This week, I went for an impromptu dinner with friends and set out for a destination, which took me on a gastronomic pilgrimage across the Konkan Coast. Konkan Cafe, one of the few unpretentious five star restaurants, nestled in the ground floor corner is the Taj Vivanta’s (President) tribute to the coconut-rich cuisine of the areas that stretches between Mumbai, Goa, Mangalore and Karnataka.
Fashioned after a seaside bungalow on India’s palm-fringed Southwest coast, you get the feeling that you’ve walked into the kitchen of a local house somewhere along the coast as soon as you enter. Konkan Cafe is a refreshing delight as far as ambience is concerned. The warm, muted colours, home style decor, banana leafed thalis and the ambitious menu given the vast areas it attempts to cover sets our mood for a Konkanese trip.
The complimentary entrees, which were a basket of mixed papads that were perfectly fried, non oily with the right degree of ‘crunch’ factor and the red and green chutneys that accompany it are simply wonderful. The one thing that you have to start your meal here with is with a traditional pre-dinner tumbler of sol kadhi, a milky blend of kokum fruit and coconut. I downed an easy two glasses (till the last drop. It is too delicious to waste or share) along with my meal. The cuisine is, overall, a mix of all that the lush coast has to offer. The classics include meen polichathu — ravas fillets cooked in a tangy tomato sauce and baked in plantain leaves. The pomfret cooked in a concoction of Goan feni and coconut milk. Pepper Garlic Prawns that come doused in garlic and pepper, Mangalorean style Chicken Curry and the Spicy Shrimp Gassi, Neer Dosa and the chicken, which is fried crisp with chunks of shredded coconut and fresh coriander (all fabulous). This place is also held in high regards for their melt-in-your-mouth appams, which go perfectly well with any of their main course dishes and especially the stew. BTW, the appams are steamed in the front and brought to the table in bamboo steamers separated by layers of banana leaves.
If you can’t quite make up your mind what to order, and would love to taste all that there is on the menu, your best option would be the veg/non-veg thali, which allows you to sample a little of everything. For the vegetarians too, there is plenty to choose from. There’s dali thoy (seasoned daal), airawat made with jaggery and dates and gajbajeor mixed vegetables with coconut masala. There is also Basale Gassi, Brinjal, Taute Puli Minchi, Potato Chop, Mixed Usal. They also have season special menus and their fares continue to enthral their patrons all through the year.
Verdict: Overall, the food was excellent, to speak of the least! What I liked best about the place was the courteousness of the staff. Konkan Cafe has the hallmark of Taj hospitality — polite and cheerful staff, gorgeous ambience and wonderful service. All the dishes were flavoursome and had a home cooked wholesomeness about it. All in all, a very leisurely meal amidst a great ambience and the food can only be described in one word — divine!
Asin an actor and foodie.
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