Let the staff on the Melisa Sailing spoil you.
The Melisa Sailing is a stunning sailboat with friendly staff and exquisite cuisine. Recently, I joined the Melisa Sailing for a luxury sunset dinner at sea. Since my mom was in town, I wanted her to experience luxury fine dining and see Bonaire from a different perspective.
All aboard!
Upon arrival at the Harbor Marina, we were greeted by the friendly staff, who immediately offered us a little bubbly and showed us our seats. Melisa Sailing has beautiful décor with comfortable cushions and pillows. Each section consists of two persons per section with space between each section. This truly makes you feel like you are in your own little world.
The first course.
As we took in the changing scenery and enjoyed the wind in our hair, Lieke, one of the main servers on the Melisa Sailing, appeared with our first course. The night’s first course was fresh citrus-marinated tuna with antiboise, basil mayonnaise, cream of avocado, pickled watermelon, and a crisp. We both thoroughly enjoyed the first course as it was flavorful and fresh.
The second course.
Soon after our first course was finished, our second course arrived. My mom and I love cauliflower, and this course did not disappoint! It was a delicious cauliflower soup with feta cheese and truffle oil. We both agreed that the cauliflower soup was the best we have ever had!
The third course.
At this point in the evening, it was clear that each course would be amazing. The third course was a portion of creamy noodles with a beurre blanc of mango sauce topped with the fresh catch of the day, wahoo. The wahoo was tender, and the mango sauce complemented it well.
The fourth course.
The fourth course took a little longer to come out than the first few courses. The Melisa Sailing crew plans it this way so you can take a break and enjoy the sunset’s colors. After we watched the sky turn to darkness, our fourth course arrived: Sgroppino. lt was a tangy and refreshing lime sorbet with vodka and prosecco and meant to clean your palate so you can taste the beef better.
The fifth course.
Our fifth course arrived as we enjoyed the beautiful lights on the Melisa and the scenic view of Bonaire from the sea. It was a savory tenderloin cooked to perfection with cream of celeriac and a white chocolate and red wine sauce. The ingredients and spices melded together perfectly for a tasty dish.
The sixth course.
As the night’s end approached, we turned the sailboat one more time to head back south to the marina. Of course, there was still one more course to go. It was a scrumptious dessert called a rhum baba. Rhum baba is a cake saturated in rum. Of course, The Cadushy Distillery’s Rom Rincon was the rum of choice for the dessert. Complementing the cake was a banana compote, vanilla ice cream, and plantain chips.
Overall Experience of the Luxury Sunset Dinner.
Melisa Sailing is truly a luxury sunset dinner at sea. From the moment you step onboard, you are treated like royalty by the friendliest staff. Chef Marcos is an exquisite chef who takes pride in his delicious culinary creations.
It goes without saying that this was the highlight of the week with my mom. She loved it so much that she even asked if she could sleep on the sailboat! Unfortunately for her, that was not possible. The Luxury Sunset Dinner at Sea on the Melisa Sailing is now on my mom’s “to-do” list for every Bonaire vacation, and I couldn’t agree more! Book your reservations in advance on WhatsApp.
(Source: Bonaire Insider)
