Aux Îles Bleues – 900 Duluth Ave E, Montreal, Quebec H2L 1B6
Country: Mauritius
Seating: Indoor seating with a patio on the side for outdoor dinning.
Must-try dish: Tandoori Fish Stew
Dinner guests: The Lobster, Londoner in MTL, Wino O’Naturale, Pornstar Sam & Young Matt
The high: Most dishes contained several types of proteins and they mastered the cook on each one & BYOB with NO corkage fees
The low: Although each dish has a unique flavour profile, they all look similar so it was hard to keep track which one was which until you ate it.

There’s nothing like walking into a tropical-themed party at a restaurant on a cold day in Montreal. The music teleported us to a warmer place, and the lays hanging from everyone’s necks only increased the feeling of being on island time. If the guy who was wearing a towel for pants didn’t already accomplish that! For your information there was a massive multi table party going on behind us in which everyone was dressed like they were on a stereotypical Hawaiian vacation.

This isn’t your typical night at Aux Iles Bleues, but it certainly enhanced our Saturday night dinner in “La Belle Province.” The restaurant is modestly decorated with colourful walls, wooden tables and several windows looking out into Montreal’s Plateau neighbourhood. The staff is consistently friendly and helpful with the menu, and there’s a Bring Your Own Booze (BYOB) policy that makes it hard not to love such an establishment. 

Mauritius is a tiny, yet picturesque island in the Indian Ocean that can easily brag about its beaches, lagoons, mountains, and delicious food. Although it was once a French colony, the cuisine is a marriage between African and Asian flavours with a touch of European sophistication. 

Our group of seven people made it a no-brainer to order the majority of the menu and eat it family-style. We opted for the Tasting Menu, that comes with a starter soup with a sweet and sour flavour with a secret ingredient of pineapple. Although tasty, it’s the most unique soup any of the gang had every tried. We were also brought out 4 dips and bread to snack on as we awaited for the meal to come.

The main dishes were presented in bowls as they take on a stew-like substance that resembles a Thai curry, so they’re saucy and vibrant in colour. Aside from one vegetarian tofu dish, the rest made with fish and/or seafood that melted in our mouths. There were generous portions of shrimp, squid, scallops, octopus and fish in each one that made it easy for everyone to have their fair share.  

The sauces that accompany the proteins each take on unique characteristics that hail from various corners of the globe. The Creole sauce is a tomato base with fresh ginger and garlic, while the Indian Ocean Curry one uses classic Indian spices, and the Coco Seychelles is cooked with coconut milk, turmeric and cumin. The Poivre has a thick gravy like sauce that is seasoned generously with peppercorns. There’s a Cajun sauce that’s heavy on paprika, and finally, our must-try dish of the night is the Tandoori, which is on the spicier side and cooked using classic Indian spices. The Tandoori stew is served with a white fish fillet that varies depending on the season and availability.

Mauritian cuisine is fascinating because the cooking style has been developed from influences across the globe. The spices come from far and wide, and they’ve been able to master a both a delicious and pretty way to present the fresh seafood that’s so valued on the island.

Before paying our bills to explore more of the city, two warm chocolate desserts were brought out to us on the house. It was a generous touch and satisfied any cravings we had for sweets!

Eat with you soon, 

Mandrea Bike
(Mat & Andrea)