Cook Islands Cuisine – 5 dishes to try when here!
Sharing our favourite food with you
We are missing our guests and hope you are all keeping safe at this time, we are truly looking forward to the day we can welcome you all back to our little safe haven. Until such time we have placed our top 5 favourite dishes across our properties, that we know you will enjoy during your next visit.
Cook Islands Cuisine
Paw paw, taro, coconut, fresh tuna mmmmm…. enjoying our delicious Cook Island cuisine is often a highlight while on holiday in our tropical paradise. Both the food itself but also the social aspect of enjoying good food together is an important part of our culture. This is strongly reflected in our menu at our properties as we want to make sure our guests can enjoy delicious food that is fresh and packed full of flavour.
It won’t come as a surprise that the coconut is a key part of Cook Island cuisine, from freshly squeezed coconut milk, grated coconut, fresh nu (baby coconut) juice, the “coconut marshmallow” and of course enjoying the meat itself. There are also many uses of the coconut tree – food, shelter and even medicine – which is why we call it the “tree of life”.
Supporting local is very important to us. All our restaurants source locally caught seafood and use local suppliers for fresh produce. At Pacific Resort Aitutaki we also have a flourishing resort garden where we grow our own lettuce, bok choy, radish, avocado, pumpkin, paw paw, bananas, kumara and fresh herbs – so you can be assured you are enjoying the freshest ingredients.
Five dishes to try while on holiday with us!
- Ika Mata – This local delight is at the top of our list (and should be at the top of yours too). Locally sourced fish marinated in lime and coconut cream served with local arrowroot vegetable chips.
On the menu at Little Polynesian Resort, Pacific Resort Rarotonga and Aitutaki - Omakase sushi and sashimi – get your holiday started with this beautifully presented platter of fresh fish and vegetable rolls of the day with wakame seaweed salad, wasabi, pickled ginger and tamari soy sauce.
On the menu at Pacific Resort Aitutaki - Pacific sizzler – locally caught fish on a sizzling platter with sautéed vegetables drizzled with coconut lime sauce.
On the menu at Pacific Resort Rarotonga - Lemon & Fennel Braised Pork Belly – avocado puree, chilli onion jam, popcorn crackle and tamarind glaze.
On the menu at Little Polynesian Resort - Rib eye steak – grilled to your liking with garlic butter served with choice of side.
On the menu at Pacific Resort Rarotonga and Aitutaki
For more of our favourite’s have a look here.