Fruits of the sea ... a wealth of fresh ingredients go into fine dining in Tahiti.Credit: AFP
From raw fish to fine French cuisine, Ute Junker discovers a wealth of island delights.
Favourite flavours
No prizes for guessing that on any tropical island, most of the menu choices will involve seafood. Tahiti is no exception. But unlike some island nations, Polynesia's chefs can think of more ways to prepare fish than just grilling and frying. Try poisson cru - raw fish in coconut milk - which is the closest thing Polynesia has to a national dish.
The local drop
Predictably, imported beverages are expensive, so it's lucky the favourite local drop literally grows on trees. Pape haari (coconut milk) is a great thirst quencher and costs next to nothing.
Top tables
L'O a la Bouche (Passage Cardella, Papeete, +689 452 976) has a feel of "la vraie France" - love those vintage wine labels on the wall - where the chef marries his classic technique with the best of local ingredients, enlivening grilled fish with a passionfruit and ginger sauce, or a light curry sauce.
For a less formal dinner, Lou Pescadou (Rue Anne-Marie Javouhey, Papeete, +689 437 426) is a typical Italian-style trattoria, all checked tablecloths and dripping candlewax. Naturally, pizza and pasta predominate and this is one of the few places on the island where vegetarians have a lot of choice.
If you're in the mood for a bit of a road trip, L'Eurasienne (Chez Jeannine, PK 4.4, Route du Plateau, Taravao, +689 570 749) at the isthmus connecting Tahiti Nui to Tahiti Iti, is worth the journey. It's a cash-only affair and the menu is fairly limited - shellfish prepared in half-a-dozen different ways - but the delicious Vietnamese fusion flavours make it one of the island's best dinner options.
Budget bite
When is a snack not a snack? When you're in Tahiti, where the word "snack" refers to the venue, not the meal. One of the most popular snacks in town is L'Oasis du Vaima (Centre Vaima, Rue General de Gaulle, Papeete, +689 454 501), which serves everything from milkshakes and sandwiches to more filling plats du jour. Grab and go from the footpath counter, or relax on the covered dining terrace.
Special night
Not only does Le Lotus offer a classic romantic island setting - think thatched roofs and lagoon views - but, thanks to its association with the Alsace restaurant L'Auberge d'Ill and its three Michelin stars, it also offers superb French cuisine, such as swordfish mousse on potato and mussel risotto. Just remember to leave room for the delectable desserts. InterContinental Resort Tahiti, +689 865 110 (extension 5512).
Locals love
On balmy evenings, one of the most pleasant places to dine is on the waterfront at Papeete's Vaiete Square. Families gather to enjoy the variety of food served from dozens of roulettes, or food vans, which ranges from chow mein and crepes to pizza and steak and chips.
Don't leave without trying
The taste of Tahiti is fermented coconut milk, which adds a tangy, salty flavour to dishes. Miti hue, a lumpy sauce served with taro, breadfruit and fish, is a typical dish; alternatively, if you think you can face it first thing in the morning, try taioro, a mix of grated coconut milk with sea snail or fish, fermented overnight in crab juice.
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