Le Chaudron

Le Chaudron is a seafood and Creole restaurant on Rue du Lagon in Saint-Gilles-les-Bains, the main resort town on Réunion's western coast and the gateway to the island's lagoon beaches. The kitchen builds its menu around fish landed by the Saint-Gilles fishing boats, grilled and served with rougail, the tomato-onion-chilli relish common across the island. Signature dishes include grilled wahoo (thazard) with rougail, cari crevettes (prawn curry) and a Bourbon-style fish tartare, while lobster cari appears as the more expensive specialty. Mains cost about €20–€40, which places it in the mid-to-upper range for the resort. The cooking reflects Réunion's Creole tradition, in which Indian-style curries sit alongside French sauces and fresh Indian Ocean fish. The dining atmosphere is relaxed and holiday-oriented, typical of Saint-Gilles, with a mix of visitors from metropolitan France, local families and expatriates; evenings are livelier than lunch and noise rises when the room is full. Dress is casual, with beachwear tolerated at lunch but smarter clothes common at dinner. The restaurant opens daily for lunch (12:00–14:30) and dinner (19:00–22:00). Reservations are recommended for dinner, particularly on weekends and in the dry-season peak from roughly June to October, and bookings can be made through the restaurant's website, lechaudron.re, or by telephone. The drinks list covers French and local wines, Dodo beer and rum-based drinks including rhum arrangé. For visitors staying on the west coast, it offers a seafood-focused alternative to the beach snack bars, and it is conveniently placed for an evening meal after a day at the lagon or on a boat excursion.