What comes in all colours, shapes and flavours imaginable? Hint: may cause reactions like ‘Mmm!’ ‘Aah!’ or ‘Yum!’
Yes, it’s food! Delicious, mouth-watering, exciting food worth travelling for.
Food tourism is bigger than ever. Having risen to one of the top travel trends in recent years, 81% of travellers say they learn about local food and drink when on holiday and that it helps them to better understand the local culture.
The Indian Ocean region has incredibly rich culinary traditions and flavours stemming from many roots. From the Seychelles’ ten chilli varieties to Maldivian coconut curries, there really is so much to explore.
Exotic food is exciting to eat, and it can be even more exciting to photograph! In fact, 60% of holiday makers post snaps of their food finds on social media while on holiday. Sharing photos of mouth-watering meals must be one of the best ways to inspire holiday envy!
There are so many things for your palate to discover in the Indian Ocean. To name but a few: ripe, juicy mangoes on hot days; refreshing coconut water on sunny beaches; tempting spicy curries with warm farata (Indian bread); sweet and sour melt-in-the-mouth fish dishes and tender chicken barbecued on the beach.
Drooling yet? There’s more…
With our seven hotels peppered across four beautiful destinations – Mauritius, Maldives, Seychelles and Madagascar – you’ll experience unique culinary traditions and influences, leaving your palate more than satisfied!
As you would expect, the star of the Indian Ocean’s cuisine is fantastic fresh seafood, but there are so many gastronomic delights to discover. Here’s what your taste buds can look forward to during your stay at one of our hotels!
1. Mauritius is famed for its street food
From hot curries to traditional ‘dholl puri’ (flat bread stuffed with seasoned and cooked yellow split peas), to fresh coconut water at every corner, Mauritian street food is oh-so-easy to eat and oh-so-delicious. There’s something for everyone. But if you’re looking for some truly fantastic dishes made with locally sourced ingredients, either Constance Belle Mare Plage or Constance Prince Maurice is the place to be.
Our skilled chefs take only the best fresh Mauritian ingredients and transform them into gourmet gastronomic delights.
And if you visit during March and April, you’re in for a treat! Why’s that? Watch the video and you’ll understand…
Yes, it’s the Festival Culinaire Bernard Loiseau – a celebration of passion, creativity and extraordinary food from Mauritius, the Seychelles, Maldives and the wider world.
A week long culinary festival featuring local market visits, traditional island food and gala dinners cooked by Michelin starred chefs, your foodie trip to the Indian Ocean will be well worth it!
2. Spicy Seychellois seafood
Seafood and chilli are central to the cuisine of the Seychelles – the fresher the better! You might even get to try some more unusual fish such as kingfish or even barracuda – how adventurous are you feeling?
At Constance Ephelia and Constance Lemuria Seychelles you’ll find a restaurant to catering to your culinary desires, whether you’re looking for a local speciality or something a bit closer to home.
A beautiful setting for a beautiful meal at Constance Ephelia Seychelles’ Seselwa restaurant
3. A Maldivian fusion of flavours
A mixture of influences from Arabic, Indian, Sri Lankan and oriental traditions come together in the Maldives to create a cuisine that’s truly unique. Why not start your day with a fish dish for breakfast? Most locals do!
Tuna is one of the most popular fish used in Maldivian dishes – the traditional way to enjoy it is with fresh chillies in a fragrant broth.
With fantastic restaurants to choose from at both of our Maldives hotels – Constance Moofushi and Constance Halaveli – you can experience the best of Maldivian cuisine in incredible settings.
4. Much on moreish morsels in Madagascar
From Madagascan fried rice to the more unusual stuffed eel dish ‘Smalona’, Malagasy food is rich and varied with lots of new flavours to explore. The country also has a street food tradition – you can pick up one of Madagascar’s most popular desserts ‘koba akondro’, made from peanuts, honey, and mashed bananas, almost anywhere.
The relaxed bar and restaurant at Constance Tsarabanjina Madagascar. Dress code? Barefoot!
At Constance Tsarabanjina Madagascar, you’ll be able to taste delicious Malagasy food right from the hotel’s restaurant, which is nestled on a private beach. It’s the perfect relaxed setting to enjoy delicious local cuisine with enchanting views to match.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpgMeWLe-gA
Spectacular food and sea views to match at Constance Tsarabanjina Madagascar restaurant
5. The perfect meal needs the perfect wine to match
The art of pairing wine with food is a difficult one – that’s why we have a team of experienced sommeliers at every Constance hotel who will recommend the perfect zesty white to complement a fresh fish dish, or a sumptuous red to bring out the flavour of your steak.
Wine lovers, Blue Penny Cellar restaurant at Constance Belle Mare Plage in Mauritius is the place for you! You’ll discover a one-of-a-kind wine experience brought to life by our expert chefs and sommeliers. ‘Around Wine’ allows guests to pick their favourite wine (from a cellar of 15,000 award-winning bottles!) around which our chefs will create the perfect complementary meal.
“Like all great matches in life, the pairing of wine and food is complex and varied, but fundamentally involves complementing and contrasting the different elements of each in hopes of creating a sum which is greater than its parts.”- Chef Goisset at Constance Belle Mare Plage
However adventurous you are, there’s something for every palate at Constance Hotels & Resorts. Why not book yourself into one of our luxurious locations in the Indian Ocean and discover all the culinary delights that this region has to offer.