The best restaurants Balaclava

As we approach, the "wow" effect is immediate: here we are in one of the most beautiful restaurants in Mauritius. Housed in a colonial-style mansion, Château Mon Désir overlooks an impressive concentration of banyan trees and the superb renovated ruins of Balaclava. Down below, a river flows by... A la carte, it's all very tempting. On the 1st Saturday of the month, you can take a timeless break for an English-style tea ceremony, and on Sundays, you can enjoy a brunch - don't miss the "oeuf cocotte à l'huile de truffes" or the "soufflé au Grand-Marnier".

Izumi is one of the island's few Japanese restaurants, with a balanced blend of light wood and pure materials and colors. In addition to a sushi bar and two private dining rooms, it offers two teppanyaki tables that put on a show. While the menu offers a range of classics (gyoza, tempura, noodles, sushi, sashimi, soups, etc.), in the evening, you're more likely to opt for one of the many menus featuring starter, fish, meat, vegetables, miso soup, rice and the chef's dessert. Beautiful terrace overlooking the lakeside village of Port Chambly, with views of the river and sea.

This unique restaurant is housed in the superbly restored ruins of a former powder mill built in 1743 by the French. In an industrial chic setting overlooking parkland and other relics, it offers a varied French-inspired bistro-style menu, specializing in premium beef steaks with a choice of sauces and accompaniments. Not to be missed at weekends: The Distillery (superb adjoining rum bar) and Nest, a rooftop bar overlooking the ruins and a magnificent banyan grove.