Timeless Tropical

Timeless Tropical

If there’s one element of the Four Seasons that embodies summer, it’s Café Tropical. After the latest renovations made it bolder and brighter than ever, this hotel favourite is sporting a new lustre.

text YIOTA MALLAS

Tuna Tower The hotel’s adaptation of a Niçoise salad is a layer cake of ingredients. A bed of creamy tuna mayonnaise is ornamented with boiled egg, new potatoes and crunchy green beans. The pan-seared tuna with a light drizzle of black olive dressing rightfully graces the top of this flavour pyramid.

Indoors and outdoors, Café Tropical's all-day dining concept starts with a breakfast ritual that builds up to a midday buzz and culminates in enchanting evenings on the new deck.

Café Tropical is the busiest facility of the hotel, frequented throughout the day for its myriad of dining and entertainment options. Breakfast rituals are carried out in absolute tranquillity with the soothing sound of chattering birds and rushing waterfalls in the background. Poolside dining and business meetings create the lunchtime buzz, and the sunset on the enchanting decks signals moments of elegance. This exotic oasis is perfect for embarking on any culinary adventure, and the recent upgrade promises to further enhance your experience. “It’s probably the most photographed and recognisable part of the Four Seasons, so we aimed for a contemporary twist that still maintained its continuity and signature identity,” explains Nick Aristou, the hotel’s Executive Director.

Opposites Attract The tartness of baked goat’s cheese rolls is tempered by the sun-dried tomato filling in the centre and sweet mango purée as it’s swept off the plate. The kataifi crust stands as a savoury introduction to build a little suspense.

Fiery Spirit Fresh homemade linguine is graced with tiger prawns flamed in ouzo, giving an aromatic kick to the creamy tomato sauce. Hints of the peppery pesto sauce accentuate the flavours of this pasta masterpiece.

Seeing the Light

The concept behind the refurbishment centred on embracing natural light and celebrating the Mediterranean sunshine. The gazebos traditionally associated with the venue have been replaced by pergolas with hints of the bright blue sky creeping through the high wooden beams. Alongside the tropical pools, the boardwalks and bridges are constructed from a lighter wood, evoking the colours and atmosphere of an Oriental garden. The indoor area is now complemented by angled glass-panelled walls that welcome the sunlight and provide uninterrupted views of the pool and the sea. This once quaint alcove has now been transformed into a spacious, harmonious setting with a panoramic landscape. Nick explains: “Thanks to its more versatile layout, we can now welcome many more guests across the deck and enjoy greater flexibility in our events.”

Oriental Ode Here yellow-fin tuna takes on an Asian flair with its sesame crust, wakame salad and unagi sauce. These distinctive flavours are balanced by celeriac and carrot purée, both beautifully silky in texture and light in taste.

Alpha for Omega A healthier fish option from the new Healthy Menu, this grilled steak of salmon is lightly flavoured with a sweet condiment of orange and walnut. The celeriac purée adds to the richness with tangy ribbons of fennel.

Changing Tastes

Summer has also heralded an extended menu with gastronomic additions suited to the hotter months. The buffet selection now includes a cooler option for the palate with a new seafood bar, using fresh cuts of tuna and salmon to create a medley of refreshing appetizers. The new signature dishes featured in the à la carte menu are discernibly light through a simpler preparation of meats and fish, with vegetables dominating the recipes. For the more conscious diners, the new Healthy Options add greater diversity to the menu with lighter creations for all courses. Prepared under the guidance of Clinical Dietician and Nutritionist Emily Agathocleous from DietWise, the dishes are listed together with their caloric value to support any food plan. Enticing combinations include a starter of prosciutto and fresh mango as well as the latest superfood – quinoa – embellished with feta, raisins, pine nuts and pomegranate to make an Eastern-inspired salad.

Gourmet Grilling This barbecue basic of grilled chicken is blessed with Mediterranean flavours of olive, yoghurt and herbs to create a succulent, mouth-watering kebab. Of course, hand-cut potato fries, tzatziki and homemade pita give the dish an authentic touch.

Creativity meets Convention

Café Tropical may have had a makeover, however, its familiar happenings remain firmly on the agenda. Julio the African Grey parrot, the hotel mascot, greets you upon arrival with his cheeky interjections, and feeding time for the lagoon’s koi fish remains a popular afternoon feature. “This year also marks a new chapter for our koi fish as a new generation has expanded the family,” says Nick.

Every night unlocks a different themed extravaganza. Fridays feature the finest in barbecued cooking, but Tuesday is certainly the most glamorous night of the week. It’s the weekday dedicated to ‘ShowTime Special’, the hotel’s signature variety show with mind-blowing performances of different talents happening on stage, while you enjoy the lavish buffet dinner. Nick says: “The Café’s new face means that we can provide truly open-air entertainment that captivates the audience from any corner of the venue.”

And of course, Café Tropical is home to Marco Polo Sundays, a lunchtime feast that has become an institution among Limassol folk, as the chefs pay tribute to the seven continents, bringing the world’s most delectable dishes to your plate. The sweet ending to this global journey of flavours comes in the form of Sugarland, a dessert paradise that Marco Polo himself was not able to discover. It’s an event cherished by many, therefore it’s advisable to reserve a table to discover what the excitement is about.

Café Tropical is more than just an ordinary all-day venue, for each visit unveils a different story and a new journey to be remembered.