Food Review: Why you should visit this new café in Goa’s Fontainhas if you want to eat clean on a holiday

This writer first met wellness chef and food consultant Moina Oberoi at a preview of a nowshuttered fitness food cafe in Bandra six years ago We felt Oberoi who is a fermented food specialist was the perfect ambassador for the food she curatesmdashher glowing skin being a great example of one of the many things good gut food can do for you Oberoi also started Morsquos Kefir shut during the pandemic a superfood brand that specialised in kefir milk and was in fact nominated by this newspaper for the 2019 edition of The Guide Restaurant AwardsAlmond orange upsidedown cakeFast forward to the postpandemic era Oberoi has packed her bags here and opened a cosy cafeacute in the pictureperfect area of Fontainhas in Goa Called Morsquos CafeteriamdashMo means lsquoandrsquo in Japanesemdashthe food at this simpleyetbeautiful cafeacute is inspired by Goan dishes with a sprinkle of Japanese elements Itrsquos hidden in a good way in the locality known for its colourful heritage buildings and newage cafeacutes and boutiquesmdashyoursquoll be tempted to walk around and take a few photos before you get welcomed by the aroma of fresh coffee at Morsquos They also have guiltfree desserts to go with your coffee or you can choose from their many small plates filling salads or sandwiches Therersquos an alfresco section but we choose to sit indoors to avoid the intermittent rainSoba Noodle saladThe rainy outdoors calls for a coffee start and we order a Vietnamese cold brew Rs 280 and a coconut guava smoothie Rs 280 Both pair refreshingly well with our appetisers prawn balchao raw banana chops Rs 240 and wasabi peas croquette Rs 220 The dishes are served with their tasty inhouse ketchup and Japanese cabbage salad Raw bananas overpower the flavour of prawns but make for a healthier nongreasy alternative to potatoes The croquettes are great as a snack perfectly crisp from the outside But this writer finds the combination of wasabi and peas a bit underwhelming having eaten so many lsquohara bhara kebabsrsquo in our life The food feels light and will easily goad you to order more like our next sampling of Goan chorizo and pork pate Rs 290 Served with poee bread salad and gherkins the pate shows how Oberoi is an expert at making local dishes modern and light What feels like a big portion for a small plate is quickly wiped off even by our notsoregularporkeating friendsChicken xacuti saladThere is a tempting sandwich section too from which we call for grilled cheese Rs 290 albeit a healthier version that comes wrapped in katra pao has rocket leaves caramelised leeks and loads of cheddar and feta If you arenrsquot a fan of mustard just ask the chef to go easy with it in this sandwichNext up is spicy mushroom and soba noodle salad Rs 320 and chicken xacuti salad Rs 350 The xacuti has generous portions of perfectly grilled mildly flavoured chicken pieces on a bed of mixed lettuce cherry tomatoes poee croutons and almond flakes with some extra sauce on the side The soba one is a fibrerich veg salad with red cabbage carrots spring onion peanuts sesame seeds and a peanut rayu dressing Several dishes down we still have room for their glutenfree desserts The banana cake square Rs 250 with cream cheese icing melts in the mouth and just one square will not be enough The almond orange upsidedown cake Rs 250 is equally divine with strong hints of cinnamon And the Belgian chocolate tahini rice cracker doughnut Rs 140 is a godly marriage between a snack and a dessert Though pricey the desserts make for guiltfree indulgences The staff deserves a special mention as we end up sitting at the cafeacute beyond their open hours and arenrsquot rushedMorsquos offers Goainspired food made with local and Japanese ingredients the al fresco section has a great vibeWith its great coffee and cakes section a tempting list of sandwiches and filling salads we will surely take a trip to Fontainhas again when the rains go away and sunlight pours in Morsquos Cafeteriarsquos al fresco sectionWhat Morsquos Cafeteria Rua Miguel Vicent Abreu Panaji GoaWHEN 8 AM to 8 PMCALL 8073926254Rating goodMorsquos didnrsquot know we were there Sunday midday reviews anonymously and pays for meals