Even when one travels to an all-inclusive resort with an international audience and a wide portfolio of global dining venues, it’s hard to anticipate how the cuisine of a themed restaurant is translated for a mass market whose familiarity or exposure to that specific flavor profile may vary wildly. For example, to some individuals, no matter their heritage, black pepper or even ketchup is considered “spicy,” while for others, salsa with habanero doesn’t always burn enough.
So when the ALG Vacations® Marketing team went to Bahia Principe Luxury Esmeralda for a department off-site meeting and FAM, we were excited at the variety of new restaurants on offer at the Punta Cana megaresort complex. The Taino-inspired makeover of the premium property was already a draw, so the Taino Restaurant, featuring heritage Dominican cuisine, was an obvious one. But as for farther from the Caribbean, fiery Mongolia barbecue at Yurta appealed with the novelty of being fused with pre-Columbian influences. Caicu, the beachfront buffet, transforms into a Brazilian rodizio as the sun sets, and Restaurant Casa Bella serves up Italian. Tequila Restaurant channels the popularity of Bahia Principe’s Mexican properties with flavors from that country – another easy go-to for the families this resort welcomes.
However, the sleeper culinary powerhouse is Naan, the Indian restaurant, led by an incredible Indian chef whose experience spans the whole wide breadth of that country’s diverse flavor palate.
When we arrived at this fine dining à la carte restaurant (one of the options anyone staying within the Bahia Principe Bavaro complex can choose, even if staying at Bahia Principe Fantasia Punta Cana, Bahia Principe Grand Aquamarine, Bahia Principe Grand Turquesa, or Bahia Principe Grand Punta Cana, where three à la carteinners are included for every five-night stay), we were a little overwhelmed by the menu. That’s because a primary reason this restaurant is so special is that it encompasses the cuisine of Northern, Southern, and Central India, all of which have their own characteristics. All of us recognized some dishes and descriptions, but none of us knew where to start, how much we should order since portion size was uncertain, nor if we should be ordering individually or for the table.
Luckily, the food and beverage team at Naan already considered all of this.
With an eye on authenticity and broadening the culinary horizons of their diners, the menu is set up as a multi-course tasting, with exquisite small plates designed to create an exciting taste journey. And with each diner getting their own tasting plate, the chef was more than prepared to smoothly handle food allergies and preferences with tremendous grace, which for our group included nuts, dairy, and vegetarian diets.
For the “First Time,” we each got amuse bouche sizes of Parambha, which included three wonderful bites, each of which paid homage to the regions of India the dinner would focus on. A cream cheese croquette topped with chutney, vegetable pakora-type of snack with tamarind sauce, and an eggplant stew-like blend opened the evening, to which our eyes lit up bite after bite. “This is a really promising start!” exclaimed one of our team members, to which all of us nodded as we took tiny nibbles to vote on our favorites.
The “Second Time” was a medley of intriguing textures. Large marinated prawns cooked in an onion and tomato base and topped with coconut chutney sat majestically on a bed of lentils over QQ rice flour-based pancake. A fried plantain chip, cut vertically and delightfully crunchy, provided a crunchy contrast to the pancake, and refreshing coconut and edible flowers crowned the whole thing.
Next was the “Third Time,” two beautiful, thick-cut pieces of local grouper cooked in a yellow curry. Fresh flavors like shaved radish and grape tomato cleansed the palate of the richness the sauce provided.
The “Fourth Time” was a palate cleanser – a quenelle of a panna cotta-like dessert made with yogurt. A caviar accent added some saltiness to the sea of passionfruit-mango sauce the dessert was swimming in, and a delicate cookie – a different oceanic shape for nearly all of us – gave us something to chew on.
The “Fifth Time” was a stunner of deboned marinated chicken thighs boasting an unmistakable tandoor oven char in a rich makhani sauce whose layered flavors drew involuntary “mmms” from all around the table. With it, an almond pilaf and a slice of red onion and herb-baked naan-like bread to sop up that delicious sauce.
For the last “time,” bellies already fit to burst, was the mysterious “cheesecake” dessert. Described as cheesecake with gulab jamun (fried milk powder balls), it was a surprise to all when we were presented with a pink cheesecake with cake-like spheres baked right into it! A clear glaze held the small abstract sugar sculpture in place, and for more flavor contrast, chocolate “dirt” crumbles and a sweet carrot chutney were anchored by fudge. Full chai service accompanied, milky and rich, for a culinary journey to India visitors to Punta Cana could never forget.
Pro-Tip: Within this complex, adults-only Bahia Principe Luxury Ambar also offers unlimited access to à la carte restaurants as well as the Bahia Principe Luxury Esmeralda our group stayed at.
