dalreen ramos dalreen. ramos@ mid- day. com ASSOCIATING communities with an ingredient is common practice: Bengalis like fish, Keralites like beef, and Goans like pork. It is a pity how this stereotyping, in fact, erases the nuances that come with preparing local fare. Itu2019s an idea we get thinking about when, on a late Sunday evening, we visit the nondescript Tardeo eatery Goan Spice after a much- loved trip back in June last year. Immediately after the review, a colleague had remarked, u201c Arey! How can it be Goan if they donu2019t serve pork?u201d To be fair, itu2019s not like every Goan bleeds of sorpotel.
But to be fairer, thereu2019s so much more than pig meat.
The menu is extensive for the size of the restaurant. You can choose from seafood, chicken and vegetarian dishes u2014 thereu2019s also a mini Chindian menu, staying true to the haunts in Goa that have started cropping up. Weu2019re here with a friend who moved to the city from Goa about three years ago, and she is quick to exclaim, u201c Itu2019s all too cheapu201d u2014 it was her comparison with other seafood places in town that tend to burn a hole in the wallet.
Since we relished the crab thali last time, we decide to order it first. But the waiter informs us that all thalis are available only at lunchtime.
The heart breaks a little, and we go ahead and we pick the prawn rawa fry ( R 300), squid Goan chilli fry ( R 250), veg pulao ( R 150), chicken xacuti ( R 180) and kalwa rava fry ( R 200).
The prawns arrive within 10 minutes and come with a bowl of green chutney, which you donu2019t really need. The flavour of turmeric comes through in the coat of rawa u2014 exactly how youu2019d make it at home. We order lime, which only elevates the taste. We have also tried the squid chilli fry before and so when it arrives, weu2019re a bit turned off by the amount of capsicum. But the squid per se is delicious.
The mains arrive next; the generous inclusions of cauliflower, peas and carrots in the pulao are a pleasant surprise.
It also complements the xacuti well. The gravy has well cooked chicken pieces with just the right tempering of spices, unlike the version we tried on our first visit. It could taste better if they didnu2019t use desiccated coconut, though. Things get better from here with the kalwa or oysters u2014 the perfect chakhna according to our friend. It is easy for beach shacks in Goa to cook them until it stretches like rubber. But this place gets it right. We mop up the plate quickly.
To end the day, we order bebinca, an Indo- Portuguese pudding ( R 100).
We ask the staff whether this is just a slice from one of the cartons you find at Mapusa market but he confirms that it is made in the kitchen. Itu2019s not a happy ending as the bebinca, is served hot, which should never be the case.
The layers are also tough to dig, and also sticky. We surely wonu2019t be ordering it on our next visit. But we know that there will be an encore simply because this place, irrespective of its limitations, feels like a mini vacation we didnu2019t know we needed.
AT Goan Spice, Zainab Manzil, Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya Marg, Tardeo.
TIME 12 pm to 4 pm; 7.30 pm to 12 am CALL 6364446444 SoBou2019s latest Goan joint confirms its place as a home away from the sunshine state for those craving authentic fare Goan goodness, once again REVISITED FOOD/ Flavourful AMBIANCE/ decent SERVICE/ Prompt COST/ Reasonable verdict / J JJ The Guide first reviewed Goan Spice in June 2019. We conduct select, anonymous follow- ups to assess maintenance of standards Chaturvedi Jaan Veg pulao Squid Goan chilli fry Chicken xacuti Kalwa rawa fry JJJJ Exceptional, JJJ Excellent, JJ very Good, J Good, Ave rage. Goan Spice didnu2019t know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals
