Place Vai'ete is a plain concrete square on the waterfront near the ferry terminal, empty and unremarkable during the day. At sunset it transforms: thirty-odd roulottes — the brightly painted food trucks with built-in counters and plastic stools — roll in, set up, and start serving until past midnight.
Order chow mein or chao men from a Chinese-Tahitian truck, grilled tuna or mahi-mahi from a fish specialist, steak-frites from a French one, or a crêpe for dessert. Mains run 1,500-2,000 XPF (12-17 euros). The atmosphere is part of the appeal — families on plastic chairs, fishermen back from sea, cruise passengers, the harbour lights, sometimes a guitar player. It's the most enjoyable hour of the Papeete day.