Dee’s Guide to Goa ;)

Goa is a place to enjoy the sands and the sea… the freedom to be and some truly inspired cooking.

If you’re picking up canned Goan food to take home you’d want to visit the Costa’s store in Panaji for the largest variety of Goan treats…from the famous Goan Sausages, Goan delicacies of Bebinca, Doldol, Frankfurters, Corned beef… or any of the fantastic foods in their range!! We’ve feasted on Costa’s for years now… and only just discovered more about this brand.

 

King’s Beer: A local produce of Goa, interestingly owned by former poltician Monte Cruz. If you don’t get your hand’s on a bottle of King’s beer… your Goa dream won’t feel complete . Interestingly, it’s also among the top 5 Indian beers This time however, local sources tell us … that Kingfisher Draught and Tuborg are the brands flying off the shelves of Goa  

George’s Bar and Restaurant at the Church Square in Panaji is the place to sample your first taste of Goan cuisine. My favourites, well, the Tongue Roast, Beef Chilly Fry, Beef Roast, Rawa Fry King Fish and the Chicken Xacuti. If I were to choose my top favourite, it will be the Chicken Xacuti for the fact it’s nice and spicy and just super perfect with plain rice. Another should try at the restaurant is their Goan Sausage Pulao which is a top favourite in my sister’s list of things to eat at George’s.

LLoyd’s Restaurant

Oh! the food at Lloyd’s is divine… When were in Goa last year and were recommended this restaurant by Anthony… the K.J. ( Karaoke Jockey). Our first bill at Lloyd’s came to us as a surprise… since they claim to change their menu’s each day and so haven’t spent much on a menu card This year… Since he didn’t quite recognise us… we got the repeat performance of the dialogue of last year… Only to realise a couple of minutes later… to our surprise… that each of the dishes he mentioned last year were the same… Ha ha

So here’s what we recommend: Pork Chops, they’re super awesome… 2 years in a row… well… they’ve made me smile. The Sorpotel too is brilliant… I guess more so because it’s the closest to the fantastic sorpotel my mother makes.

The Grilled King fish can be given a miss The beef chilly fry on the day we went had a stench and the three people who did eat it called it couchy and landed up with a day of running faster to the loo than they could possibly have… a wasted day in Goa.

If you’re travelling to Goa for the first time on your own and are looking for someone to drive you around and double up as  your tour guide and food guide… I’m passing on a number that could make all the difference… I’ve kinda forgotten his name, since I saved his number on my phone as GoaAuto. I met him on one of my long walks… and was impressed by his hospitable tone and ever helpful ways…  you can reach him on +919850678453. He has an auto as well as a van… and a super understanding of Goa. He’s been living in Goa for the last 30 years and will give you some truly interesting gyan on getting around Goa. He’s the reason why I was able to find the Grand Finale food destination in Goa. The only question we asked… “We’d like to eat at a small restaurant which serves the most authentic Goan cuisine and more importantly it needs to be a rustic place with a view”

Star Bar and Restaurant Panaji-Old Goa road, Sao Pedro, Old Goa, Goa –403402. Landmark: Near Mandovi River…. a beautiful view and awesome food… we’d recommend this to almost anyone who’d want to dine with a view. We’re told that this restaurant is 15 years old and is visited by the Goan’s themselves for a simply tastelicious treat of fresh fish preparations. They have a jetty as well and take their boat out in the morning haul in the fish they serve at this restaurant, the menu is limited and yet each dish will make you want MORE!!! A must visit for the foodie for sure  

The other must try food in Goa would definitely be  the White Snapper, locally known as Chonak… I’m wishing I’d taken a picture… fantastic for all of you who DON’T like fish bones getting the way of enjoying your fish.  Bombil Fry which is another delicacy in Goa and yes I’ve managed to get you an online picture so you will know what it looks like… for most people… Bombay Duck is the dry version of it, that has the fishiest odour ever the freshly friend version is far tastier

I hope I’ve been able to give you a reason to go food crazy in Goa… I know I did

An Open Letter: Thank you for breaking my heart :)

I really want to THANK YOU for the joy you've unknowingly given me... I guess I didn't realise the power of this trip till I finally took the decision to take the flight to GOA. The joy I've felt since I reached the city is phenomenal... last year I came here and my Professional life took a turn for the best. This year I knew it was to be a year of PERSONAL breakthrough and so, it is proving to be.

God knows what's best... I believe that more now than ever... it broke my heart to see our plan go down in sinking sand. It hurt so bad when I first felt it... I was horrified at the way I felt... Yet it presented itself as an opportunity to back off with my dignity intact. Loving you is my LEARNING and in ACCEPTING the LESSON... my release. The discovery is that my attachment to you really has more to do with LEARNING than loving and in accepting that I've released all the bad feelings. Maybe, the only reason God introduced you into my life was to help me understand myself better and learn to love being my own person.

I have never doubted you love me... just that maybe... we're both looking for a very specific type of relationship and both of us are very SURE of what we want... we've changed stances over and over again to accommodate each other. I can vouch for the many changes I've seen through the 2 and a half years of knowing you and I really do appreciate all the changes you've made to TRY and adjust to us being together :) As we continue to evolve personally so do our relationships with each other and with God, in whom we both TRUST, far more than we know it ;)

I know God puts us through these phases to teach us something new... each time a new lesson appears!!! It is beautiful to see how magnificent God's love is in our lives...HIS PURPOSE is reflected through the FIRST EXPERIENCES of our relationship. You are a bouquet of firsts for me and I am truly grateful for ALL THE GOOD and the NOT SO GOOD that have come from our knowing each other. I know there's lot more to come... God's using us in each other's lives to REFINE us into GOLD... Our ACCEPTING this will make the hills and valleys an adventure!!!

I truly wish we could've used this GOA time to REDEFINE our KNOWING... Yet, God seemed to have different plans... I wish I knew them... falling off the HAPPINESS of BEING with you DREAM has landed me in the lap of God's plan for my life... and it's making me SMILE... for I know that HIS plans are always better than our plans.

Please forgive me if I reacted immediately to you breaking my heart... it took a while to ALLOW GOD to pick up the pieces with me and enable able to see you through his love for me more than always wanting to see me through your love for me!!!

Have yourself a MERRY CHRISTMAS and blessed 2011

I love you... for you're Jesus' gift of LEARNING to ME!!!