Foodie's Paradise!

"You don't need a silver fork to eat good food."

A way to be adventurous and really experience a place in totality is to be a foodie and explore the culinary culture of the place you're visiting.  Food often reflects the people, the traditions of a place and this really says a lot about the place, its produce and in a way, its history. I did a lot of research on this because food essentially needs to be great for you to enjoy a place (and not fall sick and ruin your entire trip) but it has to be an experience that you take with you. Every cuisine that you taste has a very particular set of ingredients which make it typical. Goan cuisine itself sees a lot of influences from Konkani, Portugese, Hindu and fusion styles and like a lot of the coastal cuisines comprises of coconut, seafood, rice and special spicy pastes. Kokum is quite prevalent in Goa as it is in Maharashtrian cuisine (I’m especially fond of it because it is quite tangy). There is just so much to explore since Goa has a lot of vibrant scenic places from shacks, to fine dining to laid back and cosy places to chill.

So, my first tip would be – when in Goa, eat Goan! If you like to experiment and a lot, out of the million places we researched (thanks to Zomato), here are some of our favourite restaurants that we explored and some dishes that we will recommend and are a must try.

Sheela Restaurant

You can typically visit this place on the way from or to the airport. Known for its Goan Cuisine, the staff I found to be was a bit rude and the food is also okayish. Of the things that you should order, we ended up going with the local Goan cuisine which included Chicken Cafreal, Vindaloo dishes, Fish curry and Rice. You can actually afford to miss this place but if not, drown the food with a pint of beer and Welcome to GOA!

Cotinga

This is the restaurant of the boutique hotel we stayed at - The Tamarind. The food is quite delicious, at least the breakfast spread was. The tamarind chutney is a must try though, it's a secret recipe of the chef (trust me I tried so hard so get the recipe). The place is also known for its desserts which is perfect for that midnight snack when you are back home, tired and high. The lady who runs the establishment is particularly very charming and makes the stay excellent. She would serve us food herself and the chit-chat was awesome. It is also one of the places listed for Goan cusine, so can try the local specialties especially the Chicken Biryani. 

Thalassa 

(Book a table 2-3 days in advance and choose the sea view table) : Thalassa is an experience and serves up quite an authentic Greek cuisine. The portions are pretty huge and the view is spectacular if you are lucky to get a sea view especially at sunset (VERY romantic). Bit overpriced though. We had ordered the Fisherman Pasta (a combination of sea food in bechamel sauce), Pork Gyros (so yum) though a lot of people recommended the white chocolate cheesecake, Gelato served with Jameson Irish whiskey, Tuna Dip with Pita Wrap, Village Bruschetta, Feta Cheese Dip and the Calamari Meat Balls as a must try, we did not have the hunger for it. The Jagerbomb though is a must have, along with the Sangria and Thalassa special. The drinks were pretty potent. The place is overcrowded and open only during season, so try to visit around that time.

Mum's Kitchen

The place has a brilliant ambiance. I personally loved the decor of the place and the tile work that they have is extremely beautiful. The little pond just as you enter the place sets in the feels if you know what I mean. We were lucky to get to the place when the dinner rush hadn't started. While we enjoyed some good beer, the staff was hospitable and suggested we order the Peri Peri Prawns with Bao (which I now officially love). A plethora of awards grace the walls of the restaurant. Just order anything Goan and you are good to go. Due to the popularity that it has got, a reservation is a must during dinner time.

Fisherman's Wharf

This was a last minute pick as we were heading to Viva Panjim instead but the timings were off. Someone once had recommended this place and so I thought why not! The place is beautifully decorated. I think we ended up enjoying the ambiance more than we did the food. The staff is a bit rude  (don't know if its a Goan thing) and service wasn't that great either. The best part though was the crowd, lots of fun families who ended up making the atmosphere quite fun. Order Fish Curry and rice, Masala Fried Calamari and swallow it all down with some nice Tap Beer.

Martin's Corner

Love this place for obvious reasons - AUTHENTIC GOAN FOOD. I had my first shark experience here and man that was yummy. Another local food joint that you must explore. Tucked away in a little corner near the Colva Beach, the food is amazing and definitely order the shark, Pork Vindaloo, Port Wine when here and caramel custard. Apple pie for me was a bit of a let down but when you have alcohol with it, anything works.

A Reverie

Pre-book as it's all the rage these days in Goa. This place has been topping the charts for a while now due to the creative expression that they bring to their food. The food itself is okayish but the presentation makes you just look at it (don't, the food will get cold). If you want a fine dining experience in Goa, I suggest reverie. Also, closer to LPK so you can just head out to party after a glorious meal.

Viva Panjim

Please Pre-Book as it's always swarming with people. We had to flash a couple of smiles to get a table since this was our last meal of our Goa trip. The food is one of the best in Goan cuisines and especially try the Panjim Special Chicken, this will leave you drooling ( I swear) but do have it with Bao and not rice. Another favourites that you can try are Pork chilly fry, Sea food sizzler, Pork Vindaloo and Goan fish curry. Do try the Titanic, a must try cocktail.

Brittos

Even though this place is quite famous, the food is kinda okayish. I think the more a place gets popular the more it becomes sub-standard. We ordered the mix sea food platter, pasta, grilled fish which was okay. The caramel custard was quite grainy. You can skip it if you wish.

Anand Bar

Talking of hidden gems, this little place is spectacular. We almost went off-roading looking for this shack called La Plage and since the place was closed and we were famished, we chose this little joint. We finally caught this in the nick of time (the whole 3.30 thing) and ordered the favorites Goan Thali (So scrumptious) and King Fish Rechardo (MUST TRY) and Beer ofcourse and trust me it was worth every tiny bit of it. It's quite a local joint but the place was packed and I know the reason now. It doesn't get any local than this.

Calvalha's Bar & Resturant

While we were moving around in the city, exploring the local markets, we discovered this little place. The food was really delicious. Order Chicken Cafreal (MOST RECOMMENDED GOAN DISH FROM MY END), Masala Calamari (Which had become a staple I guess) as well as Prawn Biryani ( a bit dry). Definitely a must visit plus you get free wifi to keep you occupied.

Tito's

I reiterate that everything that gains popularity need not really live up to the hype. Tito's is another such place. So just stick to the basics, have fun, party and be on your way to better eating places.

Shack Time

I know we had food on this shack, but don't really remember the name for obvious reasons (:p). The shacks along Baga Beach are closest to Tito's lane and you can swing between party places and the beach so it really is quite convenient. Don't expect great food, visibility of the oceanic view is almost zero and there is a lot of crowd who might trouble you but it's good for a snack or two.

Local Delights

As a thumb rule, whenever I go on a road-trip, it is must to try the local dhabas. This is what makes your trip worthwhile. Trust me, just choose a place which isn't too shabby and you're good to go. We were dying for a cup of tea and found this little place run by a woman. The Rava Fish Fry and ginger tea was indeed refreshing.

Other places though that I wanted to try but couldn’t are Curlies, Florentine, Tao, Infantaria, Lloyd’s steak & Grill, Fiesta, Lobster at i-95, Souza Lobo , Sublime, Villa Blanche and so many more that I think Goa can host its own food fest. 

There are so many reasons to not come back to Goa. Maybe even own a quite villa or a place by the beach, or open up a restaurant. Well, that’s the dream!