Segundo Bairro: Authentic Goan Flavors at Their Best!

The beautiful state of Goa is home to a number of restaurants and shacks that offer a variety of cuisines including Indian, Chinese, Thai, and Continental cuisine. Thousands of tourists who flock to Goa every year are seen at one of these many restaurants, enjoying a nice lunch or dinner with their family and friends. However, there are many tourists who look for places where they can get a taste of authentic Goan flavours.

Thankfully, there are many restaurants all across the length and breadth of Goa that specialise in authentic Goan food. One among these many Goan restaurants is the newly opened Segundo Bairro Bar and Restaurant at Santa Cruz.

In a brief chat with Its Goa, Carmo Barretto, proprietor of Segundo Bairro, gave us an insight into the journey of the restaurant, its most popular dishes, its special offerings, his future plans for the restaurant and much more…

Where is Segundo Bairro located?

Segundo Bairro Bar and Restaurant is located at Santa Cruz near Don Fator.

What does Segundo Bairro mean?

“Segundo Bairro” means second neighbourhood in Portuguese and I want the restaurant to become a second home for its esteemed patrons.

Tell us a little about the origin of the restaurant. What was it like in the start, the idea, the concept, the thought process. I always wanted to start my own business, that is, running a small F&B operation. Having quit my job during the pandemic created the perfect opportunity for me to chase my dreams. On my path to fulfil my dream, I had to find the perfect location and I came across a nice spot centrally located between Bambolim, Taleigao and Panjim which was readily available. The place had everything that I was looking for and suited all the requirements that I needed to start my restaurant. All this being said, my dream became a reality on 1st January 2022, when the quaint, Goan at heart, village restaurant and community bar opened its doors for business.

What is your restaurant famous for?

We have a lot to offer at Segundo Bairro Bar and Restaurant, if you are a fan of fresh homemade Goan food. However, I would say that the restaurant is famous for its big variety of thalis or FCR plates as we call it! Our range of thalis include mackerel thali, leppo thali, kingfish thali, bombil thali and modso thali. The distinguishing feature being the signature curry of the restaurant. I can't describe to you how good it tastes, but I can certainly invite you to come down to the restaurant and try it yourself!

What makes you stand out from your competition? What are your USPs and strengths?

Let me start off by saying you need to come here with a very good appetite or you’ll develop one, once you get the aroma of the food that we offer. The thalis served here are unlimited. The rice and curry servings are unlimited.We emphasise on zero food wastage, yet at the same time we believe that you must eat to your heart's content without worrying about the costs. Hence one may take multiple servings of rice and curry at no extra cost. Another important factor is that we maintain consistency in quality and taste. That being said, come and see us months or even years apart and you’ll never be unsatisfied with the food that we offer.

What kind of clientele do you cater to?

We are open to anyone and everyone who is passionate about food, especially thalis. We cater to people across the board, locals, families, tourists, individuals and small groups.

Tell us about your favourite thali. Is there something special that comes with it? (special curry/fish/side dish)

The most popular thali that we offer at Segundo Bairro is the Kingfish Thali which comes with a big piece of rawa fried King Fish. It also includes prawn curry, kismoor, bhaji of the day, a tangy Goan salad, homemade pickle and a generous portion of rice. Like many simple good things in life, our curry has to be tried out to experience the flavour and taste of a traditional Goan homecooked curry.

What was the biggest challenge when starting this business? And how did you overcome it? I think the biggest challenge that I faced while starting Segundo Bairro was getting the right chefs in the kitchen. We wanted to hire only local Goan chefs who could cook authentic Goan food so that our guests, especially tourists can get to experience the actual taste of Goan flavours.

What was people's feedback like when the business took off?

When the restaurant just started, a majority of our customers enjoyed all the food that we had to offer, although some did show caution as well. By far and large, people who have dined at Segundo Bairro are very happy and satisfied and have great things to say about many of our offerings like our homemade Goan curry and our kingfish thali. Guests come from as far as places like Milroc Kadamba and in turn have got their friends and extended family members as well to come and enjoy a wonderful feast of exotic flavours at our restaurant.

What are your plans for the next few years? My plan is to nurture and nourish this baby of mine and take her to a slightly bigger and more accessible place.

What thought would you like to leave our readers with?

“ It's never too late to realise your dreams and your true inner potential”