In this episode of our ongoing Goan Food Series, Anubhav and our gracious host Shubhra Shankhwalker will take you on an easy going brunch tour across the cheerful city of Panjim.
The first destination is an old breakfast point called Cafe Tato. This cozy and modestly done restaurant serves a wide range of Goan breakfast dishes that are mostly simple and hearty fare. Here we met the genial owner Saurabh who guided us through the inviting menu. At his recommendation, we ordered patal bhaji, alsana bhaji, sukki bhaji, puri, bun, mirchi bhajji and salad bhaji. We liked the mild and spicy flavours of these curries.
The second destination was again an old bakery and confectionery shop named Mr. Baker 1922. What started off as a home business is now a most loved joint when it comes to cakes, pastries and desserts. It is run by the genial lady Nenette who introduced us to the history and the offerings of the place. Here we tried two most popular Goan desserts named Bebinca and Betica. One was a multi layered treat and the other one is a delicious tea time cake. The luscious taste of both the desserts reminded us of the comfort of home.
The third and final destination of our brunch tour was the multi cuisine dining place by the name Soul Curry. Since Goans love their fish, here we tried the fish thali to get acquainted with the local flavours pertaining to fishes. Pravin Agarwal the owner of this place briefed us about his fascination with seafood. The gorgeous fish thali consisted of some traditional konkni dishes like mooga gathi, tsiryo sukhe, prawn kismoor, king fish rawa fry, sol kadhi etc. Each of the dishes had a very distinct flavour profile that got etched into our mind. Pravin ji enthusiasm about his endeavour was truly commendable.
It was a super gratifying experience.