Good Morning, Gourmet

I did a really typical Canadian thing earlier this month – I went on an all-inclusive vacation to Mexico. Normally, us Canucks tend to head south for the sun, not the food, but this trip was a most pleasant exception to that rule.

Known as a “Gourmet Inclusive” resort, the El Dorado Casitas Royale by Karisma Hotels & Resorts where I stayed boasts decadent cuisine and all the inclusions that any foodie could dream of. Having drooled over the brochure for weeks in anticipation before my trip, I’m very happy to say that they didn’t disappoint!

Cheese-lover's dream come true: the spread I found in my room every afternoon.

After waiting in line for hours in various airports on the day of my arrival, it was almost surreal to step into the hotel's gorgeous lobby, be handed a glass of champagne and have my bags taken off my hands - now that’s what I call making a very tired, travelling girl feel special! And imagine how excited this Frenchie was to find an elaborate cheese plate waiting in the room. But it didn’t stop there. About an hour before dinner, a plate of chocolate covered strawberries, mini-cheesecakes, truffles and other sweet treats were delivered to my room. And then there was the room service menu.

If you're going to snack before dinner, snack well!

Pooped from my day of travel, I decided to skip the resto and order room service, which is included as part of the Gourmet Inclusive concept. I was intrigued when 20 minutes later, a delicious dinner arrived to my room. It was literally food for thought; my brain really couldn’t come up with a pressing reason to get out of bed for breakfast the next day when I could get fabulous food delivered to me. And so, the next morning, I woke up to a knock on the door, a smiling waiter, and a spread of French toast, waffles, eggs, bacon, coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice… Ok, so maybe I overdid it a little.

In-room breakfast for two. Or heaven. Haven't quite decided yet.

The next morning, (and the one after that, and after that one), started off in a similar way, only my request was more reasonable: coffee, fresh fruit and French toast, which I had quickly deemed to be my favourite. But how could I even try to resist it; a mixture of cream cheese and sliced almonds sandwiched between two slices of lightly battered bread, toasted to perfection and of course, syrup!

One morning though, I made it a special point not to indulge in room service and to save my appetite for the resort’s Kampai restaurant, where I was meeting Jeroen Hanlo, Karisma's Vice President Food & Beverage Operations for a Q&A. When I get there, he asks if he can make a recommendation – Chilaquiles. They were delish, and traditional, which is nice to see at an all-inclusive resort, where most serve up American type breakfasts that we can easily find in our own fridges.

I learn some interesting stuff from Jeroen – although his staff make it look effortless, a lot goes into preparing the food that they deem deserving of the Gourmet Inclusive label. They cook with only the freshest ingredients and even have an herb garden on the resort. And their staff must all have a passion for food. Their chefs all have impressive culinary backgrounds, and each member of the wait staff undergoes several days of in-class and in-restaurant training to ensure they provide impeccable service. And is it all worthwhile? Judging by my waiter Leo’s attentive service, his genuine smile and my plated of polished off Chilaquiles, I would say so.