COVER STORY

C O V E R S T O R Y

GOA THE NEW FOOD DESTINATION IN INDIA

B y A d i t i M a l h o t r a S t o c k I m a g e s

Image Credits - Pixabay

Goa has always been recognised as a major tourism destination in the country and is now fast steading towards becoming the new food destination in India as well. The past couple of years has seen the entry of many big brands from all over the country setting up their food outlets in this tiny beautiful beach state thus putting it on the culinary map like never before.

Fortunately, even when the entire country was under a lockdown with restricted travel, Goa was considered safe and many people found Goa as a home, while many came to work from Goa thus boosting the tourism business. With the domestic travellers, as well as the settlers, always looking for new places to explore, Goa served as an opportunity for many restaurant brands. Many familiar food chains made Goa their new home and were welcomed with open arms. Global cuisine restaurants in particular saw a surge. From Japanese to Mexican, Pan Asian, and Arabic, many different and unique cuisines have now found a customer base in Goa. This probably would have been difficult to imagine 4 years ago. And not just dine-in restaurants, even cloud kitchens mushroomed

Image Credits - Pablo Meza

Image Credits - Shivansh Singh

in a big way during covid. 3 years ago, there were hardly any food delivery services available, 1-2 restaurants here and there were the only ones using their own manpower used to home deliver food, but today apps like Swiggy and Zomato have no dearth of restaurants offering their services to the comfort of people ’ s homes. Some prominent brands like Bo-Tai, Mama Miso, Mamagoto, Starbucks, Lord of the Drinks, Izumi, Saz on the Beach, Kofuku, BLUE IRIS in Benaulim etc. has recently opened up their food outlets in Goa and have gotten a fantastic response, while there are some big brands which are there in Goa for almost a decade such as Fisherman ’ s wharf, Martins Corner, That has given the reason for many new brands to enter this tiny state of Goa.

“Over the past few years, the spotlight has shone on Goa and its cultural diversity. Successful restaurant chains and big culinary brands emerging in the state have sought to use local ingredients to their advantage, although with a Portuguese touch, to diversely curate popular cuisine specialities that are in high demand amongst not just the locals, but travellers and tourists from all across the globe, ” said Ranjeet Pandey, Director Food Production at Holiday Inn Goa. “Tourists who once preferred specialities of their regions or countries back home, are now curiously invested in tasting the rich and exclusive flavours of Goa, while our locals fantasize a distinguish palatable taste from the yesteryears, to try something different with a tint of authentic Goan flavour. As an emerging culinary destination, we not just have our local Goan cuisine speciality restaurants, but also, Indian, Continental, Chinese, and a mix of all as well, ” he adds. “Here, at The Fisherman ’ s Wharf, with sheer determination, our Chefs strive to curate varied platters, to cater to the tastebuds of each and every diner. We flow with the trends and attempt to stay atop, with our upgraded and ever-so-efficient technology and skills; of course, with empathy towards what our customers need and want, with complete attention to their tastes and preferences, through feedback and reviews. Our services and hospitality towards our guests are what fascinates them and get them back wanting more and more.

“Goa is the new food capital of India. The restaurant, bar, and bistro scene in Goa is just amazing. The quality, style and level of F&B offerings are just outstanding. We have also been part of this revolution with our own Pan Asian offering called “Mama Miso ” which is now one of the premium dining places in South Goa, ” says Guitry Velho, the Vice President of Heritage Village Resort & Spa, Goa.

Having founded Massive Restaurants, which includes Farzi Café, Pa Pa Ya, Masala Library and Made in Punjab chains, Zorawar Kalra is a household name when it comes to the restaurant business. Bo-Tai Goa, that opened last December in collaboration with entrepreneur Aman Anand, is Kalra ’ s 37th eatery and he has understood the pulse of people that visit the fancy lanes of Ozran for good times. With a chic ambience and delectable menu, Bo-Tai Goa has been loved by tourists and locals alike. “Goa has always had some great food with more single or family-run businesses over the years, the changing phase is drastic with more than 30 new brands entering the market, the must-do lists have increased dramatically and every big owner believes they need their presence in Goa. Along with the food space, the nightlife space has also grown tremendously, this does lead to a huge employment increase as well. I personally still prefer some of the brands that have done time like A Reverie, Calamari, sublime, Bomras, house of Loyd’ s and a host of others. The last two months alone show more than 6 new entrants like Mystras, Hosa, Assa house, moshi moshi, SOPO, slow tide and a few more. I wish everyone all the best : ))” , says Aman Anand, Director Kickstart Ent / INCA “Over the past 4 years, Goa ’ s food scene has grown exponentially. With its secret locally grown gins to Gin bars, local favourites to specialised bakeries, vegan cafes to tapas bars, Goa is attracting culinary entrepreneurs, chefs and diners from across the country, ” Vishal Khosla, GM Azaya Beach Resort in Benaulim “The reason / common factor for any food capitals is they attract both – Leisure & Business travellers. Also attracts the HNI’ s & millennials – As they are open to experimentation. They are keen to try new cuisines and are willing to pay a price for their gourmet experience. Goa is also offering quirky food trucks serving up local favourites. Assagao and Chapora are becoming dense flavour-explosive destinations. Co-working spaces with inspired café food in North Goa are also becoming popular ” , he adds.

Many global cuisines are now finding a prominent place on the shores of Goa. Japanese and Pan Asian cuisine for instance has shown a lot of growth and popularity in the past 2 years with names like Mamagoto, Mamamiso, Izumi, Sake, Kofuku etc. finding a place on Goa ’ s restaurant scene. “Goa is already a culinary destination as it’ s a global spot and a preferred place for chefs and restaurateurs to showcase their talent and concepts. Paired with its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty it’ s a great environment to do business in and be part of the incredible local community. It’ s for similar reasons that

we also chose to open our brands in Goa.

” , says Rahul Khanna, Azure Hospitality (Mamagoto and Sly Granny) Voicing the same sentiment, Aman Kumar, Director Strawberry Moon Hospitality (Tera Vita), says, “Goa is one of the most adaptive markets when it comes to FnB. Being a city where multiple cultures are entwined it is a market we felt worked best with our brands. Goa is a new culinary destination. It is a place where multiple cuisines, traditions, and culinary techniques have a platform to showcase and get widely accepted. ” “We were running a successful luxury rental villa, Villa In Palms by V Escapes, so when we decided to expand our presence it was natural that Goa was our first choice. There is a certain authenticity here that keeps us attached and honestly, a soft corner for this beautiful place. We hoped to bring our vision to this melting pot of people, food and culture. Goa was always the culinary destination of India. Earlier it was run by independent Europeans catering to tourists and today by locals and Indians catering to its own people ” , shares, Gunjan Bakshi - COO, Vedro & Village 36. “The whole Food and Beverage pattern has completely changed in Goa. These days people just don 't come to party or dance the night away, but food and drinks are given equal importance. Bigger brands coming into Goa are giving the authentic factor of various cuisines from across India & the World and are also giving wide options of exquisite drinks curated by top mixologists ” , feels Rohan Reddy, partner Lord of the Drinks Goa. Many feel that social media and influencer marketing also is playing a big role in putting

Goa on the culinary map. In cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore, the role of influencer marketing and extensive social media have always played a big role in making a restaurant popular. With the brands coming in from these cities, they have brought in the same approach in Goa too and thus today we see many bloggers, influencers and other community pages on social media suggesting the names of these restaurants as part of the Goa to do. Many feel that social media and influencer marketing also is playing a big role in putting Goa on the culinary map. In cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore, the role of influencer marketing and extensive social media have always played a big role in making a restaurant popular. With the brands coming in from these cities, they have brought in the same approach in Goa too and thus today we see many bloggers, influencers and other community pages on social media suggesting the names of these restaurants as part of the Goa to do. “Food has become the primary focus in Goa. Tourists have a bucket list even before they plan a visit and with marketing and social media taking a front seat restaurants like ours can always put across new offerings for people to see and benefit from. Garnering popularit amongst locals too, we are happily open till 5 am now ” , shares Prince Chadha, Owner, of Barcode Goi - Mapusa “As someone rightly said, "Food may be essential as fuel for the body, but good food is fuel for the soul’! The food and beverage sector has evolved over the years and now is the time to embrace this change and for hotels to realize its importance. Food is no longer a mere necessity but a source of

pleasure. A high-quality dining experience can enhance the overall guests ' experience while travelling on a business or leisure trip. If done right, the food and beverage offerings of a hotel can become an important source of recognition, guest satisfaction, and overall revenue for the hotel. F&B experiences can prove to be the biggest “ memory makers ” for someone travelling away from home and the hotels in Goa are realizing this. With new emerging trends, a lot of attention is being given to the food and beverage concepts within a hotel to elevate the overall guest experience and retain guests within the hotel. Existing outlets are being renovated; new concept-based outlets are being opened and dining is being made more affordable and comparable to non-hotel restaurants, ” says Suveer Sodhi, General Manager Alila Diwa

Goa. “Our newly upgraded Edge is one such example. With a Tropical Bar & Kitchen, Edge is designed as a space that makes you forget that you are in a five-star hotel while still maintaining the high quality and service that one expects from a five-star luxury resort. The design concept is by The Busride, for the bar concept we have roped in well-known consultants, Arijit Bose and Pankaj Balachandran of Countertop and the food concept curated by our expert team of Chefs is a celebration of senses with a unique blend of flavours, aromas, and design that offers an array of experiences in a one-of-a-kind destination. It is created as a bright, welcoming space and consciously positioned and priced like a stand-alone with its own unique identity. With the right pricing strategy, we have attempted to break the barrier that one may have about dining in a five-star hotel. With a welcoming, exciting, innovative, and passionate personality, we are all set to make Edge - Tropical Bar & Kitchen the most soughtafter venue for lunch and sundowners in Goa.