If you’re in the mood to sample some authentic Goan cuisine, you’re in luck. Around thirty restaurants across Goa are currently participating in the Taste of Goa festival which began on May 13 and will continue till May 30.
“The concept of Taste of Goa hit us in 2014 when we organised a lunch at chef Cyrus Todiwala’s restaurant Assado in London. Goans from Portugal, Dubai and all over London came down especially for the lunch. That was the spark that lit the fire in 2015, when we had the first Taste of Goa festival at the Panaji Church Square,” recalls Shaeen Gomes, chairperson, Goa ForGiving. The previous edition saw them flying down five British chefs including Chef Todiwala, conducting food walks with them, food demo sessions and many other exciting things. Buyoed by the success, the festival is back with it’s second edition. And although the concept is the same, the format is different, states Shaeen.
This time around the festival began with a grand launch with Goa’s nightingale Lorna belting out some of her hit tunes at Zeebop by the Sea in Utorda on May 13- Mother’s Day. “The idea was to build the bond between children and their mothers through food. On Mother’s Day the participating restaurants had special offers for mothers who came over to their place,” says Shaeen.
For the festival, each of the participating restaurants have come up with specialties with Goan and other cuisines. “Our aim is to make Goa the food capital of the East! Like in any European country where food is main stream we would like to see Goa reach there soon. The specialty menus are not restricted to Goan cuisines. We have opened up the concept to include any cuisine in their menu,” briefs Shaeen.
Sylvester D’Souza who runs his popular restaurant Sheela on the Airport Road in Vasco, admits that there has not been significant increase in the footfalls due to the festival however his regular customers are there to enjoy his traditional Goan dishes like ambot tik, sanna, xacuti, ros, fish curry, sambayanche, fried fish etc which he has been offering for the past 30 years.
Roland Rodrigues on the other hand is excited with the response he is witnessing due to this festival. His Sua Casa at Sangolda is serving cranberry sangria, red sangria and white wine sangria along with sticky pork ribs, beef chops, fish cutlets, bruschetta, sausages, balchao, tandoori fish, stew etc. “One of the main attractions here is natural kulfi which a lot of people relish,” says Roland who stresses on using natural ingredients and no added food colours or flavours in all his dishes except Chinese food.
Vasant and Vatsala Hede admit that their food truck Lovii, parked in the BPS Sports Club premises is an extension of their home kitchen. “We want to offer healthy, homemade food, cooked in sunflower oil and nothing is deep fried at Lovii. There is wheat flour chapatti with cilantro grilled chicken, prawn recheado, Goan chilly chicken stuffed in a local poei (polee). Those who came to know about the ‘Taste of Goa’ have been visiting us to taste our special food and we are happy with the response we have been getting,” says Vasant.
As part of the festival, a food photo contest is also currently running on social media. Those interested just have to click a picture of a dish from the participating restaurant’s specialty menu, upload it on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and use the hashtags #TasteOfGoa #TasteOfGoaFest2018 #(Restaurant Name) #SimbaBeer. The first prize for this contest is Rs 3000 and a stay at Alila Diwa Goa, the second prize is Rs 2000 and a stay at Mangaal Farm and the third prize is Rs 1000 and a stay at Nature’s Nest, Tambdi Surla.
