Eat & Stay Goa - JUNE 2022 Edition

Eat & Stay Goa

THE TEMPTATION CAFE

Goa’s only 24 hour complete food shop

Cafe sanofe

Goa

A place for quick bites, shakes and beautiful memories!

edward’s yard Restaurant

A gastronomic paradise in the heart of Goa Velha

CAFE BOM GOSTO

The hottest place in Cuncolim for those with a “good taste”!

the goan kitchen

The perfect place to experience authentic Goan flavours

lia’ s sweet treats

A home bakery based at Mala in Panjim

Editorial

Therefore, it is imperative for the locals to buy and stock up before the rainy season. In many villages, the ‘Purumentachem Fest’ is celebrated, where locals from all over Goa gather with their produce to sell. One of the items to look out for is freshly dried fish, a highly sought-after item by the locals, as 'choice' local fish is hard to come by. Therefore, tourists and locals can be seen clamouring to get hold of some to stock up.

At this time, having local contacts helps, especially when it comes to stocking up on the two most important items on every Goan’s listUrak and Feni, the aphrodisiacal local brew, distilled from the cashew apple and widely available in Goa.

Urak is the first distillation and then comes Feni. While Urak is said to have cooling properties and is best during the hot summer months, its sibling Feni is known to be ‘heaty’ and therefore enjoyed when the weather starts to cool down a bit, especially during the monsoons. Urak and Feni are known for their medicinal properties, especially for loss of appetite, stomach pain and cold. Urak can be enjoyed as a shot, gulped down, or drunk in the form of a cocktail with soda, lemon, a dash of salt and a big slit green chilly. Feni on the other hand is stronger on the palate and is best enjoyed with a little Limca and soda. Beware of the hit while drinking, it’s sudden and hard.

So cheers everyone! Enjoy the ‘Purument’ and while you sip on that distilled cashew juice, enjoy reading our e-magazines or browse through our website ItsGoa.com. There is always something for everyone.

Jessyl Fernandez

Index

01 Cafe Sanofe Goa, Bambolim

02 Edward’s Yard Restaurant, Goa Velha

03 The Temptation 24x7 Cafe

04 Lia’s Sweet Treats, Panjim

05 The Goan Kitchen, Margao

06 Cafe Bom Gosto, Cuncolim

Introduction

Goa, the tiniest state on the western coast of India, boasts golden pristine beaches, palmfringed avenues, flavourful food, delicious Portuguese-influenced sweets, and warm, hospitable people. Also known as the Ibiza of India for its partying. A tropical paradise of flora and fauna, from the very famous 'almi' (mushrooms) endemic to its forests, that grow only on the red mud anthills, to the solar prawns that are fished immediately after the monsoons, Goa is unique. Tourists are also attracted to Goa for its cultural heritage - from the famous old Portuguese churches like Se Cathedral in Old Goa, the 16th Century Safa Masjid in Ponda and Shree Mangesha Temple in Mardol, the legendary Arvalem or Pandava Caves where the Pandavas of the Mahabharat fame lived, to its two unique festivals - Carnival and Shigmo. Goa plays host to many festivals

- the International Film Festival of India that promotes cinema, the Serendipity Art Festival, Sunburn Music Festival, The Grape Escapade to name a few. To showcase this varied heritage of culture, art, tradition, food, and people, in 2015 ItsGoa was born. The main aim was to make it the premier portal for all things Goa. We were able to showcase Goa like never before. Soon our blog-based website transcended the virtual space, with the ItsGoa magazine a sought-after resource for visitors to Goa from countries like Norway, Germany, UK, USA, UAE, etc. The Covid Pandemic in 2020 brought everything to a standstill and printing of the magazine was put on hold. Now that life is almost back to normal in Goa, and to maintain the covid norms, we have decided to launch our very own ItsGoa magazine online.

A little about our Magazine

Think of Goa! Think ItsGoa! Our magazine is known for its business listings of basically anything and everything found in Goa. We also produce uniquely written articles in regard to Goa. Some of these folk tales you quite literally will not find anywhere else on the net. These rich in content stories are passed down from generation to generation in the villages of golden Goa. We also provide up-to-date news and information on travel, food, and events that are taking place in this beautiful State of Goa. The content on ItsGoa is written by people who are passionate about calling this tiny state their home. Our writers come from all walks of life, and through our social media handles on Facebook or Instagram, we’re able to showcase Goa through many different lenses.

The ItsGoa magazine is a single point of reference for news, lifestyle, and culture in Goa.

The Covid-19 pandemic wrecked havoc all across the world when it first reached its peak in March 2020. Thousands of people in different parts of the world lost their jobs and many companies and enterprises closed down. This huge scarcity of jobs prompted many people all over the world, including Goa to start their own businesses. One of these many businesses that was born during the pandemic was Sanofe Cafe at Bambolim.

The cafe was founded in 2021 by Shania Fernandes, a young hospitality student who had just completed her BBA in Hospitality, Travel and Tourism in 2020. Fresh out of college and faced with a lack of job opportunities prompted Shania to turn her childhood passion of baking into a full fledged business.

In a brief chat with Its Goa, Shania shed more light on the journey of her cafe, the popular food items that it offers, her future plans and much more… .

Where is Sanofe Cafe located? Sanofe Cafe is located at Alto-Santa Cruz. It is just a short 15 minute walk from Goa Medical College, Bambolim.

Tell us a little bit about your cafe. When did it start, what kind of food items does it offer, etc. I actually started Sanofé in 2015 from home. I used to sell only cakes back then. We opened our cafe on 16th October 2021. The cafe now sells burgers, sandwiches, pastries, continental comfort food and a wide variety of beverages.

What prompted you to start this cafe? What did you have in mind when you decided to start the cafe?

As a hospitality student and home baker, my goal was to eventually have my own cafe someday. After perfecting my skills and polishing my knowledge, I started Sanofé Cafe. Also, my dad runs an IT firm called Equinox India enterprises which has been running for more than 22 years now. Despite having his own business, he always had a dream to get into the food industry and start his own food business because of his love and passion for cooking. He handles the cafe as well as his IT business simultaneously.

Give us a brief overview of all the members on the team at Sanofe Cafe. My team consists of 9 members, excluding my father and myself. My father oversees the hot kitchen while I manage the bakery.

What is Sanofe Cafe famous for? What makes you stand out from your competition? What are your USPs and strengths?

Sanofé Cafe is known for its burgers (we bake our own buns in-house), desserts, customised cakes, Eclairs and super soft doughnuts. We are our own competition and always believe in quality.

What segment of people comprise your major customers?

Doctors and students from Goa Medical College comprise a major chunk of our customers.

What are your most popular food offerings? Burgers, milkshakes and pastries.

Apart from snacks and drinks, what else does your cafe offer? Do you have events and live music at the cafe?

No, we don't host live events as the area of the cafe is currently a little small for the same.

What was the biggest challenge when starting this venture? And how did you overcome it? The two biggest challenges which I faced were opening the cafe during the Covid-19 pandemic and hiring well qualified staff.

However, since we opened during the peak tourist season in October, we managed to get off to a great start.

Hiring and finding suitable candidates was and still is a challenge, but thankfully I have the best team which we were able to find through word of mouth as well as social media.

Can you share a piece of nostalgia/story related to your cafe that nobody knows about? A little story behind the brand name “Sanofe” since many people ask about it. It was chosen by my father. It is simply a combination of my family initials along with “Fe”, which means faith in Portuguese.

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Shania Fernandes,

Founder of Cafe Sanofe Goa

What role have your family and friends played in running this cafe?

My family has played a very big role in my venture. My dad manages the continental food of the cafe. My mom handles the accounts and my sister serves as my premium goods supplier since she lives abroad! They motivate me every single day and push me forward, ensuring that the quality of the food and service is maintained consistently. My family members and friends have always stood by me and still do so till this very day. Without them, it would have been a rollercoaster ride that nobody could have ever thought of.

What was people's feedback like when the venture just started?

We’re just 7 months old and the cafe has been doing quite well so far. Mistakes were made initially and we learnt a lot from them. People love the ambience we provide. It's cozy and warm and perfect in the evening on our deck (open air seating).

What are your plans for the next few years? Do you plan to open more outlets in other parts of Goa?

The plan is to focus on only one outlet for now since quality is very important to us. We have plans on expanding with respect to area and seating and also adding some new dishes and variety on our current menu.

What thought would you like to leave our readers with?

“Drop by and get a feel of what the outdoor seating feels like with a cup of great coffee and a few eclairs or some scrumptious burgers with fries!”

In the quiet and serene village of Goa Velha lies a quaint and simple restaurant called Edward's Yard. It is a restaurant that offers you a relaxing dining experience in a setting designed to give you an authentic feel of Goa. It is located in a garden near Gauri Farms in a very tranquil and calm setting where you can relax and enjoy your dinner in a laid-back manner. Every dish on the menu is created keeping the various tastes of guests in mind. The restaurant specialises in Goan cuisine as well as Indian and Oriental cuisine.

The restaurant adheres to a very high standard of cleanliness and hygiene. They have an open kitchen for guests to see how and where their food is being prepared. The restaurant is open on all four sides, providing guests with the best dining experience possible.

In a brief chat with Its Goa, Mr. Mayur Dhond, the proprietor of this wonderful restaurant, shared a lot of details about Edward's Yard, the food that it offers, his future plans and lots more...

EXCERPTS

Tell us a little bit about your restaurant. When did it start, what kind of food items does it offer, etc.

We started in 2014 as a 38 seater restaurant and have slowly grown to a 120 seater restaurant. Although ours is a multi-cuisine restaurant, Goan food is at the centre of it all.

What prompted you to start Edward’s Yard? What was the idea behind starting this venture? Coming from a hospitality background, I have always dreamt of building something I can call my own. Edward’s Yard was born from a simple idea"Give guests a happy and satisfying dining experience which is affordable, without any compromise on quality or taste".

Give us a brief overview of all the members on the team at Edward’s Yard. We are a team of 34 people including myself, our managers, chefs and our service and kitchen staff. We made a conscious effort to ensure that our staff comprises mainly of locals. This is our way of

giving back to society and the locals who have loved and supported us from Day 1.

What is Edward’s Yard famous for? What makes you stand out from your competition? What are your USPs and strengths?

Edward’s Yard isn't just another ordinary restaurant. We simply do not provide good food. We provide a dining experience. When guests come to our restaurant, they not only eat good food, they make lasting memories with their families and loved ones. We understand how important these little outings can be for families. We ensure you get the best experience at a price that is affordable.

What are your most popular food offerings?

A few of our most popular dishes include Chonak reachado fry, Prawns dynamo, Squids 65, Cafreal chicken tikka, Crumb fried chicken, Butter chicken biryani and sizzling jalebi

Apart from food, what else does Edward’s Yard offer? Do you have events and live music performances at the restaurant?

We have refrained from having loud music at our restaurant. Sometimes, music can be a big disturbance and guests tend to get distracted and forget to have meaningful conversations. At Edward’s Yard, we provide a soothing ambience and encourage families to have conversations with each other. At our restaurant, you will hear loud conversations and laughs at every table. (Sounds better than any live musical performace TBH!)

What was the biggest challenge when starting this venture? And how did you overcome it? From Day 1, we have been blessed. Our staff that mainly comprises locals have a sense of belonging to the restaurant. They celebrate victories like it's their own restaurant and take hardships the same way. Our core team hasn't changed since inception and I'm happy to say we have been growing together as a family.

Can you share a piece of nostalgia/story related to your restaurant that nobody knows about? Edward was our former caretaker. Most of the

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Yard were planted by him. This little piece of paradise is a result of his hard work, dedication and love. Naming our restaurant after him is our way of honouring his memory. Also, the recheado and cafreal masala that we use here are made by his lovely wife who also happens to be our neighbour.

What role have your family and friends played in the success of this restaurant? Any quick incident you recall about overcoming a hurdle when planning this venture? People use the term "BACKYARD" too frequently nowadays to get the attention of guests but Edward’s Yard is actually in the backyard of our house. Hence, having family's involvement and support is an everyday thing. My dad is an agriculturist and loves taking care of the greenery around while my mum is the one who runs around in the kitchen, keeping everybody ( including me ) on their toes.

What was people's feedback like when the venture took off? And who stood by you the most?

It takes a village to run this place and my family has been an integral part. of it I have always received their support whenever needed and I

very special individuals. My uncle SANJAY SHETYE and our family friend SUSHANT TARI. I have always been able to turn to them for support, advice and courage whenever needed. Without their support, I don't think Edward’s Yard would have grown the way it has.

What are your plans for the next few years? Do you plan to open more outlets in other parts of Goa?

We believe in quality over quantity. For the next few years, our goal would be to focus on this restaurant and make improvements/changes here based on our experience and customer feedback to ensure our guests get the best possible experience every time they visit.

What thought would you like to leave our readers with?

“Expensive food doesn't necessarily have to be good, and good food doesn't necessarily have to be expensive”.

the Temptation Cafe

The Temptation Cafe

Goa’s only 24 hour complete food shop

The Temptation Cafe is a 24 hour complete food shop that caters to customers from different parts of Goa and also to tourists visiting from different parts of the world. The brand stands for three important values: quality, taste and the most economical prices. The cafe has outlets in Vasco Da Gama, Margao and Arpora.

A Family Enterprise

The cafe is a part of the Karma Group, a large family run business conglomerate that has been operating for the past 34 years in Goa. At the helm of affairs of the group are Karl and Maria Vaz. Maria is the proprietor of Karma Foods, a brand that boasts of authentic Goan masalas, made using local spices and wholesome ingredients. The entire family of three generations is dedicated and involved in the family run business. Their customers are more like family as they have been patronizing the cafe for over three decades now.

The cafe was started by Karl and Maria in 1988 when they were already taking care of different brands in their food business. Karl’s late father had been operating a full fledged bakery unit for over 5 decades. Therefore, Karl and Maria decided to set up the cafe using their family business and skill in the hospitality industry. Both of them decided to use a combination of their skills and came up with signature recipes that would cater to the requirements of The Temptation Cafe.

On the Menu

The cafe offers a wide variety of delicacies including freshly baked bread, cakes, cookies and desserts. Their sandwiches, rolls and burgers have stuffings and ingredients which are cooked in their authentic Karma brand masalas, thus bringing together for their customers, quality recipes with modernity and old world flavours. Some of the most popular items on their menu include Chicken Rolls, cheese cakes, ‘thick’ milk shakes, birthday cakes, cookies and desserts.

“The Temptation” Team

“We’re a family run business, so every person in the family is involved in more ways than one!”, says Nishika Vaz, who handles the marketing and branding for the cafe and the on-ground management of their Anjuna outlet. “From production, to developing recipes, quality control, marketing & sales, on-ground customer service, everything is managed in-house with the help of our entire team”, she says.

Apart from the core people involved, they have their staff who are the true backbone of their organisation. They work round the clock to ensure the brand truly stands for what it believes in, i.e. to serve customers fresh food, 24x7.

Round The Clock Availability and Freshness

The Temptation Cafe is known for its quality and freshness, besides being the only cafe in Goa which is open 24x7. All the delicacies prepared at the cafe are made available round the clock.

There are very few places in Goa that have over a 100 food products under one roof, the way The Temptation Cafe does. The cafe believes in providing good food at very affordable prices and constantly strives to live up to the vision of the brand. All three of their outlets in Goa - Vasco Da Gama, Margao and Arpora - are open 24 hours a day, all 7 days of the week! A major part of their customers comprise families and students.

Dedication, Balance and Customer Service

The biggest challenge which Karl and Maria faced while running The Temptation Cafe was that it required them to dedicate most of their time to the business. They had to also ensure that the business concept was accepted all those years back and there was a continuous balance between the concept, the production work at the bakery and the customer service at their flagship store in Vasco. Till date, both are actively involved in the well-being of the business and the brand.

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yourself at any time of the day or night with good quality food at the most affordable prices, so that everyone has access to tasty food”, says Nishika. “The goal of The Temptation Cafe is to make everyone feel welcome at all times of the day and have them enjoy our products round the clock.”

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building long lasting memories”, she adds

Lia’s Sweet Treats is a home based bakery located at Mala in Panjim. It was started in 2018 by Zelia Fernandes, a young 25-year old hotel management graduate from Panjim.

Zelia’s love for baking started when she was in kindergarten. During that time, her mother would bake a vanilla sponge cake for her birthday every year. Zelia would take a few slices of the cake in tiny party bags for her classmates at school. She was simply fascinated with the whole process of preparing a cake, and as she grew older, she started making cakes for all her friends' birthdays as a midnight surprise.

After completing her higher secondary education, Zelia joined the Goa College of Hospitality and Culinary Education in Dona Paula to do her graduate studies. While pursuing her degree, she interned as a trainee at Vivanta By Taj hotel in Panjim and Cidade De Goa hotel in Dona Paula.

In a brief conversation with Its Goa, Zelia gave us an insight into her life, her career as a baker, the journey of Lia’s Sweets Treats and lots more…

Excerpts

Tell us a little bit about Lia’s Sweet Treats. When did it start, what kind of food items does it offer, etc.

Lia’s Sweet Treats was started in 2018. At that point in time, I had no idea how big it would get, so I am glad that I took the risk. We offer a wide variety of of cakes, cupcakes, brownies, desserts, etc. We also cater to weddings and parties.

What prompted you to start Lia’s Sweet Treats ?

What was the idea behind starting this enterprise?

When I was pursuing my degree at the Goa College of Hospitality and Culinary Education, as part of the curriculum, I had to intern in a 5 star hotel. So, I interned as a trainee at Vivanta by Taj and Cidade De Goa as well. I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to work in the bakery at Vivanta by Taj. Being a trainee, you are given all the odd jobs to do, but I was lucky as the staff at the bakery was limited. Hence, I got a lot of good exposure and experience over there. The head

pastry chef had even offered me a job at Taj, but I couldn't take it as I had to get back to college and complete my degree. Working as an intern at Taj for 12-14 hours straight didn't motivate me enough to go back to the hotel industry. I thought of getting into the HR line, but every HR interview I went to just wasn't feeling right. So, I took the risk and decided to start taking orders for cakes and other pastries from home. This is when the journey of Lia’s Sweet Treats began. My aim was to give people exactly the kind of cakes and pastries they were looking for.

Give us a brief overview of all the members on the team at Lia’s Sweet Treats.

So far, it's just me! I'm the chef, the social media manager, and the delivery person. My dad and my partner play a huge role in helping me out whenever they can.

What is your home bakery famous for? What makes you stand out from your competition?

What are your USPs and strengths?

Honestly, there isn't one particular dessert as such. People love our Blueberry New York Cheesecake, Chocolate Rum Balls, Dutch Truffle Cake, etc. I would say our strength is that we try to cater to all clients who have a sweet tooth. Whether you need a novelty cake or a sugar free/ gluten free cake, we make it happen.

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What segment of people comprise your major customers?

We don't really have a particular market as such. We receive orders from different types of people.The youth, the elderly, families etc.

What are your most popular food offerings? I would say our Dutch Truffle Cake is one of our most popular offerings. I think this is because chocolate can never go wrong and it’s the most reasonable option too.

What was the biggest challenge that you faced when starting this venture?

I think the biggest challenge was having an order on one day and having nothing to do the next day. It would get very stressful as I didn't know if this brand would work in the long run. I'm glad I stuck to it though, as it has definitely borne its fruit.

Can you share a piece of nostalgia/story related to your restaurant that nobody knows about?

There are times when the cake doesn't turn out perfect and I have to fix it up. There was a time where a completely finished cake fell off my turntable and I had to work on it from scratch. That was a very stressful, yet funny incident.

What role have your family and friends played in running this venture?

Well, my friends and family were very supportive and happy to see me doing what I love. My dad helps me out almost everyday when it comes to picking up ingredients from town. My partner is of huge help when it comes to delivering cakes and working on large orders. We work together most of the time.

What was the feedback from people like when the venture just took off?

Surprisingly, everyone encouraged me and were very happy for me. I would hesitate to tell them that I'm a home baker because I thought they wouldn't think of it as a great profession. Well, clearly I was wrong about doubting myself.

What are your plans for the next few years? My ultimate goal is to start a café, but with the pandemic going on, it's a little risky to think

take its own course. “Do what you love, love what you do” is the quote I live by, and I believe that people should try to do the same.

The Goan Kitchen is a cafe located in Margao which specialises in traditional Goan food. It was founded in December 2020 by Crescy Baptista and Oliver Fernandes. Due to the pandemic, they initially operated from their main kitchen in Loutolim. After a year, in December 2021, they opened their takeaway store and cafe in Margao. The restaurant has a menu with over 200 dishes from Luso-Goan to Hindu Goan food, including several ‘almost forgotten’ dishes’.

In the words of Crescy and Oliver, “We have over 200 dishes with 300 plus options from snacks, mains, desserts, pickles and masalas - all traditional Goan recipes. These dishes are a part of our pre-order menu. Our take-away store and café features a daily-changing menu of a selection of snacks, desserts and mains. We make it a point to present almost forgotten dishes like dedos de dama, polle, coyloyo, mandos, etc. We serve beverages like orchata and xarope de brindão which are rarely seen today.”

Preserving and Presenting Under One Roof

Goa has a rich culinary heritage and played an important role in India’s culinary journey, owing to the Portuguese bringing many spices and fruits from around the world to Goa. Crescy and Oliver felt that this richness of Goa’s culinary heritage needed to have an address where it is preserved and presented, all under one roof. They wanted to showcase as large a range of Goan dishes that go beyond those which are commercially available like Xacuti, Vindalho and Cafreal.

The Team

Oliver is a hotel management graduate whose work and travel experiences have led him to where his heart is, while Crescy is an expert at dishing out the best Goan fare, having run a home catering enterprise for many years. Their kitchen team consists of ladies from Loutolim. “We believe that the best Goan food can be prepared by moms and hence we have just them in the kitchen”, says Oliver.

The duo of Crescy and Oliver have come to be known for their honest and true Goan flavours. Because of their versatility, they often get invited to prestigious events to showcase true Goan fare.

Standing Out Above the Rest in Uniqueness

Crescy and Oliver believe that their uniqueness lies in the purity of their mission to preserve and present Goa’s culinary jewels. This is seen in the vastness of their menu, the composition of their kitchen team and the hospitality offered at their cafe. “There isn’t a space anywhere that captures Goa on a plate like we do”, says Oliver.

The Goan Kitchen is patronised by all types of customers - locals, settlers as well as tourists. The dishes which are very popular with a majority of their customers include their special Bebinca, their Prawn Rissóis (which they prepare with the most flavourful ‘manos’ prawns) and their prawn empadinhas and pastéis. Their large selection of nostalgia-loaded mains and desserts are a delight with all. “Our tender coconut pudding and our rare Dedos de Dama are a clear winner in desserts. Our Bebinca and Orchata are most-ordered too”, says Oliver.

Curated Menus

Crescy and Oliver curate menus for home parties. This includes birthday celebrations, family reunions, and home dinners for Goan settlers who entertain friends and love to showcase true Goan fare.

“Our café in Margao offers quick snack and dessert options. We also have a plated meal concept where our guests can enjoy a home-style meal consisting of typical dishes like ukde (boiled) rice or a pulao along with 3-4 dishes and accompaniments like para (salt fish pickle) and fish molho. We also have a range of edible goodies on the shelves that serve well as gifts for a friend leaving Goa or as a tourist take-away”, says Oliver.

The best offering of The Goan Kitchen is their “Goan Lunch Experience” at their kitchen in Loutolim. This is an immersive 2 hour lunch experience where they take guests on a culinary extravaganza, talking about Goan history and culture related to food along with cook-alongs and a tasting menu of almost 20 dishes!

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Challenges and Future Plans

Apart from Covid which affected everyone, the biggest challenge that Crescy and Oliver faced when starting The Goan Kitchen was finding the right team. However, today, they have a team which believes in what they do and their larger purpose of “presenting Goan food for everyone and for the future.”

Crescy and Oliver hope to to take The Goan Kitchen as far and wide in some form or the other. They are conscious that ambition should not overrule quality and hence they have no fixed timelines. They aim to keep building a team that can help them expand from where they currently are.

Photograph:Syed Hussaini

“We hope that every Goan and those visiting Goa develop an interest to explore local fare, talk to locals about their culinary customs, visit farms and talk to local farmers. We see a lot of local produce no longer available and farmers not cultivating certain varieties as they are not commercially viable. We must begin to eat local and eat seasonal. This helps the local ecosystem and also promotes healthy eating”, says Oliver.

Oliver and Crescy at a food event

In March 2020, when the entire country went into a lockdown, many businesses all across India shut down their operations. Some of them even shut down permanently. However, in the beautiful village of Cuncolim, Rohan Goes, an award winning travel photographer, was brainstorming for ideas. He saw that due to the lockdown, there was a rise in demand for home cooked food. In that difficult time of adversity, Rohan saw a huge opportunity to start a food business. He decided to start a cafe and had a unique concept for it in mind. After a few weeks of discussions with his brother Milroy Goes (who is an award winning film director) and other members of his family, Rohan's dream project became a reality when Cafe Bom Gosto opened its doors to the public in April 2020.

In a brief chat with our staff writer Steve Antao, Milroy, the co-founder of Cafe Bom Gosto, provided a lot of insights into the concept of the cafe, its popular food offerings, its USP and much more… .

Excerpts

Where is your cafe located?

Our cafe is located in the heart of Cuncolim town at the MJ Residency building. It is very close to the Cuncolim KTC Bus Stand and is just a few metres away from NH 66.

Tell us a little bit about your cafe.

My brother Rohan came up with the idea of starting the café. I and Rohan designed the menu together. We had the taste of the food prior to opening the cafe. We made everything at home first, as a trial within the family. We started the cafe in April 2020. The idea was to serve food during the time of lockdown. The cafe is very much a family business. My sister prepares a majority of the food items that we serve at the cafe.

What prompted you to start Cafe Bom Gosto?

What was the idea behind starting this cafe? Bom Gosto means "good taste" in Portuguese. As lovers of the Portuguese language, we gave that name to our cafe. Rohan and I wanted to start a nice meet-up place in Cuncolim, offering free WiFi, a place to organize meetings, co-working,

with a mini-library, musical instruments and our own signature roast of coffee.

Give us a brief overview of all the members on the team at Cafe Bom Gosto.

The cafe was founded by Rohan and myself, with a lot of support from our family. Rohan oversees the major operations of the cafe (the menu, the concept) while I look after aspects like branding, designing, and marketing.

What is your cafe famous for? What makes you stand out from your competition? What are your USPs and strengths?

Our very own signature roast of coffee, our delicious burgers, a wide variety of sandwiches and our signature Brownies are a few things which makes Cafe Bom Gosto stand out from other cafes in Goa.

What segment of people comprise your major customers?

Tourists and locals who are currently working remotely in Goa prefer to work from our cafe. We also have a large number of college students who frequent our cafe quite often.

What are your most popular food offerings? Our most popular food offerings are our various types of coffees, mocktails, burgers, sandwiches, Orange Americano, Donuts, Brownies and Eclairs

Apart from food, what else does your cafe offer? Do you have events and live musical performances at the cafe?

We often organize meet-ups as a social event, usually curated by Sidhant Mehra from New Jersey. Every Friday, we have live music performed by a local band called "LINEUPS". Occasionally, we have "Open Mic" sessions organized by MC Celbert Dias.

What was the biggest challenge when starting this venture? And how did you overcome it? Marketing was the biggest challenge that we faced as our cafe is located a little inside and not openly facing the highway (although it is very close to the highway). Thankfully, the Google Reviews help in bringing us up on Google Suggestions.

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Can you share a piece of nostalgia/story related to your cafe that nobody knows about? We were under lockdown and all of us inside the four walls made us think outside the box. We summed up every aspect of the cafe (the concept of the café, the menu, etc.) within 3 days and we got the premises to start the cafe immediately. Also, the number 7 is our lucky number and coincidentally, our shop number is also 7. Also,we opened the cafe on the “7th” of April 2020.

What role did family or friends play? Any quick incident you recall that helped you overcome a hurdle when planning this venture?

It was Rohan and I who helped each other while starting this cafe. Every legal aspect related to starting the cafe was taken care of by my lawyer brother Adv. F.P. Goes. We also received a lot of moral support from our other brothers and sisters.

What was the response from the public like when the cafe just started off?

The locals were very supportive. They loved the concept of coffee, music, free WiFi, a mini-library and casual meetups. We got our business from the locals initially and now it's been picked up by tourists as well.

What are your plans for the next few years? Do you plan to open more outlets in other parts of Goa?

Yes, we do have a full fledged plan for anyone to buy our franchise concept. That's the way we want to extend support to our people to run a cafe business.

What thought would you like to leave our readers with?

If you dream of something, own it. But first, start by supporting a similar venture. In short, "do to others what you want them to do to you."

Cafe Bom Gosto

Address:

Shop No. 7, MJ Residency, “Voddy” Vaddo, Cuncolim, Goa - 403703

Google Business Page:

https://g.page/BomGostoGoa

Phone: 08149200177

Rohan Goes (on the left) and Milroy Goes (on the right), founders of Cafe Bom Gosto with actress Ester Noronha