Best Lifestyle Blog of Goa
In the heart of South Anjuna Beach, just a stone’s throw away from the iconic Curlies, lies a hidden oasis that’s quickly becoming the talk of the town. SOUL BY THE SEA isn’t just another café; it’s a serene escape that promises an unparalleled beachside experience. If you’re on the hunt for a spot that combines breathtaking views with a unique vibe, your search ends here.
In one word if I have to describe this place, it would be AWESOME! Enfield Bikes, Good Food, and A Great View, what more can you ask for, still if you want more, Enfield Garage Cafe organizes regular events to keep you amused. The Sunday Stories especially is a very popular weekly event that happens at Garage Cafe.
There is food, then there is food made with a lot of love, there are restaurants, and then there are dreams, this place Cuebebar Smokehouse Goa falls in the latter category because it isn’t just a restaurant but a dream that a young boy of 23 all has seen and pursued, it reflects his passion along with that of his friend. Arjun and his friend Bunty are the two boys behind this amazing place. Arjun who worked with Marriott in Texas before coming back to India is the main chef while his friend Bunty takes up the charge for the bar and shakes up some amazing cocktails.
Bohra Muslims, who are said to have migrated originally from Yemen to Gujarat, are firm believers in the maxim: “The family that eats together, stays together.” The entire Bohra family dines out of one platter called the thaal and it typically accommodates 4-8 people. Each dish is placed in the centre of the thaal and every member pulls his or her share. Bohras have a no-wastage policy. Not a single grain of rice is left on the plate when it is taken away.
To promote this thought and keep the tradition alive, Rumana came up with the idea of ‘Thaal’ as she too believes in community eating and bonding over food.
I have been a fan of Mexican food for quite some time now and I always love exploring new restaurants that offer Mexican food. Just recently I came across this amazing place called Burrito Boys located at the Calangute-Arpora road.
I visited Holiday Inn New Delhi Mayur Vihar Noida yesterday to experience Kerala Kitchen – Melange of flavors from God’s own country, a 9-day long food promotion at its all-day dining eatery, Cafe on 3. The ambiance, the decor, and the music, all resonated well with the vibes that Kerala has to offer.
Master Chef Rejimon, specially flown from Kerala, curated the food promotion offering various signature delicacies from Kochi, Malabar, and Travancore to cover the different elements of authentic food from Kerela. There were interactive stations with themed decor creating a memorable experience for the guests. The entire promotion has 3 cycling menus, which have been prepared to keep in mind the palettes of both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.
Every place has its own culture, tradition, and food and so does Kerala. Few of Chef Rejimon’s signature delicacies include –
Idiyappam Chemmeen Biryani, a dish prepared using Malabar style masalas and has an aromatic flavor
Murniga Kanthari, a tribal chicken dish from central Kerala
Prawn Urulakizhangu Dosa, prawn patties topped with chef’s special masala
Chemmeen Kakka Roti, prawn and rice dumpling
Attirachi Vendakka, lamb cooked with okra
Pidi Kozhi, a traditional home-style chicken dish and many more creations from his repertoire.
The dishes that were the part of the menu on the launch day of the event is what I got to savor and they were as follows:
| SALAD |
| PACHA MANGA SALAD
Shredded Raw Mango with onions & tomatoes |
| PINEAPPLE PACHA MULAGU SALAD
Pineapple and Green Chili |
| KOZHI PORICHA SALAD-NV
Fried Chicken with tempered mustard |
| SEAFOOD CURRY VEPPILA SALAD-NV
Curry leaves marinade mix seafood with onions and lime
Pickle – Raw Mango Pickle, Bitter Gourd Pickle, Pineapple Pickle, Beetroot Pickle, Inji Puli Pachadi – Beetroot Pachadi, Bitter Gourd Pachadi, Pineapple Pachadi Chutneys – Raw Mango Chammanthy, Coconut Chutney, Inji Chammanthy |
| SOUP |
| PINEAPPLE RASAM
Green chili infused pineapple soup |
| SEAFOOD THENGA PAL SOUP
Mix Seafood Broth with coconut milk |
| STARTER-LIVE STATION |
| VAZHAPOO CUTLET
Banana Flower with mashed potatoes patties
ULLI VADA Red onion fritter
KANE PORICHATHU Deep fried ladyfish infused with spices |
| SEAFOOD VADA MASALA
Seafood dumpling tossed with onion tomato masala
STAPLE – LIVE STATION APPAM IDIAPPAM PAROTA PUTTU KADALA CURRY VEGETABLE ISHTU CHICKEN ISHTU
|
| MAIN COURSE-VEG |
| VAZHAKKA KOON ULARTHIYATHU
Tempered Raw Banana and Mushroom |
| VELLARI MANGA CURRY
Raw Mango and white pumpkin curry
URULAKKIZHANGU VADA CURRY Potato and lentil dumpling curry
|
| MAIN COURSE-NON VEG |
| KUMARAKOM MEEN PATTICHATHU
spiced fish curry with fish tamarind |
| SURIYANI KOZHI PIDI
Syrian Christian style chicken & rice dumpling curry
MUTTON KURUMULAGU ROAST Mutton with black pepper masala |
| FLAVOURED RICE |
| MALABAR SEAFOOD BIRIYANI
Malabar style aromatic biryani with seafood |
| MALLIYILA CHORU
Coriander Scented Rice with grated coconut |
| DESSERTS |
| VAZHAPOO PARIPPU PAYASAM
Tender coconut and Banana flower cooked with jaggery and coconut milk |
| NEYYADA
Layered steamed cake with eggs and nut |
| PAZHAM VILAYICHATHU
Caramelized banana with coconut and nuts |
| PALADA PRADAMAN
Rice flakes cooked with cardamom infused sweetened milk
|
The dishes that I have marked in bold made for my favorites, the spices, and the flavors were just right. I had tried some of these dishes on my trip to Kerala and I can easily say that there was no difference in the authenticity of the taste. Kudos to chef Rejimon and Cafe on 3 team for recreating the flavors without any compromise.
The carefully crafted menu comprised of traditional food, succulently created from fresh ingredients and deftly spiced by the culinary expert. The festival is a celebration of Chef Rejimon’s culinary journey covering the state of Kerala from North to South and offers the guests an opportunity to treat themselves to authentic Kerala delicacies.
The festival is indeed a rare treat for food lovers and shouldn’t be given a miss. I have been privileged to experience it on day 1 and also meet Chef Rejimon in person.
Date: 30th November – 8th December 2018 | Time: 1900 hours to 2300 hours | Venue: Café on 3, a full-service buffet restaurant at Holiday Inn New Delhi Mayur Vihar Noida
To get your tryst with luxury and enjoy some awesome food, head straight to PVR Director’s Cut in Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj and I am sure you will fall in love with it.
Though PVR Director’s Cut is a cinema hall and operates largely on membership, it has two stand-alone restaurants, that anyone can walk into.
Simply Sushi, is a state of the art Japanese Cuisine restaurant, spearheaded by internationally renowned Chef Yutaka Saito, who understands the nuanced Indian palate and has introduced innovative offerings on the menu, under the guidance of Chef Mayank Tiwari, Group Executive Chef of PVR, who is a celebrated chef in the culinary world of International cuisine.
I began my culinary experience by trying the Salmon Carpaccio and it was utterly delicious. I polished off the entire dish on my own. The taste was subtle and very very soothing on the tongue. The light tanginess added more depth to the overall flavors and I loved it.
The next I tried the Avocado Tartare, which will remain one of my most favorite dishes at Simply Sushi. It was delectable beyond words can justify. Such creamy texture, such rich flavors, loved it. Along with it I also tried the Tofu Spinach and this too was an awesome tasting dish.
Coming to Sushi, I tried the Spiced Tuna Rolls and Salmon Rolls and enjoyed them both, but preferred the Salmon Roll more over the other.
But let me tell you something, Simply Sushi is not just about food, it is about an overall experience. The charm of sitting over the counter and watching the chef prepare sushi right in front of your eyes, the luxury and class that the ambiance engulfs you into and who knows you might get lucky and bump into a celebrity or two as PVR director’s cut is all about the Creme Dela Creme of Delhi. And yes I did bump into Smriti Irani and her husband, while I was relishing my meal at Simply Sushi.
After Simply Sushi, it was time for desserts, and for that, I just hopped on to the other outlet of PVR Director’s Cut, L’Opera. Inspired by French designs, this patisserie looks very classy and rich. The pastel colors, the furniture design, remind of you of French Colonial Cafes. Also, this outlet at Vasant Kunj, leads in a fact that there are about 3 desserts that you get to eat only here and nowhere else. One such was the chocolate hazelnut with baileys, it was a truly mouth melting experinec with burst of flavours in my mouth. The chocolate, the hazelnut and of course baileys, its definitely a must try. They offer some savoury items as well and are in particular known for their wonderful sandwiches. All I can say is that both these places within PVR Director’s Cut are completely worth a visit and since they no not require membership, you must pay a visit.
Some places offer great food, while some offer experience, very rarely we come across places that offer food which not just food, but a wholesome experience. Coincidently, I have felt this at two places and its no surprise that both these places come from the same group. Masala Library by Jiggs Kalara was my first such experience where in I felt that its not just about food, but everything put together, and now my second experience came when I recently visited Bo-Tai. Conceptualised by Zorawar Kalra, this restaurant offers all the ingredients be ranked amongst the top. The ambience is perfect, very classy and refined, the hospitality is top notch, from the moment you enter, you are entire experience is personalised. The staff attends to you with utmost care, attention and knowledge of food and drinks.
The presentation of food is commendable and the most important thing, the taste is unmatched. Bo-Tai is a Thai speciality restaurant and it truly serves the best Thai food in the city.
Here are some of the highly recommended dishes
Scallop Carpaccio- A mouth melting experience, the scallops were just so delicious.
Crispy Caramelised Raw Mango Prawns- These are definitely a must try, super scrumptious prawns and that tangy taste of raw mango was just perfect.
Chicken Florets- True to their name, these blue coloured chicken dimsums in chilly oil were delectable.
Duck Sausages- The best dish I had, the sausages were simply mind blowing and the duck meat was so soft and juicy. The pumpkin dip and baked mashed potatoes as accompaniments enhance the taste greatly.
Lamb Satay- One of the finest satays that I had in recent times, you cannot afford to miss this dish, and the peanut dip too wasn’t the regular type and was really delicious.
Lamb Chops- Utterly delicious and succulent lamb chops, totally worth a try.
Masamman Curry- So when we talk of Thai curries, this curry usually sets the benchmark and I have to say that this was perfect. Served with Steamed Rice, they completed my meal.
Dessert- You have to try to believe how delicious it was.
Also for dessert you can try the Caramelised Banana Cocktail, it was just too good.
Me and my son had a great time enjoying this scrumptious food and overall experience at Bo-Tai. Highly recommended. Do share your feedback if you happen to visit.
Well now that the holidays are over and my son has gone to Delhi, I am back to eating my healthy stuff. But today I was not in a mood to cook too many things so opted for this wholesome soup which has a perfect balance of proteins and carbohydrates and is super easy to make. Needless to say, it tastes awesome 😋
Here are the ingredients you would need:
Tomato Purée- 1 packet
Garlic Cloves-3-4
Olive Oil- 1 table spoon
Egg-1
Water- 1/2 glass
Oregano- 1/4th teaspoon
Dried Basil Leaves- 1/4th teaspoon
Paprika- 1/4th teaspoon
Brown Bread Slice- 1
Salt to taste
Tabasco- Optional
Fresh Cream- 1 spoon for garnishing
Method
Heat olive oil in a pan and add chopped garlic.
Sauté the garlic and pour the entire packet of tomato purée and then add water.
Let it cook for about 5 minutes on low heat.
Add the spices and simmer for another couple of minutes
Increase the flame and bring the soup to a boil.
While the soup is getting boiled, toast a slice of brown bread and cut it like croutons.
Beat the egg lightly in a bowl and once the soup starts to boil, hold the bowl over the top of the pan and slowly release the beaten egg, stirring the soup simulated.
You will get the egg drop threads in the soup and it’s texture will change a bit.
Bring it to another boil and remove from flame.
If you want you can add a bit of Tabasco to give your soup a spicy and tangy flavour.
Pour it in a bowl, and top it with croutons and add a dash of fresh cream to garnish.
Serve hot.
Note: This recipe is for one bowl of soup and you can multiply the ingredients as per the servings. Enjoy a complete meal.
A warm and cosy place overlooking vast green patches, a lady who cooks with lots of love and passion and the food that is simple yet amazing is what Laila’s Cafe all about.
Located at the Anjuna-Vagator road, Laila’s Cafe has been around since a few months now. Laila, who belongs to Hyderabad originally, had a dream to take its cuisine to different places and Goa became her new home. She wanted to introduce people to the authentic Hyderabadi cuisine and started curating special menus for home deliveries. Her home deliveries met with a great success and further encouraged her to open up a cafe. Her cafe serves Hyderabadi cuisine primarily and has a daily changing menu. She makes the weekends even more special by preparing some typical Hyderabadi delicacies. She balances a couple of Hyderabadi dishes with 2-3 North Indian dishes as well, in order to give variety and choices to the customer.
This weekend, we dropped by at her cafe as she hosted an EID special lunch. The menu comprised of:
Mutton Haleem- Haleem originated as an Arabic dish with meat and pounded wheat as the chief ingredients. It was introduced to Hyderabad by the Arab diaspora during the rule of the sixth Nizam and later became an integral part of Hyderabadi cuisine. Haleem is a stew composed of meat, lentils and pounded wheat made into a thick paste. It was served with fried onions and lemon to add that zingy flavour. I relished the same with a hot parantha.
Biryani- Biryani is popular across the country and every region has its own way of preparing it. That day we tried biryani which was primarily with Bangalorean flavours. Tasted very well.
Chole- A typical punjabi style of chole, which were savoured with paranthas.
Shahi Paneer- Another North Indian delicacy prepared to perfection.
Pulao- A simple pulao to go along with chole or shahi paneer.
Sheer Khurma- A traditional sweet prepared with vermicelli and milk, it was heavenly. I could have polished off 2 bowls of the same easily, but refrained myself from doing so. Its one indulgence, you will love.
Overall, I had a lot of fun and enjoyed my feast at Laila’s Cafe. Laila is also passionate about fashion collectibles and hence she showcases her collection along side at the cafe. So not only you can indulge in eating good food, but also indulge in some quick shopping. Do drop by and let me know how was your experience.
Here are my ratings:
Ambience 3.5/5
Food- 4/5
Service- 3.5/5
Value for Money- 4/5
