When considering Seychelles travel, some people might overlook Seychelles cuisine, dreaming instead of pristine beaches and world-class scuba diving. True as it is, the food in Seychelles generally fails to receive mention among those reviewing the country’s merits. However, Seychelles food is good. In fact, according to many who have been fortunate enough to visit this Indian Ocean archipelago, it’s darn good. The numerous Seychelles islands are all completely surrounded by water, so as one might imagine, seafood dishes are the main staple here. In this regard, Seychelles cuisine differs little by island, though since 90% of the population lives on the main island of Mahe, it is where you will find the most in Seychelles restaurant diversity. Seychelles restaurants are often small, family-run businesses, which are known for good service and good food. Since Seychelles inhabitants come from a number of distinct backgrounds, an array of different flavors are on hand. Indian, Chinese, French, and English food tendencies make their way into modern-day Seychelles cuisine, with Creole fare extremely popular as well.
The Indian Ocean is known for turning up a veritable
bounty of large and flavorful fish. Tuna and King Fish
are among the favorites, and they are often fried or grilled
in a garlic-butter sauce. Sometimes, seafood in Seychelles
is prepared in a “Cari” fashion, which involves
green or red curries. Smaller fish in Seychelles often
end up in a fish stew, or they are curried. Curry sauces
that are integrated into Seychelles cuisine are sometimes
combined with coconut milk, and lemongrass is also a popular
ingredient. As strange as it may be to some, octopus is
a big delicacy when it comes to food in Seychelles. Careful
attention is paid to the octopus throughout the cooking
process, which helps to achieve the incredible tenderness
for which it is known. Often, a spicy coconut curry is
served with the cooked Octopus, or it can be diced up
and made into a seafood cocktail. Tec tecs are known to
pop up on the menu of many a Seychelles restaurant, as
these smallish, white shellfish are quite abundant. A
common Seychelles food recipe involves mixing these shellfish
with pumpkin, which is then cooked as a soup.
Though it is possible to order pork, chicken, and lamb
dishes at a Seychelles restaurant, many would argue that
the seafood dishes are always the best. Maybe this is
because most of the meats that make it into the Seychelles
diet are not locally bred. For those looking to try something
a bit out of the ordinary when it comes to Seychelles
cuisine, there are a good amount of fruit bats here. Somewhat
gamey, and difficult to eat because of numerous small
bones, bat meat is actually pretty good, almost exhibiting
a lamb-like flavor, if you will. If you are planning a
Seychelles birdwatching tour, you might not
appreciate the fact that bird eggs sometimes make it on
the menu. There are a variety of Terns found in the Seychelles,
and their eggs are among the most commonly used. Many
a Seychelles dining experience will see rice on the plate,
as it is undoubtedly the nation’s most popular side
dish. Sometimes, plain white rice is used, while other
times, saffron may be used to add some extra flavor. Bread
accompanies many a Seychelles meal, and it’s most
often a simple and soft white bread. “Chatini”
is also something that is found quite often on the Seychelles
food menu. A cold condiment more than anything, Chatini
consists of thinly-sliced veggies and fruit, which are
mixed into a sort of a vinegary chutney.
Praslin Island, which is the
second-largest after Mahe, will tend to have a good amount
of restaurants to offer as well, with La
Digue figuring in there also. Should you be heading
outside of the realm of the Inner Islands, you will find
that most Seychelles islands are either un-inhabited,
or close to it. Some smaller Seychelles islands, like
Fregate and Desroches,
are pretty much “one-resort” kinds of places,
meaning that besides your hotel dining room(s), you are
strapped for options. Better hope the chef is having a
good week. As for fruits, Seychelles cuisine benefits
from and abundance of papayas, bananas, passion fruits,
and more. Fruit is often enjoyed for breakfast, which
seems so ideal in a stunningly beautiful, tropical destination
such as this. We must not forget the coconut, either,
which is not only a national favorite, but also a big
part of Seychelles history,
as it was a major product even in the country’s
early days. The coconut can be eaten in a variety of ways,
and drinking fresh coconut juice straight from the nut
is certainly refreshing. Interestingly enough, some locals
claim that fresh coconut juice is a fine remedy for either
jet lag or a hangover.
As mentioned, on the more exclusive Seychelles islands, the Seychelles dining experience is left to the devices of the resort, or resorts found there. Thankfully, these resorts have pretty high standards, only hiring most competent chefs who are willing and able to prepare a savory menu using many fresh and local ingredients. Wherever you go, you’re likely to come across breadfruit at some point, which is a national favorite, exhibiting a nutty, potato-based taste. As for dessert, Seychelles cuisine makes a return to fruits, mainly, with caramelized banana and coconut tarts being pretty common. When enjoying a Seychelles dining experience, you can wash everything down with a bottle of sparkling water, which is prevalent, or opt to try one of the local brews, which are Ecu and Seybrew lagers, respectively. Curiously enough, Guinness is a pretty popular beer in Seychelles, even though some might consider it a rather heavy beer for the tropics. Coconut sap liquors that are used to flavor some popular Creole dishes include Toddy and Calou, and both are quite powerful in large doses, so be careful when imbibing them, or anything else on the curious side for that matter. Other than that, enjoy your Seychelles dining experiences, and don’t be afraid to try something different!
