This is the first of a series of 25
articles on eating out in Mauritius, an island nation that is so close to us
culturally and has so much to offer to the traveller. This, I hope, will also
be the first of a series of food guides, drawing on the wisdom of frequent
travellers and chefs, offering in-depth information on savouring the culinary
secrets of some of our most favourite destinations around the world.
By Sourish Bhattacharyya
MAURITIUS is a culinary melting pot
that is yet to be explored fully by high-spending Indian travellers who visit
the island nation for reasons as varied as hosting a big fat Indian wedding to
attending an incentive powwow for a company’s sale staff. From authentic dim
sum (some say the best outside Hong Kong and Guangzhou) to African, Creole, English
and French specialities, to street Indian, to gourmet Indian a la Michelin-starred Vineet Bhatia, Mauritius has something
to tantalise every taste bud and, contrary to what people believe, every
pocket.
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| From tandoori to Creole cuisine, Mauritius is a gastronomic showcase of the best foods its diverse culture has to offer |
The country’s kitchen reflects the
diverse culinary influences and histories that the ancestors of its citizens
brought with them at various points of time. The grand views that the
restaurants command and the legendary friendliness of the Mauritians combine to
double the dining pleasure in that idyllic country.
To dig deeper into the Mauritius
dining scene, I posted a request for information on the landing page of the Delhi Gourmet Club (DGC), a Facebook community
of over 4,500 people who live to eat, and I was impressed by the steady trickle
of nuggets that came my way. Anand
Kapoor, who works for a UK-based design house and also runs the non-profit Creative Services Support Group (CSSG),
drew my attention to a guide to good eating in Mauritius published by a leading
U.K. newpaper, The Telegraph. Kapoor,
who has just published a lavishly illustrated cookbook titled Taste with seven Michelin-starred and
celebrity chefs, is well-travelled and knows his food well.
I will start my series with the opening
advice of The Telegraph guide’s author,
Nicki Grihault, daughter of Alan Grihault, the acclaimed authority
on the dodo. “Lunch,” writes Nicki, who knows Mauritius as intimately as her
father knows the dodo, “tends to be a more popular, and less expensive, time to
eat out, as Grand Baie is the only area with a happening evening dining scene
and to a lesser extent, Port Louis.” Grand
Baie is an ocean-kissed village in the north of the island and Port Louis is the national capital.
Keeping that advice at the back of
our mind, let us set out for Mauritius with this list of the ten favourite restaurants
of another DGC member, Siddharth Mohan,
a senior executive with a leading management consultancy and a regular visitor
to Mauritius. Mohan’s Top Ten are:
1. Domaine Anna for delicious butter garlic
freshwater prawns in the middle of sugarcane fields. (That must be an amazing
view! The restaurant is on the island’s longest beach, Flic en Flac, or Black
River.)
2. Le Chamarel, which is perched high on the Black
River mountains, for its outstanding vistas while you tuck into Smoked Marlin
Carpaccio. (The restaurant should not be confused with the Air Mauritius Airbus
A340-313X named Le Chamarel.)
3. Varangue Sur Morne, a rustic gamekeeper’s lodge also in
Chamarel, for fine Creole cooking and stunning surroundings (these two words will
keep appearing in most descriptions).
4. L’Aventure du Sucre for unpretentious Mauritian French cuisine
steeped in the history of an Old Sugar Mill, where you can find out all you
need to know about the history of the island, its sugar industry and the many types
of sugar it produces.
5. The
dhaba-style Dewa on Rose Hill for a
taste of the dholl puri (maida rotis staffed with chana
and served in pairs with a bean curry, ‘achard’, or pickles, and chutney) and
the local galette, which is a deep-fried cake made with mashed cassava and
cream.
6. The
chic Le Pescatore at Trou aux Biches
on the island’s north-west coast for fish so fresh you can smell the aroma of the
sea water while eating away … it’s pricey, though.
7. For
tea-time crepes, chicken sandwiches and the best Pina Colada to enjoy the
sunset, head for the beach-side restaurant at La Pirogue Resort set in 14 hectares of tropical plantations.
8. Chateau Mon Desir overlooking the historic ruins of
Balaclava, River Citron and Turtle Bay for the most fabulous charm of its old-world
dining experience.
9. Ocean Basket, an outlet of the famous South
African chain, for the oh-so-many prawns in a dish at the upmarket Bagatelle,
Mall of Mauritius.
10. “And
if you are very, very lucky,” concludes Mohan, “home-style grilled lamb chops
at an 18th-century French mansion surrounded by exquisite gardens. Entry by invitation
only.” This is the mystery entry in this Top Ten. To find out, keep following the
posts that follow in this series.
Here’s the link to Nicki Grihault’s most informative thumbnail guide…
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