Mauritius is a cultural and culinary melting pot. Nowhere else demonstrates that better than the country's very own Chinatown -- home to the island's first Chinese immigrants. Today, it's thought around three percent of Mauritians are ethnically Chinese but this is still an important part of the country's heritage.

On the streets of the capital Port Louis one can devour dumplings, noodles and stir fries, all served with a Mauritian twist that dates back to the 18th century.

The predominantly Cantonese and Hakka-style food arrived with Chinese traders who migrated to the island under French and British colonial rule to work on the island's sugar plantations and help pioneer its retail business.

"This restaurant was for sale 22 years ago and my dad saw an opportunity to change his life and buy it. Our chef tries to adapt to the Mauritian taste to satisfy our clients. The spice is a bit different here to what we'd use in China. Mauritians like Chinese dishes because it's cheaper, and you can eat it every day," said Annick Ning, manager of a Chinese restaurant.

Many dishes have French-Creole names and are made using fresh produce from the island.

"This is steamed and roast chicken, the ginger paste goes very well and is specially made here," Ning said.

"We come here almost every week on Sundays, because we like the food. My wife's parents, who've lived in Mauritius for 15 years, introduced us to Chinese food. It complements Mauritian food, it's often steamed and light with soups and is spicy with lots of vegetables and so it fits in nicely here," said one customer.

After more than 200 years on the island, Chinese cuisine has grown in popularity and seems to have cemented its place on the nation's menu.