The Goan Kitchen - Margao.

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!

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.

“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.