Food | Polynesian Xplorer Blog

In our web site, where we give ten reasons for visiting Samoa, we talk about Samoa’s ability to saturate the senses – it’s no wonder that we love food so much and spend much of Sunday preparing our “toonai” or Sunday lunch over an UMU (open oven made of lava rocks). You have to admit, the end result is very mouth watering.

Ever wondered how all those colourful and tasty dishes are prepared?

Samoa gives a whole new meaning to slow food and local travel. Every food item spread on the table is sourced locally and prepared by hand while entertaining and involving our guests over the course of a few hours.

Let our pictures tell their own story and if you’re salivating, then check out our tours and this experience could be yours too!!

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The hallmark of Samoan cuisine is freshness – fruit and vegetables of all kinds grow year round all around us; the fish swim in the sea in the morning and grace our plates at night; staples like taro yams provide enough energy to last a day and we cook in banana leaves or natural healthy coconut oil. Our “umu” or rock oven is unique in the traditional Pacific cooking – no one else in Oceania is cooking on lava rocks!

Robert Oliver

Somehow, only a few hotel properties and restaurants incorporate Samoan cuisine and products on their menus in the mistaken belief that this is what the visitors want. So, what used to be a basket plate of grilled fish with taro, banana and breadfruit has turned into “fish or sausage and chips”; what used to be served as an amazing “Koko Samoa” hot chocolate – has been replaced by Quick and Milos chocolate drinks.

Time to reverse the trend! Famous author Robert Oliver, winner of the Best Cook book in the World Award 2010 for “Me’a Kai – The Food and Flavours of the South Pacific”, is now working on a specific version for Samoa – our umu food, our unique recipes and products.

Here’s a clip from Robert Oliver’s Facebook online :“In 2012, we are working with local stakeholders in both agriculture and tourism in Samoa. We have designed a program that highlights the unique cultural qualities of Samoa and better meet tourists’ needs for an authentic, quality Samoan experience by promoting and using more local products in the tourism industry. Samoa has over 500 organic family farms, so here we will see the emergence of tourism model that is locally supplied, culturally relevant, and offers an innovative organic Samoan tourism cuisine brand.”

Join us for a Samoan feast, or simply to find the best Samoan food around!