By Katie Chang From Forbes

It’s taken over a decade to unveil its first phase (and is still being unveiled in stages), but Baha Mar, the $4.2 billion Bahamian resort encompassing a whopping 3,000 square feet on Cable Beach, is proving to be well worth the wait with its world-class amenities. Swanky hotels? Check. (The Grand Hyatt Baha Mar and SLS Baha Mar are open, and the Rosewood Baha Mar is to open in April.) Casino? Check. (Baha Mar is home to the Caribbean’s largest one.) Golf course? Check. Beachy pleasures? Check.

But what might surprise you is Baha Mar’s expansive culinary offerings. With over 20 options spread across the resort, there’s no shortage of spots to eat and drink really well. But since hitting them all is probably out of reach, here’s a handy guide to four restaurants you shouldn’t miss.

Fi’lia

I knew we were in good hands as soon our server brought us warm, crusty bread and snipped fresh oregano from the potted plant on our table into a dish of fruity olive oil. (It’s a thoughtful, complimentary gesture that kicks off every meal here.) Though there are no surprises at this Italian spot led by James Beard Award winning chef Michael Schwartz, that’s a very good thing. All the staples are well-executed and dependably delicious, like the caesar salad, which is dramatically tossed table side. Pizzas are perfectly charred and crispy, thanks to the roaring, wood-fired oven, and all the pastas are made in-house. Be sure to try the Squid Ink Campanelle, a rich, toothsome knockout loaded with pristine seafood and finished with crunchy breadcrumbs and fragrant fennel pollen.

Discreetly tucked away on the ground floor of the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, Shuang Ba elevates regional Chinese cuisine to refined, new heights. As the name translates to “double eight,” there are 88 menu items and 88 seats. And to ensure the highest level of authenticity, the restaurant brought in 15 chefs from China, all of whom have a specialty, ranging from dim sum to noodle-pulling. While traditional dishes like peking duck are prepared with utmost care, there are whimsical creations, too, like the cherry foie gras and Chaozhou-style truffle dumplings. The restaurant also boasts the largest Baijiu menu in the Caribbean. But because the Chinese grain spirit is so fiery and bold, there’s Baijiu-based cocktails to help ease some of the burn. In one Night in Beijing, for example, it gets balanced with vodka, Cointreau, and cranberry juice.

There’s many reasons why you shouldn’t miss this Mediterranean spot helmed by Chef Danny Elmaleh. For starters, you’ll be hard-pressed to find this type of cuisine (and of this high quality, no less) anywhere in the area. And the spacious dining room – decked out in elegant flourishes like marble top tables, twinkling pendant lighting, and lattice wallwork – provides a dreamy backdrop to your dinner. While the entrees are no slouch, it’s more fun to make a feast of some shared plates. I recommend beginning with a dip, which arrives with puffy laffa bread – the smoky babaganoush is especially solid – before tucking into some of the house specialities like the lamb shawarma, crispy brussels sprouts, and spicy cigars. (Imagine crunchy spring rolls stuffed with spicy ground beef and creamy cheese.)

Katsuya

It’s a culinary and design match made in heaven with chef Katsuya Uechi’s spins on familiar and innovative Japanese cuisine and design impresario Philippe Starck’s sleek aesthetic. The restaurant seats up to 250 guests, and there’s ample outdoor seating if you prefer to dine al fresco. Like Katuya’s other outposts worldwide – this is the tenth one – the food is both easy on the eyes and the palate. Among the best-selling signature plates are the crispy rock shrimp with a spicy aioli, baked crab hand rolls, and miso black cod. But don’t miss the conch-oyaki, which is unique to this location. A playful riff on local conch fritters, these star fresh conch meat that’s fried in a lacy, light tempura batter before getting finished with a smattering of bonito flakes.

IMAGES:

SLS Baha Mar
Cleo by chef Danny Elmaleh features a Mediterranean, shared-plate menu.
Cleo

Tadeu Brunelli
The entrance to Shuang Ba at the Grand Hyatt Bahaha Mar
Shuang Ba

Tadeu Brunelli
The cherry foie gras at Shuang Ba at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar

For more on this story go to: https://www.forbes.com/sites/katiechang/2018/02/27/why-baha-mar-is-the-caribbeans-ultimate-culinary-destination/#4d7dccae5259