A fusion of diverse influences be it European, Chinese or Indian, Mauritian cuisine offers a truly memorable culinary adventure and here are some of its key dishes!

Fish Vindaye

Seafood dishes are very popular here and traditional fish vindaye is amongst the best which can be enjoyed at local eateries as well as accommodation providers like Anantara Iko Mauritius Resort & Villas. Apart from fried fish, this culinary creation also features onions and chilli pickled in vinegar, mustard seeds, garlic and turmeric that give it a distinctive taste.

Dholl Puri

When on street food tours or dining at the best restaurants in Mauritius, look to try dholl puri, often called the nation’s national dish. This savoury pancake is made using ground yellow split peas mixed with turmeric and cumin. Best eaten fresh off the griddle, it’s stuffed with cari gros pois (butter bean curry) and rougaille (a tomato-based sauce), often accompanied by a spicy chutney.

Yoann74, Dholl puri, CC BY-SA 4.0

Bol Renversé

A rice-based Sino-Mauritian dish, bol renversé, translates to “upside down bowl” and when you see it, you will know why. The dish is first assembled in a medium bowl with a fried egg at the bottom followed by a thick sauce with sautéed veggies and a choice of meat generally, chicken; next, the rice is added till the bowl is full before it’s carefully flipped over onto a plate and voila, you get a dish that resembles an upside-down bowl!

Gateau Piment

When it comes to street food in Mauritius, gateau piment is a favourite and is a yummy snack widely available at food stalls. In French, it translates to “chilli cake” and is made from dhal or yellow split peas seasoned with sliced green chillies and spring onion and shaped into small balls; these are then deep fried for a ready-made hot snack that locals also like having with bread and butter as part of their breakfast too.