Wednesday, January 23, 2008

A taste of Portugal

Post drinks at Ernesto's. head out to 31st January Road, behind the District Court, close to the Goa Tourism Complex. Hospedaria Venite has wooden balconies and quaint tables for two in each one, and it is THE most romantic restaurant in Panjim. The interiors are made up of wood, and the candles against the lantern lights make for a pretty dining experience. In the inner room, there’s graffiti on the walls right from the year 1974. If you look closely, you can find something I wrote. If you do, please inform me because I was drunk and I don’t remember where I wrote!
At Venite, order some wine, and have some of the wonderful Portuguese fare they have on offer. It is one of Goa’s few authentic Portuguese restaurants. They also have one of the best wine selections (outside of five stars, of course), not to mention fresh feni. You can enjoy a roast chicken, or a steak. They also have wonderful pan fried sea food – again, ask the waiter for his recommendations. Venite has some vegetarian fare as well, though to review that I think I’ll have to make a trip there again.
Unfortunately I’ve never had a romantic dinner at Venite, but a girl can still hope. Till then, I can only wish, and go back to Venite for the wine, the food and my lost graffiti.
Tip: Except for the Christmas-New Year period, Venite is closed on Sundays, as I found out day before yesterday.

1 comment:

lmfan94 said...

I really like the enthusiasm your blog exhibits. Though I really wish sometimes it was a little more grounded and specific. In this piece you have dished up an excellent soup of pronouns by mixing up Portugal and the Goan Catholic. I mean a simple Google search will tell you that stuff like curry,ambotik, cafreal, vindalho etc is something completely alien to the Portuguese. Masala which is the base of all Indian cooking including Goan is eons apart from the stock and cream Portuguese fare. FYI Masala is completely absent in all forms of Portuguese and European cuisine.
To read stuff like Venite is an "authentic" Portuguese experience is painful to ones senses, especially since most of the food is there is just your good old Catholic Goan fare. This food which by all means is Portuguese influenced but is by no means an "authentic" Portuguese experience.. Surely Venite tries to sell stuff like "Portuguese style fish" but it is just as authentic as an Italian based designer selling you his Indian Influenced clothes as the "authentic" thing. Sorry to be hard on you but I just think you can do so much better just probing below the surface- albeit a little. Keep going and I really commend you on this front of cultural production that Indians take so lightly.