Nouméa Restaurants

Our last night in Noumea went out with a BADDA BING BADDA BOOM!

As a segue way into our arrival into Tahiti the next day, our lovely hosts, Phillippe and Brigitte, treated us to a spectacular seafood dinner buffet and Tahitian Dance show at Le Park.

The feast was filled with an array of fresh salads, soups, oysters, fish, lobster, crab...........all prepared and cooked fresh before your eyes.

The dessert table alone was a work of art!

One of the highlights of the evening was the Polynesian show performed with a live band and Tahitian dancers.

This was Christian's first introduction to the seductive moves of the "Ori Tahiti" ........ not surprisingly, he got the hang of it pretty gosh darn quickly !! ;-)

Favorite Dish: The fresh lobster was delicious.......and the tuna sashimi just melts in your mouth!

The oldest French restaurant in New Caledonia opened in 1970 by a French coiuple originally from French Algeria.

French traditional cuisine from the South West of France, especially Foie gras and Duck and of course cassoulet.

A good choice would have been the assorted seafood platter for about US$35, enough of a main dish for two with lobsters, fish salad, crab salad and succulent oysters. The couple at the next table ordered this meal.

The mussles and local fish also have to be tried. Short but well-balanced wine list. Very warm welcome in a Mediterranean/South West style country house.

Reservations are a must. We walked by the restaurant earlier in the day to see the menu and thankfully we made a reservation at the same time... When we arrived at 7.30pm for dinner, the place was packed, people without a reservation were turned away.

This is where the locals eat.

This restaurant is walking distance from Le Pacifique/Nouvata Park or Ramada.

Favorite Dish: I had the Duck confit and my partner had the Duck Cassoulet. Both meals were outstanding. The menu is exactly what you would picture the traditional french to be. Many choices of duck.... i was very happy.

Our meal included 2 starters, 2 main dishes and a bottle of French red wine. Total cost $180AUD. I thought this was great value.

The restaurant is opposite the beach (Baie des Citrons), Steakhouse with amazing prices and quality. It's the best steak you will ever have with french fries.
Also a great sashimi (tuna) with his special sauce.

L'Abisnthe is a fabulous restaurant located on the beachfront at Baie De Citrons in Noumea, where I ate my favorite meal of the whole trip! And naturally, as the name suggests, they specialise in that fabulously lethal old world drink Absinthe!!!!!
Start with a pre dinner cocktail (or simply sample one of the fine varieties) as an aperitif, and then select from the beautiful delights on the menu! Excellent service and ambience also :)

Favorite Dish: I can personally recommend the Goats cheese & Roasted Pear salad, and a risotto of Aspargus & Mushroom that was cooked to perfection! It's quite rare for me to be impressed by most restaurants vegetarian dishes - as most of them are crap as they tend to overlook those who don't eat meat- but I left this establishment more than satisfied I can tell you!

And do try an abinsthe - either in a cocktail or the traditional way served by pouring through a sugar cube :)

As this place is right next to the hotel we stayed at, and breakfast here was included in the room price, we got to know this place quite well. We also had dinner here as well.

It's not too bad, and we found the staff to be quite friendly. Like everywhere else in Noumea though, it's pricey.

They also have computers upstairs if you want to connect to the internet, although the cards you buy are 800XPF for an hour.

Great food, in a very good location. The restaurant is located on the Baie de Citrons just around from Anse Vata. This is the part of town where the locals eat. There is a great buzz to the place every night.

This restaurant serves good quality food at very good prices.

2 pizza's, 1 beer, bottle of wine and a salad cost 5600CFP or ~ $80AUD.

We had an excellent meal at this Vietnamese restaurant in Noumea. Recommended, and not too expensive. It's on the second floor, and you can have a good look at what's happening around you.

Excellent seafood dishes in particular

Landing on Sunday afternoon in Noumea? All restaurants and food stores are closed!
So, what can you do? Where can you eat?
There is only one answer: McDonalds is open until midnight on Sunday. It is located at the intersection of rue Foch and rue de Tourville, in Centreville (or downtown). It serves all its universal menus, but the service is usually slow because of crowding.
Don't like the McDonalds food? Just leave it and cross the street rue Foch and you will find at least five mobile vans in a parking, that serve a finer prepared warm food directly from the van, and prices are not so much higher. Then, you can cross rue Foch again and bring and eat your food at an outside table in front of McDonalds !
This was my preferred deal.

Curious how McDonalds looks and where is located the parking? Go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/garndt/865931408/
and look at their picture!

Favorite Dish: A: everything with mushroom