MB was probably the most upscale dining experience we had at Live Aqua, and it definitely felt like the restaurant that was aiming for a higher-end atmosphere. There is a separate steakhouse on the property that costs extra, but honestly, MB did a great job and even has steak options that made me question whether I'd need to pay extra at all.
This is one of the few places where there is actually a dress code. They seemed a little relaxed about enforcing it, but generally you're looking at collared shirts, pants, and closed-toe shoes for men, while women should avoid beachwear and flip-flops.
The meal started with fresh bread rolls and what I believe was a strawberry butter, which was surprisingly good. I also tried the habanero cream soup. A lot of people recommended it, both online and around the resort, but for me it was just okay. It had a nice little kick and came in a bread bowl, but it wasn't the standout I expected.
My marinated salmon course was good, although it arrived a little cooler than I would have preferred. For the main course, I ordered the stuffed chicken with shrimp, while my girlfriend ordered the veal cheek, and we also split the filet mignon. The stuffed chicken was excellent, but like most restaurants at Live Aqua, the portions were on the smaller side. Thankfully we added the filet mignon, because that ended up being the star of the night. It was fantastic, and if we had stayed longer, I probably would have come back just to order the steak again.
For dessert, we tried the brownie with white chocolate, the hibiscus soup, and the lemon pie. The brownie was decent but pretty standard. The desserts were good overall, but the main courses were really what made the meal memorable.
Service was good, although it had the same issue we noticed throughout much of the resort. The staff was friendly and attentive enough, but there were stretches where it felt like you were waiting around for someone to check in or refill a drink.
One thing I wish they would change is the timing of the live piano music. They have a pianist from 6 to 9, but many of the resort activities and events happen between 7 and 9. We ended up dining around 9, and by then the piano was finished. Since the restaurant stays open much later, it would have been nice to still have that live music and atmosphere during later dinner reservations.
Even with a few small complaints, MB delivered one of the best overall dining experiences we had at the resort. The atmosphere felt elevated, the filet mignon was excellent, and it was one of the places I'd make sure to visit again on a future trip. read more