Didn't get off to the most comfortable start - I took an overnight bus to Goa from Bangalore and Rohan had taken one from Mumbai, so we both landed there with aching backs. Tired and super hungry, we checked in, and ventured outside our hotel. Spotted "Fat Fish", and instantly knew that this place was going to host our first meal in Goa. Rohan, who has stayed in Goa for 4 years during his graduation days, was my local guide. He recommended "Prawn Recheado" as the ideal introduction to Goan cuisine (the word recheado means stuffed in Portuguese). Recheado masala is a red paste made primarily with red chillies and vinegar which is filled as stuffing in fish like pomfret and mackerel or used to make chilly fry or stir fry. The prawns were served with a side of potato wedges and salad (turns out these are the sides for virtually every dish in Goa ????) which balanced the flavour of the Recheado. We also tried Goa's very own alcohol- Feni (cashew variant) mixed with pineapple and mango juices respectively to overcome the pungent smell of Feni. Had Feni for the first time and O boy, loved it! Bonus: Feni is said to not cause hangovers! Yay!
Special appearance: We had Mr. A-CRAB-at perform some acrobatics for us while we waited for a table.
Were so tired at the end of the day, that we decided to order food from the hotel we were put up at. Called for a chicken club sandwich and hot chocolate. You can't go wrong with these two things and we hogged like kids. The kind of comfort food you need on a rainy night in Goa! ????
Started off the day with breakfast at the hotel we were staying. Didn't experiment much with the breakfast, went ahead with the classic egg white omlette, brown bread toast with butter and coffee! ???? The chef (we addressed her as aunty) was a warm lady who would take great care of the guests having breakfast.
This has to be the highlight of this trip. We've all heard what a brilliant place Thalassa is and about the marvellous sunset this place overlooks. But the scrumptious food just adds to the whole experience. Started with the Grilled Prawns Skewers and they were AMAZING! Their pizza options are limited, 2 to be precise. We went for the "Small Greek Chicken Pizza". After running over the menu over 20 minutes (because we couldn't decide which meat we wanted to have), we ordered Pork Chops for the main course. If you like pork, this preparation will blow your mind! For drinks we tried their signature cocktails. I went for "Santorini Sunrise" which is a gin based cocktail and Rohan tried the "Beer Martini". Santorini Sunrise is a nice drink reminiscent of the ubiquitous Tequila Sunrise, but the Beer Martini stole the show. Such a stunning drink, that even someone like me who isn't a beer person loved it.
Goa gaye aur Baga Beach ke shacks pe nahi gaye? Toh tum kya Goa gaye?
Translation: No Goa trip is complete without going to the shacks on Baga Beach.
Did the usual beer and hookah routine along the beach side. French fries- the best "chakna" in the history of mankind. Joined in the vibe of the place and bought some neon glow in the dark bands. This is one experience everyone who goes to Goa for the first time shouldn't miss.
Sometimes the best of things happen by chance. So was the case with this place. We moved to another hotel near Anjuna beach and needed WiFi to get some office work done. The hotel WiFi isn't functioning so we hop onto our bikes and go looking for a cafe with WiFi. The idea was to have a cup of coffee, get the work done and make a move. We came across "Churrasco Do Patrao & Nata Cafe" which is "Nata Cafe" by day and "Churrasco Do Patrao Cafe" by night. Decided to stop by. The host was an uber cool English lady who befriended us within no time. She helped us with the ordering and got chatty. The cafe has a lush green seating area. We called for cold coffee and a Portuguese dessert which the host recommended. It went very well with the cold coffee. Then we called for BLT and Pesto Chicken "Papo Secos" which means "Portuguese Buns". The sandwiches were top notch. We had a furry friend visiting us while we worked and gorged on the sandwiches. Ended the meal with Banana Nutella Crepes and we were two happy souls!
Stopped by for the live bands which perform here. Had a regular set of cocktails and some basic finger food - french fries and chicken popcorn. The live music was mind-blowing. I happened to be at this place with two musically inclined bois and clearly I was third wheeling there with those two bonding over the music. The place was too dark and the band was amazing hence, no food pictures; but, this place did deserve a mention here.
"OYO 14197 Curlies Zulu Land Cottage" - the property is located RIGHT next to Curlies, but the service is disappointing. We didn't breakfast on either of the two days we were put up here owing to the "kitchen problems" this place was facing despite our tariff including free breakfast. Swiggy came to our rescue. Ordered croissants, scotch eggs and cappuccinos from "Uncle Sam's". After a good 50 minutes we received our order. Wasn't the best kind of breakfast, but it was decent and helped us enjoy a proper breakfast outside our cottage early in the morning.
Our quest for good breakfast finally came to an end at "Artjuna". This place is a paradise for vegetarians, vegans, health freaks and anyone looking for a good breakfast place in Goa. Everything on the menu screams healthy. The vibe of the place is relaxed with soft music playing in the background. We called for the "Healthy Breakfast Platter", which was good enough to feed two people like me and Rohan. Comes with fruit salad, yoghurt and granola (with toasted almonds! ????), egg of your choice, brown bread toast, butter, jam and three homemade spreads- hummus, avocado and labane, glass of fresh fruit juice (pineapple/watermelon) and a tea/coffee. This was one hell of a breakfast. Would certainly go visit this place next time I'm in Goa.
Bonus: This place has an "Artjuna Market" wherein they sell exquisite jewellery, sundresses, artifacts etc. It's a steal, all you girls! ????
Attended Aditi Mittal's show in Caculo Mall and stopped by Terminal Lounge to grab a quick bite. Beer, watermelon cooler ( vodka based cocktail), chicken poa, rawa prawns and a little "aawwww"some bromance completed the outing.
Everything fun comes to an end. This was my last day in Goa. Dropped off Rohan at the airport and headed to Panjim to kill time before I catch my bus at 6pm. Our boi as always came up with the best of suggestions - "The Black Sheep Bistro". On a Sunday afternoon I enter this place and it's fully packed. I manage to get a seat by the bar. The staff was friendly and it was easy to pass time all by myself. I called for "Coffee Martini" and "Crispy Prawns" followed by " Mushroom Paté". The mushroom paté was quite a refreshing twist to the mushrooms and served with my favourite "poi" ( Goan bread). The staff was making sure I was having good time and would come check on me. They recommended
1) "Peanut Crusted Seasonal Fish": Not exaggerating but this was the best fish preparation I've ever had. Highly recommended to anyone visiting this place.
2) "Thyme to Drink" (Gin, Thyme, Chilli Infused Vodka, Cucumber, Lime). Such a refreshing drink with flavours that'll confuse your taste buds and leave you wanting more.
At the end they helped me get a cab to the bus station. Great hospitality.
