Mauritius has a proud Indo-Mauritian culinary heritage, but finding great Indian restaurant cooking — as opposed to home-style Mauritian-Indian cooking — used to require knowing the right people. Mahek changed that when it opened in Grand Baie a decade ago. The restaurant is run by a Rajasthani family who brought both their recipes and their approach to hospitality from Jaipur, and the result is a menu that spans the breadth of the subcontinent without becoming unfocused. The Mughal section is the strongest: rogan josh slow-braised with whole spices and finished with saffron cream; dal makhani simmered for 12 hours over a slow flame; murgh makhani (butter chicken) made from a 50-year-old family recipe. The tandoor gets a serious workout — seekh kebabs with minced lamb and coriander, whole fish marinated in yoghurt and mustard seeds, and the best garlic naan on the island. The Mumbai street food section at the back of the menu — pani puri, bhel puri, vada pav — is taken seriously and is equally good. The dining room is warmly lit with carved Rajasthani screens and brass platters; the open kitchen lets guests watch the tandoor work. Mahek is booked solid on weekends; midweek lunch is the easiest way to get a table without advance planning.