Restaurant recommendation in papeete

[meherio]

Ia orana

Has anyone caught a month ago the Tv show " No reservations " with chjef Bourdain in FP ?

( Travel channel ? or food network ?)

 

They featured a brand new restaurant located at the corner of the Vaima center in Papeete called " Mango ? cafe".

 

Great inventive cuisine. The featured URU ( breadfruit) prepared a la Rossini ( with Foie Gras en Sauce) was superb

great creative use of the local ingredients and redesign of old classic recipes make for a pure island experience.

 

Bon Appetit

 

meherio

[mipps]

we get the show in NZ ... missed this segment

 

thanks for the recommendation

 

:)

[Spikesgirl]

We did see the show and have plans to visit when we hit the island next year.

 

It's good to know that it's still there (the show was originally taped a couple of years ago according to his web site) and that the food is good.

 

Can't wait!!

 

Charlie

[wristband]

Actually, Tony's travels were taped earlier this year so the info on the show is brand spanking new.

[Spikesgirl]

That's what we thought, too, but we had to go to the archieves to find the Tahiti show.

 

At least the restaurant is there and doing well - that's all I'm worried about.

 

Charlie

[meherio]

Ia orana

Ths show presents the restaurant still being worked on during the taping a few months ago). The end result presents a very cosmopolitan decor with tropical accents.

 

Mr bourdain seemed to enjoy the Local Hinano beer quite a bit too. To such a point that he might have seen double while visiting the Kia ora Sauvage property presenting 10 bungalows on that private island when there are only 5.

 

Great show ( it is always a great show when you can see Tahiti on TV back home)

meherio

[Spikesgirl]

Here, here, meherio, Tahiti is always easy to look at.

 

That's a good point about Sauvage. We are hoping to book a bungalow as a pre cruise for our next trip. Ten bungalows on that motu would have been a bit tight...I never even noticed the slip up when we were watching.

 

Charlie

[llachance]

ate at the Mango cafe (lunch) just a couple of weeks ago. Spent 2 hours eating some of the most amazing food with amazing service. The bill was about what I expected (we had a bottle of wine and coffee) and I would eat there again in a heartbeat. Of course, after having spent 2 weeks in French Polynesia I would go back in a heart beat :)

[Spikesgirl]

Lisa - could I ask a range of prices from the restaurant? We are going to eat there the first night we are in Papeete and I'd like to have an idea of what we're going into. Also are inviting our roll call to join us and it would be nice to give them an idea - you can give either USD or CFP, I can do the conversion.

 

What did you have to eat? We have been really interested in getting info on the restaurant - web page isn't up to date.

 

If you'd prefer to do this off-board, my e mail is: charliekirby@comcast.net

 

Thanks!

 

Charlie

[laurieb]

I would love some more info on the place, location etc., if you wouldn't mind providing it.

[llachance]

knew the name because I read about it on the board and we stumbled upon it. Can't remember the exact spot but it was a block in from the water near the magazine store...sorry I can't be more specific then that.

 

We were there for lunch and spent more money for lunch then I have in a long time. We had a bottle of wine, appetizers, main course and dessert...hold your breath it was 15550 CFP which translated to $187.00 on my credit card - but worth every single penny and more. My mother had tuna tartare and I had salad, my main course was Mahi Mahi and my mother had rack of lamb and I had a sundae for dessert and we both had coffee. We both felt the service was impeccable and wouldn't hesitate to spend the money to go again. My mahi mahi came with mashed potatos made three ways...the cheesy mashed potatos were to die for, the potatos with pineapple were kind of weird and the garlic mashed potatos were just that...there was also all the bread and butter you wanted. Can't tell you any more about the menu because they told us that they were getting ready to change it.....more Italian is what they said but I don't really know what that means.

 

We visited the Market that morning and loved it (it poured down rain most of the 3 days that we were there).

 

Suggestions on other islands include Alfredo's on Moorea. Wonderful food and on Thursday nights a Scottish man (who has since relocated to French Polynesia) plays an auto harp and sings folk music. We had a good time singing along. Also, on Moorea if you have the time, the Tiki Village is wonderful fun to visit. Most of the tour operators advise you away from there but my mom and I had a great time. We stayed at Club Bali Hai while on Moorea.

 

On Bora Bora we had dinner at La Bounty (half the price as lunch was) and very good but not outstanding and pizza at a little stand on the road where I shared my mushrooms with the cat that lived there :)

 

The rest of the time we were on an Archipels Catamaran and if you have questions about that please ask.

[Spikesgirl]

Thanks, Lisa! It sounds about what I was expecting pricewise and the food sounds great! Really aprreciate the suggestions on the other islands as well. We are spending more time on each island this time and it will be nice to get a chance to check out the local flavors.

 

Charlie

[llachance]

gave me the two week trip to French Polynesia for my birthday! (My 50th). We had an amazing time and I really enjoyed the time in Tahitii and Moorea before we got on the catamaran! Really enjoyed that as well. Have a wonderful trip.

 

Lisa

[meherio]

Ia orana

Amazing how such a gret cultural place worth the visit has suffered from the same bad rap from the same people over and over (without sometimes checking upon the place).

 

there was at one time some discrepency inthe quality of the food ( reading the various reports).

 

I have been there last month and loved the show and loved the variety of the cuisine.

 

Only place for possible improvement would be to lable the food at the buffet.

 

Glad you have enjoyed the Tiki Village.

 

meherio

[llachance]

and I thought that the "show" rivaled that of the Polynesian Cultural Center and we love going there! There was a great variety of food and my mother and I commented - again - that it was nice to have wine on the table. Although the food wasn't labled there were plenty of folks around to let you know what you were eating if you asked.....and there was a great variety too!

[Spikesgirl]

Lisa - we are adventureous eaters - too adventureous according to our friends and we love to cook, so I'm sure this will be right up our alley. We have been interested in eating at Mango's since we saw the show and it's great to hear that it holds up. What saddens me are folks going to great locations and not at least sampling some of the local cuisine. We feel that the more you limit your palate, the more susceptible you are to tummy troubles (this doesn't hold true if you already have them to start with though). We love to sample wines with our meals as well - what sort of wine list did they have? French? Local - i.e. Rangirora? or most U.S. imports?

 

Also we loved the Tiki Village, although we didn't eat there. They were filming a movie when we visited and that was fun to watch. We had one member of our group really bummed though because he wanted to get a traditional tattoo and was hoping to chat with the tattoo artist. he was sporting one two days later, so I'm guessing he got some answers.

 

Thanks again for all the info!

 

Charlie