Jungle Cinema and Anguru Teppanyaki to open in time for festive season
Baa Atoll, Republic of Maldives– There’s always something exciting going on at Vakkaru Maldives. In time for the festive season, the timeless island sanctuary in the pristine Baa Atoll has further enhanced its guest experience by adding two new exciting offerings – Jungle Cinema and Anguru Teppanyaki restaurant.
The Jungle Cinema certainly lives up to its name. It is located in a private spot in the centre of the island and is surrounded by lush tropical vegetation. It seats up to 10 people and is ideal for a family, a small group of friends, or a romantic movie date night for a couple. There is a wide selection of movie genres to choose from, and two screenings are possible every night – the first one at 7.30 pm and the second from 9.30 pm onwards. A private movie screening in the Jungle Cinema includes free-flow soft drinks and popcorn, while for a more elaborate night out, guests can also opt for a movie night that includes a set menu dinner.
Complementing Vakkaru’s exciting dine-around journey, Anguru, the new teppanyaki restaurant and the resort’s sixth food and beverage outlet, is a deliciously interactive dining experience. In the old days, coconut shells were used for fire and cooking in the traditional Maldivian kitchen. The by-product was “coconut shell charcoal” or “anguru’ in the Dhivehi language that is then used for barbecues. The restaurant’s name also celebrates the island’s heritage as a coconut plantation, which is still home to 2,300 trees today.
The restaurant, housed in a gazebo with a thatched roof near the main pool, lets diners watch the talented chefs slice, dice and sear right before their eyes. Open for lunch and dinner, Anguru can seat 10 diners and serves an a la carte menu for lunch and set menus for dinner. The a la carte menu offers a sumptuous selection of sushi, maki rolls, nigiri and sashimi to start the meal. For mains, diners can select from a range of premium meats and fresh seafood, including Australian Wagyu, Angus beef, Maldivian Grade A tuna, Scottish Salmon, and Maldivian lobster. Mains are all accompanied by miso soup, teppanyaki grilled vegetables, Japanese pickles and signature Japanese fried rice. Flambe pineapple and ice cream stuffed with batter-fried profiteroles are some of the desserts on offer.
Set menus such as the Sunset Flair and Ocean Delight include sushi, sashimi, soups, mains and desserts. The extravagant Surf & Turf set starts with a seafood soup, assorted sushi, lobster popcorn, pineapple and Malibu sorbet. Next, the mains are fresh Maldivian lobster and Tajima Wagyu beef MB, pan-seared foie gras, baby vegetables, and vegetable fried rice. Finally, the orange macerated flambé crepes bring a sweet end to the meal.
Speaking about the new guest experiences, Iain McCormack, General Manager of Vakkaru Maldives, said: “All our guests are evolved, luxury travellers. And at Vakkaru, we are always looking for ways to improve and elevate the experiences we offer to match and exceed their expectations. As a result, both Jungle Cinema and the Anguru Teppanyaki restaurant have been refined with singular attention to detail to deliver unique, exceptional moments to our guests.”