Goa is truly heaven on the face of this earth and I feel so blessed to call it home. In Goa, beauty typically lies in every nook and corner and you don’t have to really search for it. Click a picture wherever you stand, and it will turn out to be good and when it comes to restaurants, Goa has some of the most beautiful restaurants that our country can boast off. Even though the list can be endless, I am sharing the top 10 restaurants that I feel fall in the most beautiful category and are truly Instagram worthy.
Situated in the Golden Plateau Hotel, right on the Porvorim Highway, is the recently opened fine dine restaurant Basil Leaf. Honestly speaking when I attended the launch of the place, I couldn’t make much of it. There were a lot of guests back then and I had reached quite late, also I tried only Thai Chicken Curry and Rice during the launch which was good, but I wasn’t really sure how it would turn out when dining on a normal regular day. So when I headed to The Basil Leaf for a lunch with my family, I had no expectations at all, but at the onset, I have to say that I was taken by a complete surprise.
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.
Well, Sundays are actually meant to be spent in a leisurely manner and whoever came up with the idea of brunch was a really wise man.
History
Brunch is a combination of breakfast and lunch eaten usually during the late morning to early afternoon, generally served from 10 am up to 2 pm, and regularly has some form of alcoholic drink which mostly includes champagne or a cocktail. The word is a portmanteau of breakfast and lunch. Brunch originated in the late 19th century in England and became popular in the United States in the 1930s. From there on the trend started catching up with the rest of the world and each country twisted and turned around with their ideas of brunch. Sunday brunches started becoming extremely popular because of the leisurely feeling attached with a Sunday. Usually, people party late nights on a Saturday and a Sunday Brunch seemed just like a perfect meal. Slowly restaurants started picking up the idea and the brunches became even more popular. One the timings made a lot of sense to late risers, plus Sunday could be a no-cook day and it also gave an opportunity for the entire family or even friends to head out together and enjoy a relaxed meal.
My Sunday Brunch
Ok now after the brief history and increasing popularity details about the Sunday Brunch lets bring the focus back to the fact that why am I writing about a Sunday Brunch. Of course, because I recently enjoyed a great Sunday Brunch that I would want to share with all of you. Life Beach Lounge recently got launched in Goa and this happened to be their first Sunday Brunch and so I had to attend it anyhow. All thanks to my PR friend Sinead, I got the opportunity to review the Sunday Brunch and we a handful of foodies headed straight to Life Beach Resort in Morjim.
The Ambiance
Even though you head out for a food review, you cannot ignore the effect that the ambiance of the place creates on you. Right from the entrance, the place is a picturesque beauty. The pathway that leads to the main seating area in itself is an Instagram friendly point and yes we did stop there to click some pictures first.
As you walk in, the first look of the place mesmerizes you completely. The classy seating, the lounge area, the lavish bar and then the blue sky above, the beach and the sea view that you can’t take your eyes off. I mean I could just sit there and do nothing for hours. Lucky are those who can call such a place their workplace. I could actually urge the management to hire me and allow me to work from such a quaint and beautiful place and ahhh life would then be more a bliss!
Anyway, I won’t say much, just see the pictures and you will know exactly what I mean.
The Food and Drinks
The Sunday Brunch comprises of a specially curated menu that offers the best of Asian food possible. From Japanese Sushi to Thai Salads, Oriental Soups To Pizzas, there is more and enough for everyone to choose items as per their taste buds. Since we were a group of 6 people, we went on to try everything on the menu and there were following dishes that we tried
Salads
Som Tam, Fresh Ice Berg Salad, Japanese Beef Salad and Chicken Glass Noodles Salad
Soups
Gazpacho Soup and Hot & Sour Soup
Pizzas
Margarita, Peri-Peri and Pepperoni
Sushi
Fusion Uramaki Roll, Veg Tempura Uramaki Roll, Prawn Tempura Uramaki Roll, Salmon Uramaki Roll and Spicy Tuna Roll
Mains
Thai Red Curry-Chicken with Steamed Jasmine Rice
Desserts
Panna Cotta, Fruit Salad & Brownie
Drinks
Champagne Cocktail and Rose Wine
Overall the food was very well done, my recommendations and favorites from all segments would include, The Japanese Beef Salad, The Som Tam Salad, The Chicken Glass Noodles Salad, The Gazpacho Soup, The Spicy Tuna Uramaki Roll, The Prawn Tempura Uramaki Roll, Margarita Pizza, Red Thai Curry with Rice and The Panna Cotta. And trust me on this, order minimum of two portions of the Panna Cotta, It was so so delicious that one would not be able to satiate the craving.
Final Word
So be it the ambiance, the music, the drinks or the food, this place is a perfect hangout place to chill and relax with your family and friends. Go with leisure in mind and don’t look at the watch, I am sure you will enjoy more that way. Sit back, relax, enjoy the food, drinks, music, get some sun and sand, dip in the sea and come back home fully charged up to tackle the new week and to kick off the Monday blues. For me spending this Sunday afternoon with my friends, enjoying amazing food and drinks by the beach was just the kind of relaxation I dig. Kudos to the entire team at LIFE especially the chefs to pull out such a lovely menu and the ever smiling and hospitable staff.
Sunday Brunch Details
The Silver Brunch that includes all of the above mentioned items(except the spicy tuna roll) come priced at Rs 1800 ++
Other sushi variety can be ordered at an additional price of Rs 1000 and drinks also come in two packages priced at Rs 1200 and Rs 1800 respectively.
Follow them on Instagram and Facebook to get regular updates about their events @life.beach.goa
