In Madagascar, eating well means eating a lot. Malagasy cooking is based on a large serving of rice with a dressing of sauces, meat, vegetables and seasoning. The people of Madagascar enjoy very hot food and often serve dishes with hot peppers. Local restaurants are often referred to as
hotely.
The choice of beverages is limited. The national wine is acceptable.
National specialties:
•
Ro (a mixture of herbs and leaves with rice).
• Beef and pork marinated in vinegar, water and oil, then cooked with leaves, onion, pickles and other vegetables and seasoned
with pimento.
•
Ravitoto (meat and leaves cooked together).
•
Ramazava (leaves and pieces of beef and pork browned in oil).
•
Vary amid ’anana (rice, leaves or herbs, meat and sometimes shrimps), often eaten with
kitoza (long slices of smoked, cured or fried meat).
National drinks:• Malagasy drinks include
litchel (an aperitif made from lychees).
•
Betsa (fermented alcohol).
•
Toaka gasy (distilled from cane sugar and rice).
•
Three Horses lager.
• Non-alcoholic drinks include
ranon ’apango or
rano vda (made from burnt rice) and local mineral waters.
Tipping: Not customary, although waiters expect 10 per cent of the bill. In European-style hotels and restaurants, the French system of tipping is followed. One should also tip in Chinese and Vietnamese establishments.
NightlifeThere are a few discos, sometimes with bands and solo musicians. Casinos can be found at Antananarivo, Toamasina and on Nossi Bé. Most main towns have cinemas and theaters, and touring theater groups perform local plays throughout the country. Traditional dance troupes can also be seen.
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