Laguna
on Muri Beach
Laguna On Muri Beach, often referred
to simply as 'Laguna', is located on the
edge of the world-famous Muri Lagoon.
Blue sky, clear water, and golden sand
greet you upon arrival. The beauty of
the setting stays with you long after you
are gone.
It's a spacious room that spills out on to
the pool area of the new Moana Sands
Lagoon Resort. The open kitchen sits at
the back, with a small bar adjacent to it.
There are around twelve wooden tables
inside and roughly half that amount
outside, under the sheltered dining area.
Traditional tivaevae decorate the walls
and a small
vaka is
suspended
from the
raised
ceiling.
The
“pacific-
fusion” label
is certainly
fitting.
Western
Yellowfin tuna.
favourites
with an
exotic pacific twist are exactly what you
get. Dining is not compulsory, so you
can just go there to enjoy a cocktail by
the pool. However, most patrons choose
to have a drink with their meal, not the
other way around. There is a wine list
that is mostly comprised of New Zealand
34 • Escape Magazine
favourites. Local and imported beer also
feature, as well as the cocktails. It's more
of a 'treat' than it is just a ‘local’ when you
can't be bothered cooking.
We visited Laguna on a Tuesday night.
As our booking was an early one, we had
the luxury of being able to choose where
we sat. We chose to go outside and enjoy
the golden sunset. The level of service
was clear from the beginning. It seemed
as soon as we sat, our waitress introduced
herself and gave us a thorough description
of the menu and specials available. We
enjoyed food and wine whilst staff cleaned
up around us.
That night
we had
the trio
of freshly
caught
yellowfin
tuna. The
ika mata
(raw fish)
was among
the best I
have tried,
not too
heavy on the
coconut cream and just the right amount
of fresh vegetables. The nori wrapped
tuna was served tempura style and was a
delight each bite. The meal also came with
local sweet potato crisps and a delicious
wakame salad. We also ate the smoked
marlin bruschetta, which was served with