By Hilath Rasheed

On the rare occasion I go out to eat now, today late afternoon I went to Café Alfresco at the busy business area of the STO Trade Center in Male’.

Skimming through the snacks I was struck that I still hadn’t tried out that weird-sounding sandwich, Vaayolense.

I had already, in my imagination, related the term to the hot Saddam Soup — to reflect the great leader’s fiery temper — a recipe invented by the now-defunct Baghdad Café in Male’ which arose from popular anti-American sentiment at Bush’s invasion of Iraq in March 2003.

I was not totally wrong. Vaayolense did violence to my senses and here’s why. Alika, always reliable and on hand, gave me a brief overview of the ingredients that went into the making of the ‘violent’ mix:

- Grilled bread
- Topside beef
- Cheese
- Lettuce
- Tomato

And the following three ingredients were, according to Alika, the ‘magic’ ingredients which made the sandwich ‘violent’:

- Mayonnaise
- Ketchup sauce
- Pepper

Alika explained to me that: “Girls particularly liked the mix of tastes among mayonnaise, ketchup sauce, and pepper with something as tasty as cheese.”

I don’t have any proof on Alika’s theory though But I’m sure I’ll be revisiting Café Alfresco soon again to violate my own taste buds, just as I enjoy doing by trying out the spicy dishes whenever I dish out to India and Sri Lanka.

Café Alfresco has now expanded its selection of Pasta dishes. The package comes either with chicken or fish — priced at Rf65 and Rf55, respectively. A free Coke is supplemented.

On alternate days, you can find fried chicken or fish dipped in various sauces of your choice. To complement for a healthy diet, a green salad serving is also added.

Drop in to Alfresco for lunch and dinner and try out from among our selection of Pasta dishes.

Cheers!
- The Alfresco Team -

In his weekly radio address broadcast on the Voice of Maldives this morning, President Mohamed Nasheed has urged all political parties of the Maldives to opt for dialogue among them on national issues. Full Story

Maldives’ history of independence was among the longest in the region, President Mohamed Nasheed said today while addressing the nation at Jumhooree Maidhaan on the occasion of National Day.

The Maldives has a long and proud history of freedom, and that, during more than 2000 years of the Maldives’ history, our fore-fathers fought many wars and struggled to pass our country on to us, the President said, as the country braced for nation-wide festivities to celebrate National Hero Mohamed Thakurufaanu’s guerrilla warfare to oust Portuguese invaders centuries ago. Read more

It’s 7:45 in the morning. I come early as Café Alfresco opens at 8am. There’s virtually no one around and I have the place to myself.

I sit down at a corner table, under the skylight, earphones plugged in, listening to music to set the mood.

The ambiance is just right. Customers slowly come in. I am here today because Café Alfresco recently expanded its breakfast menu to include more traditional Maldivian cuisine.

I choose ‘baraboa mas-huni’, a type of salad made from mixing pumpkin, spice and of course fish which is the staple Maldivian diet.

The Alfresco breakfast package comes with a Sunquick orange drink and a Nescafe’ coffee.

I quite enjoyed the pumpkin mas-huni because the mixing of ingredients was excellent. I particularly liked the fact that sun-dried chili were put into the mix to give a truly traditional local taste.

After downing the breakfast, I sit listening to more music while sipping my black coffee at a leisurely pace. But soon it will be 9am and I would have to head off for work.

I would gladly return for a second round of pumpkin mas-huni: The atypical restaurant will “specialize” in giving something unique to the customer and that’s what sets a place apart from others. Alfresco has done just that, ensuring that customers get to repeat a truly exceptional gastronomical experience.

-Isse-

Café Alfresco will be readjusting coffee prices from tomorrow to reflect current market realities.

As of 1 February 2010, a cup of Lavazza coffee will be available for Rf20, the price at which Lavazza is now sold at most cafes and restaurants.

However, we are pleased to announce that Café Alfresco Loyalty Club Card-holding members will continue to enjoy a cup of Lavazza coffee at a 5 percent discount. Application forms for Alfresco Club Card are available from the café counter.

We are pleased that Café Alfresco, which first popularized Lavazza coffee in Maldives and set off the ‘coffee culture’ phenomenon here, continues to uphold the quality of Lavazza coffee with our state-of-the-art brewing and filtration apparatus.

We thank all our beloved customers for their understanding.

- The Management and Staff of Café Alfresco -