Home Run

The ambience in this 80-seater restaurant is neat and tidy,with white walls,light green tables,a few landscape pictures on the wall. A steady stream of giggles and loud chatter ensured that the spirit of Goa was thriving. Mentions of bebinca (a layered Goan dessert) and xacuti (a Goan dish made with roasted coconut curry) flew thick and fast. Here was a crowd who have been to Goa several times and knew what to expect from its culinary experts.

The menu is comprehensive,packing in Goan specialities. There’s also a page for north Indian starters and main courses. Each Goan dish is explained in detail: from the ambotik— a sour and tik (spicy) curry— to the vindaloo,sorpotel and bebinca. We started off with a plate of Goan sausage fry (Rs 325),while we pondered on whether we should go for the sorpotel or the chicken xacuti (pronounced shakuti). The starters arrived on time — the bright red marinated pork pieces doused in vinegar,and tossed up with onions— tasting just perfect. We followed it up with the chicken xacuti (Rs 315),which had an authentic taste as well. The coconut-spice mix that is the base of this creamy chicken curry could have been roasted a bit more to a darker shade of spicy brown,but the gravy served was quite good. The squid ambotik (Rs 295) a sweet-sour and very spicy curry traditionally made with shark fish,was close to the real thing,though it was a tad sweeter than what a Goan proprietor would allow. It’s probably an allowance that the restaurant owner had made for the capital’s crowd,not used to the spiciness of Goan cuisine.

But it was the Pomfret Rechad,(Rs 395) that was the piece-de -esistance of the menu. Rechad masala is made with red chillies,vinegar and condiments that have been traditionially ground on a mortar slab to lend a slightly coarse texture to the masala. It is then stuffed in the fish,marinated for over two hours,and then fried. In Souza Lobo’s pomfret rechad,the masala was ground to a thin paste,but the taste was authentic.

Even though we were quite full by this time,it was difficult to ignore the desserts. The bebinca (painstakingly made,with over seven-eight layers of coconut milk-flour-eggs mix,cooked in a clay oven) for Rs 265 was finger-licking good. The portions are generous and reasonably priced and the taste is authentic. Yes,this meal could have well been in a shack in Goa.