NGL, after taking one bite of the inflight dining served in Fiji Airways (and promptly closing the lid), I lowered my expectation of Fijian cuisine. After the multiple Indonesian food disappointment in Cairns, my soul wasn’t ready for another bad-food trip.
Fortunately, merely hours after landing in Nadi, I was proven wrong. Jik and I feasted on some coconut and peanut-crusted prawns accompanied with wine on the private beach and simultaneously released happy sighs ━ that we knew it would be a good trip. And ever since that night, my Fijian cuisine experience has improved.
Fijian cuisine champions the freshest seafood, especially fish 🐟 all parts of taro 🥔 bush spices 🌱 and coconut 🥥 the cooking style is understated (such as braised, marinade or using an earth oven) compared to some other #worldcuisine. Still, it doesn’t mean that the food tastes any less magnificent. Here are some of the Fijian dishes I had which have been forever etched in my tabula rasa: ━
Curry Vakalolo aka Fijian Mud Curry Crab
One can’t go to Fiji without eating the crab, or so I told myself. So we ordered the crab curry on our last day there from the only Fijian restaurant on Denarau island, Nadina.
The dish was a hybrid of Indian curry and Fijian cuisine. It’s yellow with a tantalizing coriander smell/taste and the right amount of spices. We had it with a side of steamed white rice and salad.
My glutton for crab aside, for FJD88, the portion was enough for the two of us.
Rourou Balls
This was Jik’s favourite Fijian dish. She always ordered it whenever it was on the menu. Rourou balls are lightly fried balls of taro leaves stewed in coconut milk. Even though, It looked like nothing I had ever eaten before, the taste reminded me of Indonesian Gulai Daun Singkong (Cassava leaves in coconut-based curry). The differences? Rourou balls tasted much milder and, err… leafier.
Kuita Vakalolo
The heartily delicious Fijian dish, incomparable with anything I have ever eaten, Kuita Vakalolo is lightly braised octopus tentacles in fresh coconut cream. The dish itself wasn’t spicy, but when eaten with a side of bird’s eye chillis and steamed with rice, it was perfect.perfect.perfect!
Fijian Lovo
Of all the Fijian cuisine I thoroughly enjoyed, nothing came as close as the experience of Fijian Lovo. Fijian Lovo refers to the food cooking style of using the earth oven. It was fascinating to see the food cooked and retrieved piping hot from the earth, but more so, it was the experience of being served and eating it together with the local Fijians in the village. That afternoon has been banked into the treasured memories box.
Kokoda
Fijian ceviche, as I refer to it, Kokoda is made with freshly caught Walu (Spanish Mackerel) marinated with lemon/lime juice and served in Miti, Fijian signature coconut-based condiment of onion, cucumber, chilli, and tomato drizzled with salt and lemon juice. IMO Kokoda is the perfect companion of alcohol in Fiji, speaking of which…
Bati and Ratu
I never thought I was a rum drinker until I had Bati (a Fijian rum-based liqueur) on my second day in Fiji. I started with the Golden Honey Bati while Jik ordered Coconut Bati; both were so easy to drink that we ordered another round, this time, I went for Spiced Bati, which was also good, but Golden Honey was better. The next day we returned to the same restaurant because I wanted to try Ratu, another local rum-based liqueur. Unfortunately, Ratu ended up being much more potent than after a full meal and a glass of it; I snoozed the minute my head touched the pillow back in the hotel.
And the last one is an honorary mention because I have yet to decide whether I love this local Fijian delicacy or not.
Lolo Buns
The only time I had Lolo Buns was before sunrise as a part of the hotel buffet breakfast in Nadi. From my hazy half-asleep memory, the coconut-flavoured bun tasted okay-ish. Jik said it reminded her of Indonesian Getuk (made of cassava and palm sugar). I was never a fan of Getuk, but that Lolo Buns, the only one I got to try while in Fiji, was not what I had in mind, nor did it looks like the ones on Google or Fijian recipe books/blogs. So, I shall reserve my judgement of Lolo Buns until I try another one or two.
Mindful Meals With Fantastic Views
Something that I noticed while in Fiji, it was unusual to find beef on the menu (though available in the hotel restaurants, the options are also lesser); this part reminded me of Bali, where the majority of the population is Hindu. Lastly, almost all my meals in Fiji were accompanied by the best views, be it overlooking a beach, river or sea-day and night.
If any of these dishes intrigued you, here are some of the best Fijian cuisine blogs I have found so far: That Fiji Taste and Feeding The Sonis.
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