Offbeat eateries -- Maldives Underwater Restaurant

Tired of the same old Applebee's and Cracker Barrel fare? Well, fortunately, you're living in the 21st century, where choice reigns. We've pulled together some suggestions for places that offer novel dining experiences.

Imagine eating undersea amidst schools of tropical fish. Occasionally, a shark might swim by, as though picking out which soft, pink land dweller he'd prefer for his entrée.

Such an experience is the hook for the restaurant at the Hilton in Rangalifinolhu, Maldives. There, Ithaa restaurant, a clear-acrylic-enclosed, Quonset-hut-shaped dining room, rests 15' below the surface of the Indian Ocean amidst a fertile coral reef. Diners enjoy a true surround-sea experience with their meals.

Meals don't come cheap here, though, ranging from $120-$250. Only 14 people can be seated at a time, making for an intimate experience.

Maybe I've watched Finding Nemo too often, but in my imagination I see myself about to bite into my fish entrée when a tiny fishy voice heard faintly through the window says, 'Hey, isn't that Ralph?"