A lot has been written about Mauritius: magazines write colorful articles, agencies publish bright videos of white sand, and eyewitnesses are divided into those who enthusiastically talk about their wonderful impressions and those whose expectations were not met. What is he really like? In this two-part review, we will tell you about our trip to Mauritius in December 2016.
The first part of the review will be devoted to general questions: car rental in Mauritius, traffic in Mauritius, capital Port Louis, shops and supermarkets, and in the next part we will make a tour of the beaches of Mauritius.
Mauritius Airport
From Madrid we flew with Emirates via Dubai, where we spent a very eventful day. Large Airbus 380s are being flown into Mauritius - there were a lot of people wanting to soak up the sun. At the end of the flight they give out migration cards and maps of visited countries, in which you indicate what kind of Lately have not been to certain African countries. If you were, you will be sent to medical examination at the airport.
Border control did not take much time - there were many windows and we moved quickly. The luggage didn't have to wait long either. We exchanged money in Shibani at the airport at an acceptable rate. The airport is small, there is Wi-Fi, a couple of exchange offices and a cafe. At the exit there is a waiting room for outdoors with a roof.
Rent a car in Mauritius
We lost time renting a car. Firstly, a representative of the Avenue car rental agency met not only us, but also a large family with three children, whom he took first to inspect the car, but we stayed wait for him at the airport for an hour! At that time, we had not yet bought a SIM card, and the Internet at the airport was just a name. Free parking is not very close to the airport, plus Mauritians are very slow, and when you haven’t slept for two days, waiting in the heat is the last thing you want to do.
The most popular car rental in Mauritius is Hyundai i10, most often red. It is produced both manually and automatically. Since Mauritius drives on the left side of the road and I can't handle a manual transmission, we decided to take an automatic and in advance, they indicated several times that we would only have an automatic machine. Imagine the surprise when they let us fill out documents for a mechanic, claiming that they had never heard of any machine and we had not asked for anything. As it turned out later, our car was given to someone by mistake, and they brought us this one. It'll kind of give you a ride. It didn't work. We called the agency through which we booked, they promised to pick us up and take us to the villa, and to sort out the replacement car on the spot. The rental office representative ran after us for a long time, trying to squeeze 50 euros out of us for bringing us a car.
Conclusion: Local rental companies are cheaper than international ones, but you should be careful. The price quoted to you in advance may not include delivery fee(“meeting at the airport”) cars, gasoline (we were left with 4 bars) and, of course, no zero deductible. We were charging 400 euros, but when we accepted the car, 400 suddenly became 500. Check your documents carefully. The debate about the car took another hour and a half. Of course, this agency should be avoided.
The sun in Mauritius is crazy. In about 20 minutes my face turned red, and the cream was lying somewhere in the depths of my suitcase. Prepare the essentials in advance.
Roads in a residential area
Rent a villa in Mauritius
Our villa was located near La Preneuse beach in a complex of three cottages with a shared pool. We booked through Airbnb - it turned out to be much cheaper and more comfortable than expensive hotels in tourist areas. The ratio is approximately 50 euros per night versus 200. These are the privileges of vacation rentals. It may be difficult to choose the beach where you rent, but I’ll tell you about the beaches later - we’ve covered them all.
The advantage of our villa is that it was located five minutes from a quiet deserted beach and 20 minutes from the spruce Le Morne. Nearby London supermarket- looks like Soviet stores with these large glass display cases with sausages and cheeses. Among the products there are many that were sold in Vladivostok many, many years ago - powdered milk, Anchor butter, the same TipTop ice cream, and rice is also sold here in packages of 5, 10, 20 and 30 kg.
While we were shopping at the store, our new car arrived. The same red one. The same Hyundai i10. Having received the keys, we went to Le Morne beach for a little snorkeling. It gets dark early in Mauritius - sunset begins at 6, so we arrived when there was almost no sun left.
In general, Le Morne is a very beautiful place, the spruce trees smell delicious, crabs hide in the sand right near the shore. The snork is very weak, there is almost nothing, only hedgehogs.
Capital Port Louis
The next day we had to get to capital of Mauritius - Port Louis. Despite the fact that according to the map the distance is only 30 km, it will not be possible to get there with the wind. The road has two lanes, that is, one in each direction, the traffic is very dense, 10 km from the city a crimson traffic jam begins. The journey took us 1.40 hours. Locals ignore traffic rules. It becomes clear why there is no zero deductible. They don’t care whether it’s a “brick” or a double solid one – they will turn or drive into oncoming traffic simply because it’s convenient for them. So, on one of the turns we tore off the headlight and ended up with 400 euros. They will never give you the difference; the locals will agree with the car service how to distribute your money. The only advice is reduce your deductible and try to drive carefully, although it’s not easy with this crazy traffic.
In the capital Port Louis (Port Louis) paid parking, is carried out by puncturing the start time of parking on cardboard cards that are sold pack of 10 pieces. The denomination of one card is 10 or 20 rupees. For one time in the city I had to buy a whole stack. We did not want to return to this hell.
The capital of Mauritius is very dusty, the traffic of cars and pedestrians is chaotic, in the very center there is a large bus station, from where you can quickly get to any point. There are small shops and many cafes.
Western part of Mauritius
I will not dwell in detail on the beaches, which we will discuss in the next review, but I will describe briefly.
Flic en Flac Beach
A tourist mecca, very shallow, wide, with diving centers and boatmen, fruit on the shore and chickens near the road. There are a lot of hotels, villas and restaurants. Not far from the beach there is a shopping center and a Super U supermarket - the only echo of France, besides the language. People often go to dive at Aquarium, a very popular place at 15-30 meters, located five minutes from the shore.
By the way, beware of the bright fish that will circle around you - one of these attacked without warning and bit me on the finger, and then Vanya on the hand. She is small but aggressive.
Tamaran Beach
Just as crowded as Flic en Flac, smaller in size, surrounded by trees and a small parking lot. Excursions to dolphins leave from here, which I will talk about in the next review.
Again, at the entrance there is the Padi Diving Center. The pleasure of diving will cost 40-60 euros depending on the location. The said diving center promised us a dive on Thursday with an appointment on Wednesday, but on Wednesday there was no appointment left. You need to book in advance— they will take a deposit from you and write it on the board.
There is a common problem with beaches: those that are beautiful are crowded, and those that are deserted are ugly.
La Preneuse
No one at all. A couple of villas and silence.
By the way, there is no snorkel, but my comrades from Tamarin talked about unprecedented fish in the area. We examined the bottom very carefully - there was nothing.
This beach is not particularly beautiful, but it is quiet.
Supermarkets in Mauritius
There are several large Super U supermarkets throughout the island where you can stock up for the week. We bought a large fish, which they cleaned and cut for us the way I wanted, fruits, vegetables and ice cream instead of a cake - all for my birthday.
There are not many supermarkets, but in any case you will need a car to get there. Supermarkets are always located in clothing stores mall. I can't imagine how it's possible get around Mauritius without a car— the island is large and everything is located quite far from each other. Of course, hotels offer excursions, but you will have to pay 10-20 times more depending on the hotel’s appetites.
Baking in Mauritius is simply disgusting, no connection with France, forget about it. Although I understand that the cakes will not survive in such heat, but it is quite possible to replace the cake with fruit. Every two kilometers there are tents where you can buy pineapples, bananas, papaya, watermelons, lychees and much more.
They sell small orange ones and larger ones. In Spain I always take Del Monte - they are very sweet, but not as aromatic as in Mauritius. If I had a choice, I would still choose the small Mauritian ones - they smells tropical and is very, very aromatic, and the center is crispy and edible.
Food in Mauritius
We always prefer to rent a villa so that we can use the grill and so that no one comes into our house. Hotels will not provide you with a kitchen, and they will charge you extra money for the grill. Also in the cottages you can ask the locals if they have familiar fisherman who will bring you whatever you want.
I consider All Inclusive meals in Mauritius completely unnecessary. Breakfast is a healthy thing, but for lunch you can overeat with fruits or other unusual things from the supermarket, such as the New Zealand ice cream of my childhood TipTop. For dinner like this hotels often offer a la carte menus with limited choices— for 70% of the dishes you will have to pay extra, which in the end turns out to be more expensive than renting accommodation and going to dinner on your own different places, and not to the same hotel with the same set of dishes, where in the end you will have to diversify the menu and pay for an upgraded dish.
We had dinner at the restaurant The Beach at the Lux Le Morne hotel and witnessed a disgruntled couple complaining about the limited menu and that you had to pay extra for everything. They say the point. Therefore, renting a cottage is better :)
Beach of the hotel-restaurant Lux
The restaurant, by the way, is not bad. For important events they will set up a table right on the beach. The cuisine is original, delicious, the restaurant fully deserves its stars on Tripadvisor.
One day for lunch we stopped at the wonderful Creole restaurant Escale Créole, where we tried all the delights of the local cuisine, surrounded by a green garden and a light breeze.
What is included in Creole cuisine? Rice, lentils, solyanka, green beans, fish in lemon, venison, sausages with spices and a variety of cucumbers, salads and hot sauce.
You should arrive only at lunchtime and it is better to make a reservation in advance. The area of the restaurant is simply amazing: there are flowers, fruits, and huge snails all around.
Casela Nature Park in Mauritius
On the morning of the third day, Casela Park was planned, where tickets had been purchased the day before. More precisely, we tried tickets buy online with 10% discount, but at the payment stage the site gave an error, and the park did not respond to emails.
However, we insisted on the right to this discount by presenting our online order. Successfully.
The park was not very impressive; roughly speaking, it is a zoo. Animals are in enclosures, some in an open pen, where a safari bus takes them. What we will meet: antelopes, rhinoceroses, turtles.
Peacocks walk freely, sometimes spreading their tails, flamingos jump on one leg in the shade of the swamp, and a hippopotamus hides from the scorching sun in the reed bushes.
The highly publicized interaction with cats is simply funny, an attraction for tourists. The person who wishes is taken into a cage and placed behind the lioness, who must be stroked and looked into the camera.
No one asked me whether I wanted to sit and take these stupid photos with a forced smile or whether I wanted to photograph the lionesses myself at arm's length. It's supposed to be ironed. You're supposed to take photos. Everyone does it. And you're not supposed to take pictures. It is forbidden.
On safari, an ostrich comes up to the bus and gnaws on the crossbars.
I was pleased with the good composition of birds, but again in small enclosures.
The park will be interesting for children, but inquisitive adults will be very bored. Be sure to have cream no matter what time of day you come.
Sands of Chamarel
Seven Colored Earths of different colors – nature education, attracting a cloud of tourists. On the way, you will come across an exit to the lookout - be sure to stop, the views are unforgettable.
Entrance to the park costs $5, which is quite an adequate price, because there is nothing special to see here - a waterfall, sand and 6 turtles in a pen.
The “sands” are open until sunset, that is, until 17.00, but the entrance will be closed earlier.
In the photo they seem very majestic, but in fact it is a very small piece of land, enclosed by a fence.
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I didn’t feel comfortable photographing them in particular, but the ceremonies were beautifully carried out, with local flavor, torches, floral arches and white tents.
The food in Mauritius, as I said, is Indian, but Europeanized. And yet, there are dishes of extraordinary spiciness; I wiped away my tears several times after tasting local delicacies.
About food I want to tell you separately.
Fish. A very tasty white fish, the name of which the natives never told me, stubbornly calling it “Mauritius fish”. It is prepared in any way, most often on the grill, less often fried. But there were options. An indelible mark was left by fish stewed in milk sauce with the addition of vanilla. It turned out to be unexpectedly tasty, but very original! I also had the misfortune of tasting tuna in cinnamon... Since then I have not enjoyed either tuna or cinnamon.
Meat. Here, according to my husband, it’s tasty, varied, but nothing unusual.
Fruits. All delicious! Very! Sweet, ripe, juicy - pineapples, watermelons, melons, papayas, mangoes, kiwis, grapefruits, bananas, oranges and even apples (for some reason, apples are always a curiosity on the islands).
Dessert. In our hotel (we had full board), the pastry chef was a master of his craft and pampered us as best he could, and he was very good at it! The desserts are dominated by wonderful Mauritian vanilla. They sprinkle generously, without sparing.
Salads. Very unusual! The most incredible combinations of ingredients when tested gave a very decent result. What have we not tasted? But what struck me most was the salad, which contained fresh pineapple, our beloved pickled cucumber and some other minor ingredients. Generously flavored with curry and peppers that brought tears to your eyes, it turned out to be a leader in taste and sank deep into the soul.
Bread. If you love French bread, then you will taste it in Mauritius. The line to the bread table never ended!!!
Tea, coffee, cocoa. Everything with vanilla. The tea didn't shake me. The cocoa turned out to be very tasty, and in combination with vanilla it was just a dessert. I fell in love with coffee with vanilla and still drink it now, especially in winter - it warms me up, reminiscent of hot Mauritius!
In general, you won’t die of hunger.
Souvenirs, gifts, shopping.
1. Rum. Mauritius is a vast sugar cane plantation. Sugar is made from cane, the same “Demerara” that is sold in our stores at almost the same price as in Mauritius. But the main thing that cane is grown for is rum. Those interested can buy.
2.Vanilla. In Mauritius it is of excellent quality. Sold in pods and powder, in essence. The powder is brown, like ground coffee. I highly recommend! My vanilla reserves are running low and I’m increasingly looking towards Mauritius - what a good excuse!
3. Tea, coffee, cocoa. Everything will be flavored with vanilla. I brought them home as gifts to remember Mauritius. All recipients were happy! You can buy it in a regular supermarket.
4. Spices. Not for everyone - anything spicy, Indian, with curry. Spices are of high quality, if you use them, I advise you to buy them in a regular supermarket, where Mauritian housewives buy them. The choice is huge, it’s dizzying.
5. Sailboats. Mauritius is famous for its model sailing ships.
I abandoned the story about Mauritius at the most interesting point: about food!
I rubbed my hands and dreamed that on the island we would have only fish and fruit on the table.
The supermarket only had fresh fish once. On other days, apart from ice cream, not a single fish was found on the counter. Fish was sold at the market during the day. The one I boasted about and photographed, but didn’t dare buy.
We usually had lunch on the beach. By noon the camp kitchens arrived. Messengers ran along the long beach and handed out menus.
We placed an order and then they brought us not only food, but also a table with chairs. Grilled seafood, Creole fish, all sorts of nasty things with rice. So, without crawling from their bedding, they served lunch. Not Michelin, but never poisoned either.
We couldn't forget about dessert. Ice cream machines drive all over the island, blaring the same melody loudly. Well, exactly like in a horror movie!
The conversation about dinner began at breakfast. What will we eat?
The elder Luigi cooked. I dreamed of fish, but I was told not to open my mouth and not to encroach on the holy of holies of the Italian meal: only pasta! To wish otherwise was equated with political incorrectness and an attempt at insidious aggression.
Usually Sasha and I don’t have dinner, but ignoring dinner with everyone was out of the question, so we modestly agreed to one portion for two.
But it was so breathtakingly delicious every time that, if it had been there, I would have asked for more twice.
Luigi doesn't cook, he works magic over the stove. Not 30 minutes, as the preparation requires, but all evening! I honestly tried to take a master class and learn! What is it! I definitely won’t be able to cast spells and dance over saucepans like that.
There was pasta every night. Various. But it’s always funny and incomprehensible to me when my son-in-law categorically refuses to eat my borscht on the second day!
Twice there was pasta with shells that were collected in the sand. They were tiny, the size of a child's fingernail.
We also went to the restaurant. The rule of the British did not spoil French cuisine, brought by the previous owners of the island. The Indians who arrived complemented and diversified the assortment by adding spices. Lots of rice. On the island, basmati is incredibly long. I actually mistook it for vermicelli.
This is our last lunch together with Sasha.
Dessert
The hostess was so kind. She brought a mango before dessert. Delicate, bright orange and completely without hard fibers at the pit. I asked how to choose such a delicious one. In the botanical garden we were told that there are 50 varieties of mangoes on the island. The hostess smiled coquettishly: it was easy for her to choose, it grew in her garden. And she categorically told me to stop by her restaurant in the morning. We brought mangoes from her tree to Italy!
For a small island with a population of just one million people, it has an incredibly rich and varied cuisine, many of whose dishes are inspired by the cuisines of other cultures (Creole, French, Chinese and Indian). And thanks to the very fertile soil, local residents receive amazing harvests giant vegetables and deliciously sweet fruits.
Street food in Mauritius - this is something absolutely incredible. Here you can buy everything from fresh coconut milk; chopped fruit sprinkled with chili pepper and sugar; to hot curry wrapped in buttery bread and topped with chilli and pickle, and Chinese fried noodles.
There are also excellent restaurants in Mauritius, from local eateries serving traditional dishes to sophisticated places serving Mauritian fusion.
If you come to , don't sit still - get out of the hotel and explore the island and its delicious cuisine.
Here's my selection of 25 must-try foods and drinks in Mauritius, and the best places to do so.
Dholl pori
If Mauritius had a national dish, it would most likely be Dholl pori.
You will find stalls with dol pori on almost every street in Mauritius, but they taste best in a place called Dewa on Rose Hill (it’s very easy to find: you come to Rose Hill and ask the first passerby you come across - everyone here knows where it is ).
It is said that Dol Pori originated from the Indian flatbread, paratha. Immigrants who came to Mauritius from India could not find the ingredients needed to bake bread on the island and replaced it with thin fried flatbreads stuffed with yellow peas. These flatbreads were served with curry, atchar or chutney.
Pineapples Victoria
Mauritian pineapples are sweeter and tastier than South African ones. The best time to eat them is on the beach, just after leaving warm waters Indian Ocean. There are always pineapple sellers plying along the beaches, ready to cut them so that it is convenient for you to hold and eat them.
Curry and all kinds of dressings
How could Mauritius be without great curries when Indian cuisine has such a strong influence here? However, this is not the kind of curry you might be used to in Durban or India. Mauritian curry has a completely different taste, although the main ingredients are the same - garlic, onion, fresh curry leaves and turmeric.
There is more than one type of curry in Mauritius - you can be served anything from a tomato-based Creole curry (it is usually not as spicy because the chilli is served separately) to Indian. Mauritian curry served with rice or bread (farata - see number 16), lentils and delicious sauces- various chutneys and achard (vegetable marinade with mustard), as well as mazavaro, which is found everywhere here (see number 7).
Although I can't say octopus curry is my favorite (because octopus is too hard to chew for my taste), it is a very popular dish in Mauritius and you should definitely try it. According to the locals, the best octopus curry can be found at Chez Rosy, near Gris Gris beach on the south coast of Mauritius.
Vanilla tea
At the Bois Cheri tea plantation, which is located in the southern part of the island, black tea is grown, which is then mixed with Ceylon tea imported from Sri Lanka and vanilla extract from to create a delicious black vanilla tea.
It can be found in all shops in Mauritius (and will also be served to you on Mauritius Airways), but the best place For such tea drinking - the Bois Cheri cafe, which is worth a visit after a tour of the tea factory. The cafe offers magnificent views of the palm-fringed tea plantations and the southern coastline.
You can complement your cup of tea with some delicious dessert, for example, tea sherbet or papaya panna cotta with tea jelly. And don't forget to buy some Bois Cheri tea for home.
Seafood
In any form you could wish for: baked, grilled, fried. Mauritius has incredible seafood - from simple fish caught by local fishermen to squid and lobster.
A significant part of Mauritian cuisine consists of seafood-based dishes, be it curries, fish stews, Chinese or Indian dishes. All have seafood. Mauritius is a paradise for pesceterians.
Sugar
I'm serious. For hundreds of years, sugar was the official currency of Mauritius. The island's economy has now undergone some changes, but sugar is still the main export product, as evidenced by the giant sugar cane fields found throughout the island.
Mauritius produces the best sugar in the world, which you might miss while eating your fifth pineapple and molasses dessert. So it tastes like regular sugar, right? No not like this! The best way try different types of Mauritian sugar - visit the sugar museum L'Aventure du Sucre, which offers tasting of all nine varieties of local sugar.
Mazavaro
Mauritians put chilli in all their dishes. LITERALLY, EVERYTHING! Including fruit (think unripe mango with pepper), baguettes, and traditional curries and fish dishes. There is a dish made from finely chopped chilies or Chilean paste (called mazavaro) that accompanies almost every meal.
I absolutely love chili, and the locals had a blast watching me devour bowl after bowl of chili-drenched noodles without batting an eyelid or breaking a sweat. They exclaimed: “Not a single European has ever eaten chili so simply! You have quite a bit of talent!” You can buy a bottle of this fiery delicacy at any market on the island.
Gaillac
It is a Mauritian light snack that is usually deep-fried. It is sold in glass cases from the trunks of motorcycles, in fast food kiosks, on beaches or just on the side of the road. Try samoosas (eggplant fritters), manioc goujons (cassava chips) and gateau patat (potato fritters) - all of which pair well with number 13 on our list.
Dim sum
Thanks to immigrants from China, Mauritius has delicious Cantonese cuisine. I tried the best dim sum since Hong Kong here, in a place called First Restaurant in Port Louis. Here you will be served traditional Contonese dim sum with small Mauritian twists such as prawns and taro dumplings.
The Mauritians have come up with their own recipe for dim sum, called boule - with dumplings made from fish, shrimp or chow chow (a vegetable shaped like a pear). Bule is steamed and served with fish stock and plenty of chilli.
Fish windae
This Mauritian dish is believed to have originated from the Indian vindaloo, but controversy over the origins of the vindaloo continues to this day. This dish is prepared with the addition of mustard, garlic, turmeric, onions and fish, although fish can be replaced with vegetables. Vinday is served with rice, lentils, pickles and chutney. Yes, by the way, it’s very tasty!
Aluda
This drink is similar to the Cape Malay drink falooda, which you can try in Bo-Kaap, Cape Town. Overall, aluda is a pink sweet milk drink with tapioca and syrup to taste (I like vanilla best).
If you believe the locals, then the best aluda will be poured for you at the food market in Port Louis, where I went to get this “milkshake” miracle, perfectly refreshing after the morning rush at the same market.
Mitai
Those with a sweet tooth on vacation in Mauritius should definitely try mithai - these are Indian sweets. They are very sweet and very high in calories, so you should eat them in moderation (unless, of course, you have the desire to update your wardrobe with clothes a couple of sizes larger upon returning to your homeland).
The best sweets are sold at a shop called Bombay Sweets Mart in Port Louis (where friendly salespeople will let you sample some of the 30 existing species so that you can choose the one that you like the most).
Coconuts
Don't leave Mauritius until you drink from a coconut. This may sound like your typical "trendy tropical tip" (and maybe it is), but it's so delicious, and you can't possibly drink from a coconut at every turn at home. And coconut milk is not only incredibly delicious, but also extremely refreshing.
Like pineapples, coconuts are often sold on the beach - buy one from a vendor, stretch out on the warm sand, sip milk straight from the coconut and don't forget to take a photo (nothing screams "look, I'm vacationing on a tropical island" like a photo of You drink from the coconut), and then give the coconut back to the seller, he will cut it for you, and you can enjoy its sweet pulp.
Min Frits
The next popular street food dish in Mauritius is called min frits (fried noodles). It's simple but tasty dish The preparation is very simple: the noodles are fried in soy sauce and placed on top green onions and chili (where would we be without it).
Since this dish comes from Chinese culture, it is naturally best prepared in Chinatown. After you have mastered a portion of noodles, generously sprinkled with chili (this is Mauritius - there is no other way), it would be nice to cool down with black herbal jelly, it should be sold in the same kiosk with min frits.
The dish looks as strange as its name, but it tastes quite good. This jelly is delicately flavored, slightly sweet, and incredibly cooling after chili.
Beer "Phoenix"
Local Mauritian beer "Phoenix" (which, by the way, even has several awards in the field of brewing) is an invigorating, refreshing drink that is perfect for almost any island dish you choose, and is also great solo, if, for example, you take a bottle with you when you go to the beach to admire the sunset.
Farata
It looks like the Indian dish "paratha" - a flat cake with curry. The flatbread itself is buttery, doughy and incredibly delicious. You can find them in kiosks on the streets or in Mauritian and Indian restaurants.
Sweet potato pie
Sweet potato pies are a great addition to a Mauritian tea party. The sweet potato batter is filled with coconuts, cardamom and sugar and then deep fried.
Rum
Although Mauritian rum is not as good as Reunion or Caribbean rum, it is quite good. Especially one of the three island distilleries that produces natural rum (that is, made correctly, from sugar cane juice, not molasses).
St. Aubin and Chateau Labourdonnais make excellent rum (attend a rum tasting at each distillery and try it for yourself), but Rhumerie de Chamarel in Chamarel in the southwest produces award-winning rum. It is distilled twice and then aged in oak barrels. This rum stands head and shoulders above the rest.
All three distilleries also produce rum in a variety of flavors, such as vanilla, coffee, kumquat, spiced rum and citrus fruit. This rum is sweetened with sugar, so it will be more palatable for those who do not consider themselves “rum” fans.
Rum punch
In short, it is a drink that is drunk all over the island. Various ingredients are added to a base of rum and sugar syrup. My favorite rum punch is called Graham and is made with freshly squeezed lime juice.
This punch can be purchased at finished form(perfect for sipping at home, at sunset, while daydreaming about being back) at the Rhumerie de Chamarel winery.
Dishes with added vanilla
The cheap vanilla that is sold to tourists in Mauritian markets and souvenir shops is not actually Mauritian at all - it is not the same vanilla. best quality, brought from Madagascar. The only place you can buy authentic Mauritian vanilla is St. Aubin, a restored colonial mansion that houses a small vanilla plantation and distillery (their rum coffee is incredible, by the way).
Visit the fragrant Vanilla House and learn how vanilla is grown, admire the vanilla flowers in the garden (did you know they were orchids), and then enjoy vanilla chicken and vanilla creme brulee in the restaurant on the veranda of this magnificent old mansion.
Chateau Labourdonnais, which is located in the village of Mapou (next to the grapefruit botanical gardens), grows a rare variety of vanilla that is found only here and, oddly enough, in Tahiti. The creme brulee made with this vanilla in a restaurant right next to the plantation is the best I've ever tasted.
Coconut chutney
Of all the types of chutney that there are in Mauritius (and there seem to be hundreds of them here), coconut was my absolute favorite. It's amazing, tastes fresh and has the quintessential Mauritian ingredient - coconut. This is a cooling chutney that will complement the mazavaro curry nicely.
Palm pith salad
Also known as "Millionaire's Salad". This is a delicacy in Mauritius, although I probably won’t be able to say exactly why. Palm trees are grown for about seven years, then they are cut down and the “heart” is removed - the core of the tree, about the size of a person’s hand. It can be used to prepare a snack for three hundred people.
This core is then finely chopped and eaten raw in a salad with billfish and other delicacies, or used to make sauce. I didn’t feel the taste, and besides, I felt sorry for the palm tree. However, it's still worth a try. And so as not to torment your conscience later, just plant a palm tree in your garden when you return home.
Coconut cupcakes
These delicious cookies (I don't know why Mauritians call them muffins) are made from grated coconut and sugar. I tasted especially delicious ones at the Escale Creole restaurant (a local family restaurant), near Port Louis.
Rugalle
Rugalle is a popular Creole dish, something like a stew of meat (sometimes fish) with tomatoes, garlic, onions and thyme.
Hot roti
The last, but no less tasty, dish is hot roti (Indian flatbread). These are rotis that are usually eaten with various types curry, chutney and pickles. You can find them, like most of the dishes listed, on the trunk of a local’s motorcycle or at a street food stall.
Nuances
