The city of Port Louis in Mauritius is not just the capital, it is also one of the food capitals in Mauritius. It is a bustling city where you can find everything! And amongst those you’ll find a bistro like no other, the Bistro Barbu Restaurant at Edith Cavell Court. We have been to Bistro Barbu in Curepipe at Arcades Currimjee, however the one in Port Louis, made us rediscover the restaurant. So much, that we cannot wait to go again; soon, maybe even tomorrow! Oh! And on the weekends they have a big free parking space at the back of Edith Cavell Court for your convenience. Keep on reading and discover our full Bistro Barbu restaurant review.
AMBIENCE
At Edith Cavell Court, the Bistro Barbu restaurant has a patio area, it is situated in the middle of the courtyard and therefore is very well lit. It is bright yet still keeps the rustic, vintage and industrial charm from it’s first restaurant in Curepipe. The décor is great for all you instagrammers and influencers out there, their aesthetically pleasing wall with a vintage bike hanging is the place for your next shot. Light music plays in the background as we sit at the textured wooden tables, the kitchen is bustling with the cooks in action and the barman preparing drinks at the bar. We love the open kitchen window, it’s great to see the team of cooks behind working but having a great time, laughing and smiling sharing inside jokes. It’s awesome to see a team that wants and likes to be there.
FOOD
Ah! The food! We wanted to try everything on the menu, the extensive list of tapas, to the different baguettes, burgers, hot dishes and desserts! There’s something for everyone, though they focus on French cuisine, they’ve added a few things that will appeal to everyone. Not to forget! Their homemade Tamarind Iced tea! It tasted like a breath of fresh air on a hot summer’s day. Hence we had to decide what to eat, so we started with a Foie gras Tapas which was to die for. Not kidding the first bite of this Tapas had us feeling like everything came to a pause as we savoured the flavours and the textures of this tapas. A mix of sweet and salty, creamy and crunchy!
And there’s more! We had the signature baguette for the restaurant in Port Louis, called the Lady Cavell Baguette and the Italienne Baguette. The Lady Cavell was generously filled with Duck Confit, goat cheese with deliciously sweet honey drizzled on top. I tried Duck confit for the first time, not knowing what it is, and it was delicious. The marriage of flavours is amazing. However I can say I’m not a huge fan of Duck confit. The Italienne Baguette was bursting with Mozzarella cheese, sun dried tomatoes and parma ham. The parma was salty but not too much and the mozzarella cheese was perfectly melted on top. I’m telling you guys, you NEED to go there now! Quick note: the Italienne baguette is also available as a vegetarian version without the Parma Ham.
Though we were so incredibly stuffed from those delicious tapas and baguettes, we could not leave without trying one of the desserts. So we decided to try something we never had before, the Banoffee Pie! Mmmm… The perfect sweet ending to our delicious meal. Covered in whipped cream, hiding underneath it, a perfectly crunchy crumble that together with the banana slices created a perfect trio. The textures and flavours marry so well in this dessert.
SERVICE
The Bistro Barbu, Edith Cavell Court is not only on point with its décor and menu but the service is the cherry on top! The waiters and manager are so kind and friendly, smiling and joking, they make you feel pampered. They don’t take themselves too seriously, sharing small jokes between them, without neglecting the customers or the service they provide. Honestly having a team that works well together and when you can see it, it brings a whole other mood to the restaurant. Because a restaurant isn’t made of just customers, it’s made of the team behind that creates and brings the food to you. And that’s the beauty of Bistro Barbu in Port Louis, it made us happy to be there.
I could go on and on in this Bistro Barbu restaurant review of their Port Louis branch and why we honestly loved the experience there. But all in all, the ambiance, food and service hitting the bar, all contributed to an amazing food experience. Because every aspect is as important as the other, a restaurant isn’t just its food, it’s the way they live in the space (the ambiance) and the way the team lives in it (the service).
Bistro Barbu, “Chapeau! Et ả très bientôt!”
Phone number: +230 5931 1681 / +230 658 4361
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Bistro.Barbu
E-mail: bistrobarbu@gmail.com
