Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
wooden slatting, this feels like a poolside restaurant at a posh resort, yet there's no hotel in
sight. Only the locals know about La Madrague - it's hidden at the end of the dirt track
that splinters off from the entrance gate to the Tamarina golf grounds. The menu features
an assortment of standard international dishes (think club sandwiches and lamb chops),
but the real draw is the inviting infinity-edge swimming pool bedecked with shimmering
dark marble. While away a sunny day under the shade of a coconut palm and when you're
ready for some sand, simply scamper down the stairs to the semiprivate beach below.
Zucca
ITALIAN
€€
( 483 7005; Ruisseau Créole Shopping Complex, Grande Rivière Noire; lunch mains Rs 250-400, dinner mains Rs
350-700, pizza from Rs 225; noon-2pm & 7-10.30pm Tue-Sat, noon-2pm Mon, 7-10.30pm Sun)
Owned by an
Italian mama who saunters around her restaurant with a certain forceful alacrity. High-
quality dishes like beef carpaccio, homemade pasta and osso bucco will have you wag-
ging your hands like they do back in the mother country.
Drinking & Nightlife
Noticeably quieter than the scene in Grand Baie or even Flic en Flac, the communities of
Black River prefer house parties to loud nights out at the club. Still, there are a couple
places to go out for the evening, and many of the area's restaurants have a great after-
hours vibe. Do keep in mind, though, that Flic en Flac is only a 15- to 25-minute drive up
the coast (depending on where you're coming from).
If you're looking for a bit of live music, try the Tamarin Hotel. The owner is a jazz fan-
atic and plays the saxophone with his local band. It's best to call ahead - they only play
twice a week and not always on weekends.
Big Willy's
BAR, NIGHTCLUB
( 483 7400;
www.bigwillys.mu
; Royal Rd, Tamarin; 3pm-2am Tue-Fri, 9am-2am Sat, 11am-2am Sun)
Owned by a South African and perennially popular with the expat crowd, Big Willy's is
the
it
spot for DJed dance beats and rugby on the tube.
Bali Copy
LOUNGE BAR
