Amanda PhillipsThere’s no questioning that Mauritius has one of the world’s most beautiful coastlines. The pristine white sands that slip into the sapphire blue waters is the reason many visitors choose to pay a visit. You’d be forgiven for assuming that Mauritius is the holiday getaway of beach-lovers – and only beach-lovers, but you would be wrong – Mauritius food lovers read on…
While beach bodies will certainly love soaking up the sun on the edge of the Indian Ocean, Mauritius appeals to a much wider array of travellers. Another type of holidaymaker that will adore the island nation is the foodie traveller. A country located in waters bordered by Asia and Africa, and was once part of French, Dutch and British colonies (while originally discovered by the Portuguese), has developed a unique palate of flavours influenced by three continents. Foodies will be so busy trying out the street food and palm trees (you can eat palm trees in Mauritius) they might even forget to explore the beachy coastline. To make sure you don’t miss out on the beach (and we recommend you don’t, pictures of the coastline are used in holiday brochures for a reason), we’ve pulled together a handy guide so you have a head start when you arrive in (foodie) paradise.
Caught from the ocean: fresh seafood
Being an island nation surrounded by the rich Indian Ocean, it’s no surprise that seafood is a staple on menus around the island. Seafood lovers will find an eclectic mix, including lobster, octopus, and calamari. The Asian influence has made seafood curry incredibly popular, such as the fish vindayem adapted from the Indian Vindaloo. Octopus curry is also popular on the southern side of the island in Gris Gris Beach, if you’re feeling adventurous.
For an evening tipple: rum
Rum is the most commonly found spirit on the island, though it’s a bit sweeter than the rums you’ll be accustomed to. Rhumerie de Chamarel on the south of the island is distillery museum that showcases how Mauritian rum is manufactured. You’ll also find rhum arrangé in most bars – rum infused with various fruits and spices ranging from coconut to pineapples.
If you’re a beer drinker look out for Phoenix Beer that is brewed locally on the island.
The national street food dish: Dholl Puri
Street food is very easy to come by in Mauritius, and the capital of Port Louis is the best place to find it. While there’s a lot of offerings to choose from the most popular is dholl puri, which could arguably be the national dish. It’s rumoured to be derived from Indian paratha: when Indian immigrants arrived on the island but couldn’t find the correct ingredients so adapted the recipe. Whether this history is accurate remains unknown, but this fried thin bread stuffed with ground yellow split peas is usually served with bean curry, atchar and chutney.
Something light and refreshing: Victoria Pineapples
Across Mauritius in supermarkets and at street food stalls, you’ll spot miniature-sized pineapples, much smaller than the varieties you see in the UK. These tiny pineapples are not to be sniffed at: for what they lack in size, they make up for in flavour (they’re much sweeter). They’re commonly sold by street vendors sliced, and dusted with chilli salt.
In the mood for Chinese: head to Chinatown
Mauritius is home to a strong but small Chinese immigrant population. While it feels as though you can get Chinese food everywhere in the world, and a lot of cities have their own Chinatown, some of the Chinese dishes available in Mauritius aren’t the same as what you’d find in mainland Asia though. Mooncakes are made with a different recipe and you’ll also find Bol déviré across the island, though you won’t find it in Asia. It’s literal translation in English is ‘upside down bowl’ and that’s exactly what it is. When you uncover the dish you’ll find rice cooked with chicken, vegetables, dried mushrooms in oyster sauce, and a fried egg sitting on top of the domed shape.
Trying something truly exotic: palm hearts
We mentioned earlier that palm trees don’t just line the beaches in Mauritius: they are also a delicacy. Not the whole tree (that would be difficult to eat) but the core of the tree. Known as ‘palm heart’, this vegetable is regularly found in Millionaire’s Salad, a popular dish in Mauritius that will also please seafood lovers.
Flavours to expect: coconut, vanilla and pineapple
If you’re reading about these dishes and wondering what they taste like: there’s a high chance it will be one of these three. Coconut, vanilla and pineapple and the three flavours found commonly on the island, and infused into all sorts of dishes ranging from crème brulee to the piña colada.
For the spice lover: chilli (on everything)
If you’re a chilli lover, you’ll be excited to know that Mauritians love chilli too and include it in almost everything. If you’re not a chilli fan, you can rest assured that the chilli usually comes served as a side dish so diners can mix it to their tastes.