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Monday 9 September 2013

Recommended Restaurants in North Goa

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 North Goa restaurants

Restaurants in Candolim
  • Bomra’s – On the Candolim gourmet belt is a quaint little place called Bomra's. The proprietor, a Burmese gentleman by the name of 'Bawmra', runs this place. The food is Burmese, a few of the dishes with the Thai influence creeping in, a tryst with its neighbouring country. Bawmra uses everything from lemon grass, sesame seeds, lime leaves as well as tea leaves as the food ranges from region to region of Burma. The salads are predominant as starters. One must try the Crispy Pork Salad. Another favourite is the Burmese Tomato Salad. For the mains try Bomra's Spicy King Prawn Curry. Pure eastern magic! The red curry has a combination of ginger, garlic, lemon grass, tomatoes and chili. Another favourite is the Pepper Beef - thin slices of beef in a mild coconut curry sauce with beans. Bawmra's chefs are the backbone to this exquisite traditional fare which they dish out night after night. Wednesday is a Khowsuey Night and if you are lucky to land there on that night then you can experience the traditional dish - a treat by itself. But you would need a big table to do justice to the different dishes and accompaniments that is laid before you. There is Coconut Noodles to be had with Chicken Broth (a clear soup), crispy vegetables accompanied the dish, with different sauces and accompaniments of the vegetarian and the non vegetarian variety. The desserts mentioned on the menu are creative too. Bawmra has made full use of the eastern influence with items like the lemon grass and ginger crème brulee, and for chocolate lovers - the Chocolate Fondant. Plan ahead that trip to the gourmet belt for the Far Eastern magic. 
  • Cafe Chocolatti – Searching for in-between meal munchies in Goa is never really a problem. Just off the main Candolim road, a small garden path leads you away from the hustle-bustle of Candolim to a tree-enclosed, white umbrella-covered garden bakery, café and chocolatier. Run by the London born Nazneen Sarosh-Rebelo, who after 15 years in Goa considers herself a local, the café’s homemade sweet-tooth satiating menu is pretty sinful. It includes brownies that are just the right consistency of chewy, gooey and sweet, a carrot cake with a cinnamon aroma, a ginger cake with lime icing that explodes in your nose and the special chocolatti cake that is a multi-layered chocolate heaven. For days when you feel especially royal come in for Nazeen’s high-tea spread, complete with a tea cozied tea pot, scones, strawberry jam and fresh bread. Everything, says the matronly Nazeen, is made in limited quantities and hand made at home. Yes, even the bread. 409A Fort Aguada Road, Candolim; tel. +91 9326112006
  • Lloyds – Lloyd’s proves that good things come in small packages. In this blink-and-you-miss-it garage by the side of the road, a five-foot something Goan is busy over the tiniest grill ever. Always packed with everyone from tourists to locals, and even other restaurant owners, Lloyd’s Steak and Grill is almost like eating steak by a roadside stall. A one-man army, Lloyd manages all his clients like a tiny illusionist. Conjuring steaks out of previously marinated meats, the jovial, cheery atmosphere won’t let you ever feel you were kept waiting for your meal. Without a doubt this garage serves the best beef, chicken and pork steaks in Goa and maybe even the country. It’s a no fuss, no sauces kind of place. Only good old, manly meat eating. The secret is in the way you cut the meats. The only problem you might have is in finding it. We could give you hints, like spa, hotel and the only vegetarian restaurant on Candolim but that would really spoil the fun. Saipem, Candolim, Near Candolim Church; tel. +91 9823032273
  • Stone House – Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy belt out the blues under the canopy of a badam tree with suspended globes, two terraced courtyards and beautifully lit landscaped gardens to define the mood for your evening. The place - the Stone House at Candolim. It is so called because it is made of local stone laterite. Proprietor Christopher D'Souza's collection of Blues — more than 500 CDs - competes with the tasty delicacies. Eric Clapton croons Come on in my kitchen. On the aperitif's side there is Guacomale with Papadoms and Tzaziki with Papadoms. Or the Grilled Mushrooms wrapped in bacon on a skewer, served with jacket potatoes, accompanied by a hot poie with butter garlic and parsley. As you feast on this fare, you don't need Bob Marley's Positive vibration to tell you that this is one place that would put you in a mellow mood. The cool dude items are the Tiger Prawns in Lemon Basil Sauce, the Whisky Steak…After that I am sure Bob Marley's Get up stand up would gel just right: the Chicken and Pineapple Kebabs glazed with a honey sauce are worth a mention. If Eric Clapton's Sea of joy is being rendered, the seafood here brings joy to the taste buds of the diners. Ensconced in comfortable cane chairs, one will hear the discreet bustle and movement of patrons swapping titbits. The music soaks into your very fibre and time flies. Before you know it, the lyrics of Buddy Guy's Midnight train will tell you that the witching hour is at hand. If you are "stoned" out of your mind at the Stone House, blame it on the music, ambience and food. It is a perfect way to blow away your blues.

Restaurants in Calangute
  • Souza Lobo -Many will tell you that Souza Lobo is not a restaurant or a shack – it is a state of mind. This is the destination of the perfectionist who wants a great meal in a great restaurant which has pride of place right on a great beach. It is a place that has ruled Calangute Beach for the last 78 years, which is why you have generations of guests coming in weekend after weekend, year after year. Yes, even decade after decade. Some guests have been coming to Souza Lobo even before the present owner Jude Lobo, was born. If Calangute Beach is the best known feature of Calangute. Souza Lobo is the best known feature of Calangute Beach. That says a lot about us.
  • Infanteria Pasteleria – Infantaria is located next to a scenic chapel on the Calangute-Baga Junction and is spread over two levels, with an old well bang in the middle of the lower level. So, if you're looking for an early morning breakfast or late lunch or dinner, head to Infantaria. It also pleases if you're looking for a quick takeaway or seeking a wide choice of main course items. This is a good value-for-money place with gourmet pretensions, while being really down-to-earth. The service is warm, friendly and efficient. The food menu boldly proclaims to be Italian Fusion, but the actual food is best described as an assortment of Goan, Indian and European items. With items like Fish 'n' Chips, Grilled Fish with Boiled Vegetables and Rice/Pasta, Chicken Cafreal, pastas, risottos, raviolli, cannelonis, crepes, lasagne and a takeaway menu consisting of steaks, quiches, beef or chicken burgers, sandwiches, tarts, cakes and pies, there's something for everyone. They offer a good Seafood Platter and Grilled Lobster. Drop in here for the Infantaria Special Breakfast in the mornings! Apart from the food, Infantaria has that old-world charm feel.
  • A Reverie – This is THE place to dress up and go celeb spotting. Posh and pricey place. Good food. Contemporary European and fusion food. Located on Calangute's popular Holiday street, A Reverie is the place to see, be seen in and relish. Diners may enjoy an enchanting garden ambiance or the open-air lounge that sits under an impressive tiled roof. The food may best be described as modern European, where familiar dishes are presented in innovative ways, with influences of cuisines from across the world.Disco balls, crystal & shell chandleries and an assortment of artistic lamps provide soft lighting, while the luxurious furnishings are designed by the owners themselves. The food at A Reverie is like nothing you would have tasted elsewhere, and features an array of familiar international cuisines that are presented in the most novel way, reinventing traditional cooking methods and blending culinary inspirations from across the world, while using local ingredients and global spices in the most creative manner. 
  • After Seven – It's definitely worth tracking down this difficult-to-find restaurant (located between Calangute and Candolim near the Sarkar ice factory), as it's one of Goa's best dinner venues. Owned by the gracious ex-Taj hotel duo, Leo D'Souza and superchef Soumyen Chakraborty, it's a really pleasant alfresco place set on the lawns of Leo's house. You can watch your meal being cooked in the glass-fronted kitchen, and discuss how you liked it afterward, when Soumyen visits every table. Begin with the near-legendary Camembert soufflé, and move on to the delectable "Ocean's Fantasy" seafood platter. This is also one spot in Goa where you can happily indulge your lust for a juicy steak -- order the chargrilled filet with blue cheese sauce. And do prepare yourself for either the chocolate mousse with orange Curaçao or the unbelievably light and delicious orange soufflé.
  • Travel Bar – 'Where wanderlust meets cuisine' and you find yourself in a Mediterranean courtyard reminiscent of the 1930s…wooden benches, stone flooring, under the leafy canopy of an almond tree. It is a must have for people who enjoy European food, cause that courtyard is a place for classy, up market but affordable Mediterranean cuisine. Meet Angeline Lobo who with her business partner Vinay Mudkani developed this concept to give Goa something different. Vinay the architect of this concept has worked on a menu that has its focus on nouvelle cuisine, as contrasted with cuisine classique, although both are forms of haute cuisine. Open the classy menus. No lengthy lists of items offered as everything fresh is picked up in the mornings. Start with the Chicken Drumsticks with Bar be que sauce. Ooo..li one might shout. Simple lines and classy! Nothing substandard is permitted. There is another starter — the Crab Cake with paprika mayo. Now this is on request. The Crab and Avocado Salad with a mustad dressing is another crustacean delicacy. For mains the Moroccon Chicken Leg is recommended — Moroccan spice with a predominance of yoghurt and paprika. A great way to spice up that meal! A Lasagne on the cards? Yes with old favorite — the Sesame Seared Yellow Fin Tuna, it's the seafood lasagna listed on this menu card. Roasted Vegetable and Mushroom…aah!!! And if its fish...try the Grain Mustard Fish Filet. That seared fish filet in that delicate sauce. The flesh shreds at the touch of the fork, the sauce coats it...is oh so lovingly…and the taste? New innovations like the Portuguese Stew, Jamaican Jerk Chicken and the Gammon Steak also feature on this year's menu. For the sweet finale try the Hot Chocolate Bake with vanilla ice cream or perhaps the Coconut Pannacota. Superlicious. At Travelbar, you don't travel too far for a nouvelle experience.
Restaurants in Arpora
  • Baba au Rhum – This is where the last hippies of Goa are hiding. Very boho place with bench style seating. The breakfast selection is one of the best in Goa with great freshly baked pain au chocolate, croissants and real French coffee. And good omlettes too. I would vote this as the best breakfast in North Goa.Baba au Rhum is a charming cafe set in a quiet residential area in Arpora, off the busy main road to Anjuna, serving up a delectable menu of salads, sandwiches, baked delicacies and pastries, and the area's best pizza. This is one of the most popular spots in North Goa to meet and greet or spend a leisurely afternoon. Closed on Wednesdays and off season.
Restaurants in Baga
  • Lila Café – Set in a serene spot by the Baga Creek with a cane mat roof, this German-run airy alfresco cafe is an institution by now, serving some of the finest European snacks and meals, especially for breakfast. If you're looking for a snack, try the Water Buffalo Ham in a roll and experience bliss with the wafer-thin slice of specially cured meat in a burger-style bread with lettuce and butter. Make a great breakfast of your Roesti, Swiss-style fried potatoes. If you're there around lunch, we recommend the Fried Leg of Chicken or Beef Steak with Mashed Potatoes, which are among the best you'll get in Goa. Also recommended are Fresh Smoked Kingfish with salad, Goulesh Spatzle and Beef Roast with Red Wine Sauce. As thirst quenchers, there are all kinds of juices, milk shakes, teas and coffees. For a true taste of Europe in Goa without spending much money, this is the place to be.
  • J&A’s Little Italy – Sitting quietly on the riverfront, this place has been done up with an eye for detail. Nothing over-the-top here, soft lighting, subtle colours and clean lines.The food is incredibly fresh, creative and delicious. After all the chaos of Goa, J&A feels like an indulgent reprieve. The price is just right given the quality of food, the ambiance is relaxing with an under current of sophistication and the staff is very friendly, not to mention the owners who are often there. It is amazing how they have maintained their quality over the years. Absolutely, one of the best. Friday nights are great with live music, but even without it, the atmosphere is always friendly and we have made friends among the many repeat guests.
  • Brittos – Britto’s at Baga beach is an icon with a long almost 50-year history. It was the first Goan restaurant I went to many years ago. Today, though much more crowded, the shack-turned-restaurant has retained its soul and its spirit and has become a mist-visit for everyone visiting Goa.The seating is still on the beach on a raised bamboo platform. The menu now has an addition of North India dishes and Continental dishes but the core is still Goan.  The quality of food, thankfully, is the same as before.  And the service is more than able to handle the throngs of eager tourists.Britto’s is a must visit when in Goa. Only one word of advice, do stay away from the non-Goan dishes to have a truly good time.
 
Restaurants in Saligao
  • Florentines – Located on Chogm road, Florentine is a popular hangout place. Look out for the signboard behind the Saligao Church and take the small, pot-holed road inside for a few metres to reach Florentine's. There are two sections: one is an outdoor, shack-style section and the other is a two-storeyed block. This Goan speciality restaurant is always brimming with locals as well as tourists, most of whom come here for their speciality dish Florentine Chicken Cafreal, chicken roasted in a spicy, green gravy. Polish it off with the local bread. Plates of Crumb-fried Mussel or Prawn also disappear fast from the shelf. Other authentic Goan preparations here are Fish Curry Rice, Fish Recheado, Fish Vindaloo, Prawn Xacutti, Squid Masala, Shell-fish and Crab Xacutti, besides some excellent Fish Caldein, a greenish-orange fish stew inspired by the Portuguese influence on Goan cooking. The vegetarian section has limited offerings, which is a usual feature with most restaurants in Goa. Beef and pork dishes are a strict no-no. A few unremarkable Chinese items like Chicken Chilly Fry, Mushroom Chilly Fry, Chicken Fried Rice and Noodles, and desserts like Caramel Custard and ice-cream make up the rest of the menu. Though they do not serve any beef or pork dishes, visit Florentine's for a robust Goan meal!
  • I-95 – This is a relaxed but still chic version of A Reverie with excellent beef carpaccio, grilled lobster and a good wine list. The menu draws inspiration from around the world but is not one of those awful multi cuisine restaurants.
Restaurants in Vagator
  • Thalassa – popular Greek restaurant in Goa located on a small hill with a stunning sea view. Go early to catch the sunset. Popular with the Bombay crowd and celebs. Amitabh Bachchan visited in its first year. Run by a Greek lady so try the authentic souvlaki. In the Aesops fables, Thalassa appears as a woman formed of sea water rising up from her native element. An eerily similar vision is formed as you enter the muslin-curtained, mirror-filled, all-white Grecian restaurant near Nine Bar in Vagator. The welcome from the proprietor Mariketty makes you feel like you’re in her home. Amongst patrons, who looked like they could be at any voguish carefully laidback restaurant in Mykonos, low key waiters hover, taking orders of prawn or chicken souvlaki, mousakka and greek salad. End this mythical evening with plates of the deliciously addictive profiterole balls.
Restaurants in Panjim
  • Mum’s Kitchen – Mum's Kitchen boasts of rare cuisines of mothers from different corners of Goa. It's an 11am to 11pm feast from a menu which has different varieties of the 'Pisces' factor. An enclosed garden leads to an air conditioned dining area. Artifacts reflect a nostalgic era - coconuts in baskets, garafaos, rogdos (grinding stones) they bring into focus the needs for Goa's culinary art. Designer crockery on ceramic tiled tables, vie for attention with the preparations listed, a mix of researched Hindu, Christian, Goan and Portuguese favourites. It is a blend of the past and present, to entice the diner to a culinary feast. The service is casual, perhaps in keeping with the Goan culture, but prompt and efficient. The eclectic mix of the three styles of local preparations is apparent at a glance through the menu. The starters and the dry seafood preparations are an excellent accompaniment with a stiff shot of the local brew - feni. There is an ample choice of gravies, coconut based Hooman curry (Hindu Goan) or the rich orange Sungtachi Kodi (Christian Goan). Season or off season, every variety of fish -the Xec-Xec Masala with crabs, Chonak (sea perch cooked in the kodi), the kingfish tossed in peri-peri or the Hindu Goan style of masala, pomfret steaks and red snapper slices, lobsters with the raechado, de-shelled for the diners convenience (the same applies to the crab preparations), pickles like Mackeral/kitefish para and prawn balchao, a veritable khazana of seafood. The Pork Balchao is worth a mention too as is the other masalas. Many traditional Goans are vegetarian and it is from their kitchens that Keel Khatkhatem (bamboo shoots), Melgor (black-eyed beans), Bimbli Udamethi, are sourced. Each gravy has its own unique flavour, and a lot of research has gone into the menu to balance the culinary preferences of his guests.
  • Hotel Venite – If you are looking for some authentic goan Pork Steaks or Pork Vindaloo, this is the place to be. Also their prawn wafers are not bad! Very peacefull ambience and I liked the small balconies for couples to hand out. Dont make plans for Sunday though as the place is closed on Sunday for both lunch and dinner.
 
Restaurants in Anjuna
  • Samovar – A well laid out restaurant with great decor and lighting. The service at the bar is excellent with amazing cocktails...Lovely food and a great choice of Lebanese/ Arabic cuisine One of the best places to spend your evenings in Anjuna!!
  • Basilico – Basilico is one of the better places in North Goa for the Italian fare. A narrow, tree-lined road from the Anjuna Beach leads to this quiet, unpretentious place. Open only for dinner, this alfresco restaurant serves pizzas, home-made pastas, salads and sinful desserts. Start with the Minestrone Soup, a freshly tossed salad and a thin-crust pizza that emerges from a wood-fired oven. Topped with beef, tuna and ham, and spiced with a Goan-style sauce, Lucifer, meaning devil in Italian, is a hot and spicy pizza. And then there is Lasagna alla Bolognese, Cannelloni Ricotta-e-Spinaci and Gnocchi for an elaborate meal. For vegetarians, there's the Vegetariana with cabbage, mushrooms, onion, tomato. The chef here will happily toss up pizzas with your choice of toppings and sauces. There's home-made pastas here in a range of sauces - pesto, mushroom, tomato - apart from lasagna, shellfish and steaks. From the dessert menu, order the delightful Tiramisu. With its relaxed atmosphere, authentic and value-for-money Italian fare, Basilico is well worth a visit.
Restaurants in Ashwem
  • La Plage – Run by a French trio of friends. It is often called the most stylish beach shack in Goa. Everything is good here but I especially recommend the beef carpaccio and the desserts. Menus change regularly and feature innovative combinations. Combine this with a day out at lovely Ashwem beach. Over the years our love affair with La Plage has not only survived, but become stronger, despite an infiltration by chi chi crowds who make this an essential daily stop over. La Plage could be without a doubt the most stylish shack ambience and finest French food in Goa. Up three stone steps just off the hip Ashwem beach, La Plage appears like a fairy in white on a sand dune. Accented by billowing colourful muslin curtains cordoning off the outside sand seating from the larger open deck area one step up. An abundance of deck chairs, soft jazz or eclectic hip-hop and a finger-licking French cuisine make this one of the few places you actually need to reserve in advance. Off Ashwem beach; tel. +91 9822121712; frenchfoodindia@hotmail.com

 

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