)

Anonymous said...

Love Maldives but food is not their finest feature. I have also ordered pizza. In my case Chicken Hawaiian which is chicken and pineapple topping and was described as such. Got it right the first time ordered so ordered the next week. What we got was chicken spam and sliced apples. I asked why the apples? They said they ran out if pineapple. Lol The best part was the restaurant was above a shop that I am sure had at least 30 cans in stock.

Anonymous said...

I have had Indian and Thai curries and other Asian food in Europe that tastes nothing like the original dishes....When I asked about it I was told it was adjusted to the local taste...could this be the case in Male''.....Surely it would be nice to have authentic dishes available but like everything maybe what most people want might be what is available....

madcook said...

@anonymous 1
This is a common case even with most "highly" rated restaurants. One of the main reasons I avoid going to restaurants. Why do can't they just tell us "we are sorry but Chicken Hawaiian pizza is not available today"!! At least we are not left with disappointing and frustrated bellies plus the restaurant does not loose their face with patrons!!

madcook said...

@anonymous 2
I agree even in Europe this can be true. Especially in the UK where in particular Indian food is Anglified. This started long before the UK opened any Indian restaurants. It all began when the British were in India and they wanted to eat "what was available" Voila, Anglified Indian food was born!
I agree to what you said about people having to deal with what is available. Why then put dishes on the menu with ingredients cannot be sourced or found! This is where the problem and my whole argument lies.

Anyway thanks for sharing your thoughts :)

Didi said...

Well, food in the Maldives resorts are world class! But the capital city Male' is a different story! Again, isn't it the same every where? The famous Chinese food in US and the Chinese food you get in China tastes completely different? Indian food you get in UK and India differs? Likewise Italian food you get in Male' is localized! That's the Maldivian version of Italian food! This is what the market demands! So its what they sell!

madcook said...

If Localized, they should give them "localized" names as well. Please read the article: AVAILABLE INGREDIENTS

millzero said...

Very well described !