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La Cuisine Seychelloise
Mahe:
Bagatelle
Bel Air, Tel. 224722, Fax 378244.
Five minutes from Victoria on the Sans Souci Road.
Open daily for lunch, 12 noon - 2 PM; for dinner, 7:30 PM - 12 midnight,
seats 40 in its main banquet hall, while two smaller rooms seat ten and sixteen
in each. The restaurant is closed on Mondays.
The restaurant is located in an elegant old colonial mansion, built by a
local sea captain in 1902. It is situated on five acres in a
dreamlike garden of exotic ferns, palms and orchids. Magnificent trees, plants
and shrubs shade and beautify the house. The restaurant features a
wide selection of tempting seafood dishes. For lunch, a three-course
creole menu is a good buy. Dinner is a la Carte, but the shrimp with
three sauces is well worth the money.
...undoubtedly the best restaurant in the Indian Ocean.
Sunday Observer Magazine, London, England - December
1995
Marie-Antoinette
St. Louis Road, Victoria, Tel. 266222,
Open Monday - Saturday, 12.30 PM - 2:00 PM for lunch, 7:30 - 9:00 PM for
dinner, seats 85.
This restaurant is located in a 90 year old wooden house of typical colonial
construction with the exterior painted a loud and vivid green and a red roof.
The pink and turquoise interior is decorated with potted plants, posters,
and mementos from guests. The lady of the same name as the restaurant
cooks and serves authentic and tasty creole dishes daily. The restaurant
is closed on Sunday.
La Scala
Bel Ombre, Tel. 247535.
Open for dinner only, Monday - Saturday
Located on top of an imposing cliff, the restaurant of Gianni and Sylvana
Torsi is indeed worthy of its throne like setting and features fine italian
cuisine with a french-creole twist.
Chez Philos
Auberge d'Anse Boileau, Anse Boileau, Tel: 76660
Superb food in this bistro located at this small hotel. Frequented
by the diplomatic corps, the restaurant is run by Philos, a portly Belgian
and his Seychellois wife. A typical meal includes flan de tec-tec
(tiny clams), terrine de chauve-souris (pate of fruit bat),
filet de capitaine (an excellent local fish) with mousseline de
fruit de la passion (passion-fruit sauce), accompanied by a breadfruit
croquette and a diced vegetable called chou-chou (tropical summer squash,
called chayote in Mexico, or mirliton in US).
Juliana's
Anse a la Mouche, Tel: 71289
A charming, open, thatched-roof structure surrounded by bougainvillea and
overlooking the bay. It serves grilled fish and salads with a French
accent.
Pomme Cannelle
Village Artisanal, Anse aux Pins, Tel. 234180,
Open daily, 10 AM - 10 PM, seats 48.
A creole restaurant in an old plantation house and featuring red snapper
wrapped and baked in banana leaves.
Louis XVII
A delightful gourmet restaurant where dinner is served overlooking
Victoria. The view from the dinning room even at night is spectacular
and the cuisine is superb. The restaurant offers a full a la carte
menu which caters to all tastes.
Opens for lunch and dinner daily. Closed for Sunday lunch and all public
holidays.
La Louise, Mahe, Tel: 344411
Cerf
Island (within a stones throw from
Mahe)
Turtle Beach Restaurant
Tel. 225536,
Open Tuesday - Sunday, 9 AM - 10 PM, closed Monday.
A shuttle departs the Yacht Club on Mahe for Cerf at 10 AM and returns to
the Yacht Club at 4 PM. Creole dishes are served.
Café des Arts
Anse Volbert, Tel. 232131,
Open Tuesday - Sunday at 10 AM, closed Mondays.
A combination coffee house, art gallery, bar and restaurant with fine creole
cuisine in a setting that is quite satisfying to the senses.
Bon Bon Plume
Anse Lazio, Tel. 232136,
Open 11 AM - 6 PM.
On the most beautiful beach in the Seychelles hides this restaurant with
tables under the spreading branches of Takamaka Trees. Serving small
lunches until 1:45 PM. Also available by reservation for group functions
for dinner.
The recipes on these pages are from a collection by Eveline Man-Cham, M.B.E.,
the mother of the first President of the newly independent Republic of the
Seychelles, James R. Mancham.
The following is excerpted from an introduction by James R. Mancham, as it
first appeared in his mothers cookbook:
"As someone who believes in good eating
and who has been lucky enough to taste innumerable national dishes within
their local environment, I am certain there is a great future for 'La haute
cuisine Seychelloise'. Bring in the atmosphere, bring candle lights,
bring in the wines of France and Britain's silver plates and we in Seychelles
will do the rest to introduce a cooking which will make these islands a haven
for the gourmets and connoisseurs."
Suggested Menus
with Recipes
Lunch
Dinner
Soupe de Cresson
| 2 Tbs. olive oil | 2 pints boiling water |
| 1 onion, thinly sliced | 1 clove garlic, crushed |
| 1/2 lb. beef (chuck or tri-tip) | 1 bunch watercress |
| salt and pepper |
Wash and trim the watercress, remove and discard the tough end of stalks.
Thinly slice the beef. In 2 qt. saucepan, brown onion and garlic
in oil. Add meat, brown lightly on all sides, cover and let simmer
10 minutes. Add the 2 pints of boiling water and the watercress.
Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and
pepper. Serve hot.
Return to Menu
Soupe de TecTec
| 1 lb. tectec shells | |
| (substitute baby clams in shell or canned chopped clams with juice) | |
| 2 onions, minced | 2 pints water, boiled |
| 1 cup rice, washed | 3 Tbs. olive oil |
| 1 bouquet garni (thyme and parsley) | |
Brown the onions in oil. Add the bouquet garni, stir and add the tectec.
Cover
and simmer 5 minutes. Add the boiled water and the cup of rice. Cook
30 minutes. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Strain if
made with real tectec and serve broth. If made with baby clams in shell
or with canned clams, serve whole or strain if desired. Either way,
serve very hot. Return to Menu
Becune
Grille
| 1 large barracuda | 2 Tbs. olive oil |
| salt, pepper, and turmeric | a few chili peppers* |
| 6 cloves garlic, crushed | 1 inch ginger, grated |
| juice of two lemons | parsley or cilantro |
| 1 large onion | 2 tomatoes |
Make diagonal slits on both sides of the body of the fish.
Blend the chilies, garlic, and ginger into a paste. Use a drop
or two of olive oil for consistency. Season the paste with salt and
pepper. Stuff the mixture into the slits on the body of the fish.
Place the fish into a shallow oven proof pan, such as a broiler pan
without the grill insert. Dribble the olive oil over the fish and sprinkle
lightly with turmeric. Squeeze the lemmon over the fish. Broil
on center rack, basting several times, for about 20 minutes. No need
to turn the fish over. Transfer the fish to a serving dish, retaining
any liquid still in the broiler pan.
Add the sliced tomatoes and onion to the liquid in the broiler pan. Saute
until the onions are translucent. Pour the sauce over the fish and
serve with steamed rice.
*The type and quantity depends on your tolerance. Serrano or Thai are
good for this dish. Ground Cayenne pepper may be used if fresh chilies
are not available.
Return to Menu
Gros Bourgeous de L'Ile
Mahe
| 1 whole bourgeois (snapper, opakapaka, or any white flesh fish) | |
| 2 hard boiled eggs | 3 Tbs. olive oil |
| green onion, sliced | 1 large onion, minced |
| 6 cloves garlic | vinegar |
| parsley or cilantro | salt and pepper |
Season the cavity of the fish with salt and pepper. Rub
the cavity and the outside of the fish with the minced garlic and onion.
Place the fish in an oiled baking dish. Bake 20 minutes.
Meanwhile prepare the topping for the fish by mixing the sliced eggs, sliced
onions, 3 Tbs. olive oil and vinegar. Pour the sauce/topping over
the fish when finished baking. Decorate with sliced green onions and
parsley. Serve with steamed rice.
Return to Menu
Curry de
Poulet
| One 13 oz can coconut milk | 1 Tsp. mixed spice |
| 2 Tbs. curry powder | 1 chopped onion |
| 1 cup water | 1/2 Tsp. turmeric |
| 2 Tbs. olive oil | 1 chicken, cut into small pieces |
| Bouquet Garni | 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced |
Fry onions in fat until light brown. Add chicken pieces,
turmeric, mixed spice, and curry powder. Brown chicken, stir until
well coated with seasoning. Cover, simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, parsley, thyme, and the 1 cup of water. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the coconut milk and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with steamed
rice.
Return to Menu
Boeuf en Daube
| 1 Lb. stew beef | 2 onions |
| 2 Tbs. olive oil | 2 cloves garlic, chopped |
| 3 tomatoes, quartered | salt and pepper |
| parsley and thyme |
Brown the beef in the olive oil. When the meat is very
well browned on all sides, add the onion and the garlic. Dust lightly
with some flour and stir well. Add the tomatoes and one cup of
water. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the thyme and the parsley and
season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until tender.
Serve with steamed rice.
Return to Menu
Salade de
Cresson
| 1 bunch watercress | 2 hard boiled eggs |
| vinegar and olive oil | salt and pepper |
| 1 stalk green onions, sliced |
Wash the watercress and cover with a dressing made from 1 part
vinegar to two parts olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper.
Garnish with slices of hard boiled eggs and green
onions. Return to
Menu
Salade de Concombre
| 3 medium size cucumber | salt and pepper |
| 2 medium size onions, sliced | 2 Tbs. olive oil |
| 2 Tbs. vinegar | 1 or 2 stalks green onion |
Wash, and peel, the cucumber and slice very fine into a bowl
of water to which one teaspoon of salt has been added. Drain and squeeze
out the excess water. Toss with the pepper, sliced onions, olive oil
and the vinegar. Garnish with sliced green
onion.Return to
Menu
Beignet de
Giraumon
| 1 small pumpkin | salt and pepper |
| 2 eggs, beaten | 2 Tbs. flour |
| 3 Tbs. | vegetable oil |
Peel and remove seeds from the pumpkin. Wash and then boil
the pumpkin for 20 minutes. Mash and add salt and pepper to taste.
Blend in the beaten eggs and the flour. Form into small patties
and fry in oil. Return to
Menu
Aubergine
Frite
| 3 eggplants | 2 eggs, beaten |
| 1/4 Tsp. salt | 1/8 Tsp. pepper |
| 2 Tbs. flour | 3 Tbs. vegetable oil |
Wash and slice the eggplant into round pieces and soak in salt
water for 5 minutes. Blend the beaten eggs, flour, salt and pepper.
Dip the eggplant slices into the mixture and fry in
oil. Return to
Menu
Ananas Seychellois
| 1 pineapple, cored and cut into medium bite-size chunks | |
| 1 small onion, thinly sliced | 2 stalks green onions, chopped |
| salt and pepper | 2 Tsp. sugar |
| 2 Tbs. vinegar | 2 to 3 Tbs. olive oil |
| 1 or 2 jalapeno, chopped | |
Mix the oil and vinegar, dissolving the sugar in the dressing.
Season to taste with the salt and pepper. Add the sliced white
and green onions and the chili pepper to the pineapple. Pour the dressing
over the pineapple. Toss and chill until serving.
Return to Menu
Banane
Flambee
| 6 firm cooking bananas, peeled | 3 Tbs. butter, melted |
| 1 Tsp. ground cinnamon | 1/2 cup rum |
| 1 cup dark brown sugar |
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour the melted butter into
an oven proof baking dish and coat the bottom of the dish. Arrange
the bananas in the dish, turning the bananas to coat them with the butter.
Sprinkle with half the brown sugar and bake for 30 minutes. Mix
the remaining brown sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle over the baked bananas.
Just before serving, pour the rum over the bananas and set
alight.
Return to Menu
.
Glossary
Creole
English
| Bigorneaux | Shellfish |
| Bourgeois | Snapper - white fleshed fish |
| Becune | Barracuda - white fleshed fish |
| Bredes mouroungue | Small leaves from a tree with spinach like taste and texture |
| Breadfruit | Breadfruit - fruit with a high starch content and used as a substitute for potatoes |
| Bringele (Aubergine) | Eggplant |
| Banane St. Jacques | Extra long variety of banana |
| Bigarade | Bergamot orange, oil is used to flavor Earl Grey tea |
| Belinbi | Small fruit with a tart taste used as a substitute for vinegar |
| Carangue | King fish or jack fish |
| Cordonnier | Flat fish, similar to sole |
| Concombre | Cucumber |
| Cacatois | White fleshed fish |
| Cresson | Watercress |
| Manioc | Cassava - tapioca |
| Palmiste | The heart of the newest growth on top of a coconut palm - used in millionaire's salad |
| Patole | Snake-gourd |
| Palourde | Shellfish |
| Tectec | Tiny clam-like shellfish |
| Vieille fish | Garoupa - white fleshed fish |
