The Hype

Catch of the Day ...

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... tuna with vanilla sauce, rice, and assorted vegetables.

Revisited Bounty ...

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... variations on Bounty seem to abound in the upscale resorts of French Polynesia, and this is the Hilton's somewhat deconstructed version.

Bora Bora - Home of the $37 Cocktail ...

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... this inspired us to set up our own little cocktail bar on the Hilton's private beach, where we sold not only drinks, but instant noodles and baguette sandwiches to the masses. Too bad there were hardly any other people on the resort!

More Perks During the Off-Season ...

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... the guys working the pool would occasionally pass around platters of fruit skewers. Fortunately for us, there were no other guests to pass it along to, meaning we could eat as much as we wanted!

Last Meal In Paradise ...

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... I didn't actually want a tuna burger, but due to us needing to blow our remaining French Polynesian Francs, we strategically chose food that allowed us to get rid of the exact amount we had in hand. Definitely a tasty tuna burger, but again, I was disappointed that they didn't have mahi mahi - it must not be in season? The same thing happened the other day at the Aloe Café, and we actually found theirs to be a little bit tastier.

Excellent Tuna Tartare ...

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... we definitely will miss the quality of French Polynesian fish, particularly when it's prepared with style and flair like it is at the Hilton.

The Last Tabu ...

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... definitely one of those drinks that tastes better in paradise - light and sweet, you'd probably find it tasteless and boring on a cold Canadian day. But in hot and humid French Polynesia? Perfect!

Surprisingly Good Airport Cafe ...

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... having killed several hours previously at Papeete's airport, we perused the cafeteria, and noticed some great-looking roasted chicken dishes available. Unfortunately, that was only offered during the day time, so we settled for this mediocre prepared turkey sandwich before getting on our flight.

Much Better ...

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... luckily for us, there was a small assortment of made-to-order dishes available, and while it didn't look like much, this grilled chicken was fantastic, nicely seasoned and so, so juicy. Much higher quality than you would typically expect to find at an airport.

Barney's Beanery ...

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... back to reality - sort of - at LAX airport. The Cali Burger at Barneys Beanery - again, not a bad spot as far as airport meals go. Bacon, cheese, avocado, and hot peppers ... this is the sort of North American excess that we haven't seen during the past month! Washed down with a side of NFL football and an Allagash White, a Belgian-style wheat beer which is football writer Peter King's favourite - though I'm a huge fan of wheat beer when done right, this wasn't all that impressive. Not as fragrant or citrusy like other ones I've had.

Taco Time ...

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... shrimp, chicken, beef, and pork tacos - not the best, but decent. It was definitely nice to have something so "exotic", compared to what we had been eating lately. Too bad we couldn't find a bowl of pho at LAX to wash it down with!