“Mistakes” Don’t Exist Here—Every Bite is Worth Packing Up and Taking

Before heading to The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, I spent three days stressing over (guides)：“Will I accidentally order something bad?” Turns out, the worry was totally unnecessary 😌. The food here is like magic—from breakfast waffles to late-night wagyu, even the air whispers “order with confidence.” After researching, we skipped the HB (Half Board) package and went à la carte: not only could we unlock “hidden” menu items (HB-excluded dishes get 50% off), but every meal felt like a “custom surprise.” ☀️ Breakfast: A Carb Feast at the Italian Restaurant Ritz breakfasts have two moods: dine-in at the Italian restaurant, or room service/floating breakfast. We chose dine-in, and walked in to a flood of aromas—prosciutto sliced paper-thin in the cold case, bread baskets piled like hills, mangosteens on the fruit station glowing purple, even the coffee machine gurgling with steam ☕. Breakfast comes in two modes: “à la carte” (no buffet access) or “buffet + à la carte add-ons.” We went for the latter. The waffles on the à la carte menu are a must 🧇: served still warm from the grill, the edges crisp like amber, cracking “crunch” when bitten, while the inside is soft as a cloud. Drizzled with maple syrup, the sweetness hits just right—even my husband, who hates sweets, stole bites. Dessert lovers, run to the bread station 🥐: croissants flaky, butter exploding when torn; chocolate rolls with lava-like filling 🍫, sweetness perfectly tamed; coconut sprinkled buns, even when eaten plain. I ate there three days straight and still hadn’t tried half by checkout—regretted not shoving the basket in my suitcase. Pro tip: Mangoesteen fans, just ask the staff! They’ll bring a plate of peeled ones, flesh white as garlic cloves, juice dripping down your fingers—fresh like they were picked that morning 🍇. Oh, and breakfast is $65/person, with an 20% discount for Platinum Members—suddenly way more worth it 💸. La Locanda (Italian Restaurant)｜Prosciutto Mountains, Foie Gras Steals the Steak’s Thunder First night, we headed straight for the Italian restaurant, lured by the oven’s smoky aroma 🔥. The prosciutto on the menu was first to go 🍖: served in a pink, silken pile, paired with melon and arugula. Salty-sweet, fruity, I almost sopped up the olive oil with bread. My husband insisted on steak, which was a tiny let-down: the meat wasn’t standout, no unique flavor (steak snobs, skip). But the foie gras on top was a revelation 🍯—seared crispy outside, meltingly soft inside, oozing when cut. Mixed with steak juices, it’s buttery rich, good enough to order a second helping. A local friend’s hack worked: order all steaks medium-rare. Perfect—pink-centered, tender enough to cut with a fork; medium-well (our usual) would’ve been overcooked, like well-done back home. The roast chicken is also a winner 🍗: golden, crispy skin, juices squirting when torn, rosemary scent in the meat. Pair with grilled veggies—refreshing and satisfying. Later, we had a red snapper from our fishing trip cooked here 🐟: simply salted, lemon-grilled, flesh tender as pudding, even the bones tasted of sea sweetness—turns out, “local catch” is the truest Italian flavor. :Eau Bar (Japanese Restaurant)｜Wagyu and King Crab Tempura—Still Dreaming of It Back Home Our last night at the Japanese restaurant became a favorite ❤️. The wagyu grilled on magnolia leaves is iconic 🥩: thick slices, seared slowly, fat melting into the leaf’s fragrance. It melts on the tongue, meaty richness exploding—dip barely matters. The king crab tempura is even better 🦀: whole crab legs, lightly battered, fried golden-crisp, “crunch” when bitten, inside tender and white. Best part? Watermelon cubes underneath—cool sweetness cutting the oil, plus a citrusy, tangy sauce. Nothing like tempura back home. We lucked into a Chinese-speaking staff member, who, learning it was our first visit, snuck us miso soup 🍲 and hand ro #RitzCarlton #Maldives #FoodAndTravel #FoodInTravel #MaldivesHotelFood