New Caledonia Restaurants

1. La Chaumiere

The well-heeled locals love this little restaurant in the city's somewhat grungy Latin Quarter, drawn by the excellent prices and the food to match. A three-course lunch or dinner is just 3,280 CFP, and bottles of wine start around 1,900 CFP. Do as the French do and start with an escargot appetizer, or try the goat cheese flan, followed either by joues de boeuf (beef cheeks) or duck thigh in a creamy tarragon sauce. Save room for crème brûlée or the decadent pear pavarois, with a melting chocolate center. This is the place to mix with locals at lunch and the lucky few visitors who have discovered this gem at night.