Lush green landscapes, serene beaches and the invigorating aroma of seafood – Goa is a haven for foodies. Bringing the authentic flavours of Goa straight to our city, The Lodhi, Delhi is calling all Goan food lovers for an exclusive pop-up ‘Gourmet Goan Gusto’ in collaboration with Cavatina, a contemporary restaurant in south Goa. The brainchild of Chef Avinash Martins, Cavatina showcases the region’s local cuisine rendered with a bit of European love for the modern palate. Chef Avinash Martins digs deep into the treasure trove of forgotten recipes from the Saraswat and Portuguese communities and presents them in a reimagined, farm-to-table format. An avant-garde spread of the same Goan feast awaits you at Elan in The Lodhi hotel and this is something not to be missed. It is on till July 23, 2022.

I was invited for a tasting of the special Goan feast and I couldn’t be any more excited. The 7-course meal encapsulating a variety of communities and food cultures of Goa was truly enchanting.
I started off with heady cocktails fueled with ‘jungle juice’ – a feni-based concoction and they gave the perfect ‘kick’ to my gastronomic journey. Coming to food, first I had Poder Poder Ponk Ponk, which is a Portuguese-style bread, now a staple of Goan cuisine. The freshly-baked bread filled with cheesy delights and paired with some striking chutneys, was heavenly.

Poder Poder Ponk Ponk

Next came in Betul Bisque – a beautifully plated amalgamation of prawns, mussels and clams, adorned with blue coral tulle. The prawns were delicately succulent and delicious. Soul Prawns dunked in kokum and coconut dressing was also good but could have been better with more robust flavours. If you like squid, you must try Squid Caldeirada with its flavours spot-on. 

Betul Bisque

I cleansed my palate with Aam Ras Puri, which refreshed and charged up my appetite for more. For the main course, I tried Patra De Goa – seabass tucked inside banana leaf, and paired with pumpkin cashew hash. It was a magical meal with a myriad of flavours oozing out in every bite. Duck lovers must go for Duck Cabidel – cleverly paired with corn khichdi and rich cabidel sauce. 

Patra de Goa

Que Serra Seradurra gave the perfect sweet finish to my meal. The melange of velvety vanilla creme and crunchy cashew chikki is phenomenal. The Goan fest at Elan is an immersive one as they place postcards with every meal explaining the dish, its origin and the cultural influence it has on the Goan food circuit. 

Do try it out before you miss it!

What: Gourmet Goan Gusto
Where: Elan, The Lodhi
When: Till July 23 (Lunch and Dinner)
Cost for the entire meal: INR 4000