The cuisine of the French Polynesian is, as you might expect, every bit as wonderful as the islands themselves. Fresh seafood is prominent – in particular fresh fish such as tuna, mahi-mahi and grouper, though more exotic options such as barracuda, sea urchin and parrotfish are on many menus too and wonderful. Tahiti has a national dish, basically a South Pacific twist on a ceviche made with red tuna, lime juice and coconut milk, and you should try it when you visit the island. It’s called Poisson Cru in French and ia ota in Tahitian. There’s an abundance of fruit and vegetables on the islands including bananas, Yams, ginger, taro and coconuts so be sure to take advantage of some of the specials that include these in their recipes.
