Oh! La La

You get more Va Va Voom for your franc at this stylish French restaurant in the heart of Cartagena's old town.

An elegant fusion of French Mediterranean and Caribbean cuisine served up in a laid-back family atmosphere is the very special result of the marriage between husband and wife team, Carolina Velez and Gilles Dupart.

Dupart's use of fine ingredients to craft a well-thought out and constantly evolving bistro-style menu and Velez's joie de vivre front-of-house has created a winning formula that keeps a sophisticated crowd of Francophiles coming back for more.

A regular pick in the travel pages of prestigious publications such as the New York Times and the Telegraph, this charming double act make running a restaurant look easy.

Ease yourself into the Oh! La La family with the carrot soup laced with orange juice or the Octopus glazed in tomato vinegar or Dupart's signature lunchtime platter, Esmechada de Posta Negra, an upmarket twist on the staple Cartagena tenderized stewing steak slow-cooked in a rich sweet and sour sauce made with brown sugar, cumin, onions and garlic.

Other standout mains include the Sea Bass in a blanquette sauce complemented with a creamy Parmesan risotto or the pork filet mignon with a tangy, tamarind and pineapple sauce. Either will have you purring with delight but be sure to leave space for the city's finest Crème Bruleé or a wicked Chocolate Mousse.

The refined Centro eatery has recently added a new lunch menu to its repertoire that is every bit as kind to your wallet as it is to your taste buds. We love the place so much its in our ultimate list of things to do if you only have 24 hours in Cartagena.

Itinerant art exhibitions add to the cultured ambience. A collection of nudes by an ex-priest, Rafael Dussan, have been joined this high season by the work of UK graffiti artist, Fin DAC.