TP Cruisers - Please help - A Special Dinner in Papeete

[joyride]

I did post this question on the Pacific Islands board - but I know a lot of you don't visit there often.

 

Here's my question - we will be in Tahiti 2 days post cruise, and the second day (a Saturday Night) is my birthday. We would like to celebrate with a nice dinner. We are staying at the IC in Papeete and I know they have a dance show/dinner on Saturday nights or they have the La Lotus Restaurant which is supposed to be fancy but pricey.

 

What about a local restaurant with some local flavor? I think I read somewhere that they will actually pick you up and shuttle you to their place. I know we could probably arrange this with the Conceirge at the IC, but I would really like to arrange it in advance.

 

Any suggestions? I love any kind of food. I'm not a HUGE seafood lover and I figure I will get lots of that on the ship - so something else might be better -

French maybe...Asian...not sure what they have there...

 

I would love your suggestions.

[Aussie Gal]

Joyride,

 

The restaurant you are after is Le Belvedere where they pick you up and bring you back. It is on top of a hill and I believe the sunsets are wonderful. I believe the conciege at the I.C. will organize the booking for you. I think the cuisine is French.

 

We will be staying there in less than 2 weeks time and we intend to go to Le Belvedere for dinner one night.

 

Jennie

[joyride]

I would love to hear how you like the place! That name does ring a bell and I must have read about it somewhere in a review or something.

 

Anyone else been there, or have other suggestions?

[Ms Jo UK]

Hi Joyride

 

We did a two night post cruise stay in Papeete last May and ate a Le Belvedere, the food is just Ok to Ok (although that is subjective) but the ambience and location make up for it, we watched a beautiful sunset going down over Tahiti. If I remember rightly we did think it was quite expensive for what you got - although most things are in paradise lol.

[margord]

Hi Joyride

 

We did a two night post cruise stay in Papeete last May and ate a Le Belvedere, the food is just Ok to Ok (although that is subjective) but the ambience and location make up for it, we watched a beautiful sunset going down over Tahiti. If I remember rightly we did think it was quite expensive for what you got - although most things are in paradise lol.

 

I agree. We ate there also and our food was okay. Nothing fabulous but the view is to die for. It is definately worth going.

[Spikesgirl]

We also ate at Le Belvedere and the view was fabulous - we had been in rain for two days and while we were in the restaurant, it cleared and we watched the TP dock.

 

The food was not the high point of our trip up to the restaurant and we were the only ones (we were a group of 12 doing a pre cruise) in the restaurant at the time. It was two fixed times to dine, so perhaps the later seating had more people.

 

We had an absolutely spectacular dinner (twice, actually) at this little hole in the wall in a strip mall just to the north of Le Meridien. It only had seven tables and a tiny bar, but the food was fabulous and cooked to order. It was called Cafe Rene, but ithis was in 2004 and it may or may not be there.

 

We also were blown away by the food in the Sheraton's main dining room. It was inventive, tasty and very French. A little pricey, but we figured we were on vacation, so what the heck. Again, it was so good, we returned a second night and were even more impressed with the menu. It had a some fish dishes, but mostly it was beef, pork and chicken.

 

One last thought - the food is regular Princess fare on the ship - no extra seafood offerings other than the usual one dish a night. Even if you aren't crazy about seafood, do at least try Poisson Cru at one of the Roulettes.

 

Charlie

[WeBeGone]

Only go to Le Belvedere if it is totally clear. Many nights there are thick clouds at the top of the mountain which means you can't see anything. And the view is really the only selling point for Le Belvedere-the food is just average.

 

Re the Lotus at the IC - we went in, ordered wine, then after looking at the menu decided there was nothing that looked appealing to us. It's all very "haute cuisine". So we finished our wine, walked over to the regular restaurant at IC and had a fabulous dinner.

 

The only other place we ate in Papeete was at a Chinese place near the black Pearl market. It was fun but not a birthday dinner kind of place.

[jguffey]

This can be a bit 'hokey' but the Belvedere will pick you up and return you to your hotel. It's on the top of a mountain and the winding road up is really beautiful (don't drive it yourself)....and DON'T take the tour package meal. Order a la carte...you can do that. You overlook all of Papeete and see Moorea in the distance. Other than that if you haven't seen a Tahitian show...you may want to try that before you leave. I haven't stayed at the IC yet but will in October...so would be interested in hearing what it's like. You will love French Polynesia if you haven't been before. The water is incredible...clear...multi-shaded blue, warm. I can't wait to go back (my 6th trip.) If you want to send a private email and ask more questions I'd be happy to answer you.

 

The attachment is the catamaran "Heiva" which I've sailed on before and will do again in October...8-passengers. Sails through the leeward isles. Heaven!

 

Aloha....

[AZbeachboy]

We also were blown away by the food in the Sheraton's main dining room. It was inventive, tasty and very French. A little pricey, but we figured we were on vacation, so what the heck. Again, it was so good, we returned a second night and were even more impressed with the menu. It had a some fish dishes, but mostly it was beef, pork and chicken.

Charlie

 

Spikesgirl, was this Shearton the Le Meridien or the Shearton Tahtiti. Changing names seemed to confuse me, but I am easily confused sometimes.

[Aussie Gal]

Re the Lotus at the IC - we went in, ordered wine, then after looking at the menu decided there was nothing that looked appealing to us. It's all very "haute cuisine". So we finished our wine, walked over to the regular restaurant at IC and had a fabulous dinner.quote]

 

You have persuaded us not to make the trip up to Le Belvedere. We do not need to see a beautiful sunset as we have seen loads in our lifetime but we do want a memorable meal.

 

Can you remember the prices at either the Lotus or the normal restaurant at the IC and also did either of them have a view over the water.

 

Also was the meal at the normal restaurant at the IC very french or more International. We are looking for a French meal seeing we are on a French Island.

 

Thanks for any help regarding this. We are also going to check out the little restaurant near Le Meridien that Spikesgirl has referred to.

 

Jennie

[joyride]

Jennie - I would love to hear what you end up doing when you get back. We don't go until August. I'm sort of leaning toward the La Lotus right at the IC with the Polynisian show on Saturday night. The Belevedere sounds awesome, but I am not the biggest fan of winding roads and not so great of food, just for the view...