IN REVIEW

A BEAUTIFUL STAYCATION IN THE HEART OF SOUTH GOA WITH HERITAGE VILLAGE RESORT & SPA

By Aditi Malhotra Images by Heritage Village

Nestled in the picturesque South Goa and with just 2 minutes walk to Arrosim beach, Heritage Village Resort & Spa is a perfect getaway for your next family vacation. The hotel reflects true Goan essence with the Portuguese-styled architecture taking precedence while the rooms are comfortably appointed with all modern amenities to ensure a pleasant stay.

The warm hospitality of Heritage Village Resort & Spa awaits you right at the entrance, with smiling faces, serenaders that groove to the Goan tunes and a refreshing drink of coconut water. As you settle down in the beautiful lobby sipping your welcome drink, you get a glimpse of the huge pool in the front surrounded by greens and also the all day dining restaurant buzzing with people. We were attended soon by the warm staff, and directed towards my room. I stayed in a Deluxe Room, offering a sense of expansive space with contemporary interiors and elegant décor. This well-appointed room, came with a small balcony offering a pool view and was complemented by modern amenities and thoughtful inclusions such as a diwan-cumbed. They were perfect for a relaxing vacation. The in-room hospitality with a personalised welcome letter, a bottle of wine, a fruit basket, cookies and nuts is something that will remain with me for a long time as I am a big fan of small gestures. After relaxing for some time in our room, we headed for a hearty lunch at the all-day dining restaurant Chutney, there was a South Indian food festival, where we indulged in a specially curated South Indian menu. For starters, we relished Meen Varuval, popular South Indian Fish Fry and Kozhi Melagu Charu, a fragrant chicken soup. Both the items were super delicious, I especially enjoyed the warm soup a lot. Up next was Ennai Kathirikai which is a South Indian curry made with tender brinjals and also there was Mutton Ishtew with Appam and both these main course items were really good. Paruppu Payasam was something I had never tried before and was great, it was a payasam made with moong lentils simmered in coconut milk.

After having this delicious meal, we returned to our room for a quick nap and then headed for a dip in the pool. The poolside also has a bar that can serve you amazing cocktails and chilled beers. We enjoyed every bit of staying in the pool for a long and leisurely dip. As I wanted to spend some more chilled-out time with my son, a curated picnic on the beach was next on our agenda. Arrosim beach is just 2 minutes walk from the resort and they do have buggies to take you there. We had a beautiful set-up on the beach complete with some nibbles like nachos, cookies, brownies and sandwiches along with chilled beers and coffee as well. The picnic baskets full of these goodies and beach toys ensured that our picnic was indeed fun. The sunset at the beach was almost surreal and you must indulge in this experience whenever visiting Heritage Village Resort & Spa. This personalised picnic made it even more worthwhile. The resort’ s Blue Lagoon bar was our next stop where I enjoyed a refreshing gin n tonic along with some bar nibbles like Chicken Malai Tikka and Chicken Popcorn. Mama Miso, the resort’ s Pan Asian fine dining restaurant was our ideal choice for a lovely dinner. I really cannot begin to put into words how awesome and delicious the food was. Each and every item on our table was thoughtfully prepared and full of flavours. Spinach Wrapped Chicken in Black Bean Sauce, Avocado Cream Cheese Roll, Crunchy Chicken Katsu Roll and the Chicken Ramen Bowl were my top picks and I highly recommend you give them a try. After such a delightful meal retiring to our comfortable room for a good night’ s sleep seemed just right. The buffet breakfast is served from 7:30 AM to 10:30 AM and we made it just in time to relish the same. The buffet spread had a perfect mix of Indian and English breakfast items. Fresh fruits, eggs to order, hot n crispy dosas, cereals, juices and fresh bakes, all found a great space on the buffet. With a glass of Mimosa, I enjoyed a portion of eggs benedict and some fresh fruits for my fill. Sadly it was a short staycation and after breakfast, it was time to leave for home. But I am positive that I will be going back to Heritage Village Resort & Spa for a longer vacation very soon because the hospitality, the experiences and the food, everything was topnotch. About the resort Heritage Village Resort & Spa, Goa Arossim Beach, Arossim, Cansaulim, Goa403712 Tel: +91 83266-94444 | Fax: +91 83227-54324 E-mail: goa@heritagevillageresorts.com

EAT, CHILL, WORK, REPEAT AT QMIN!

By Aditi Malhotra Images by Armaan Malhotra

Patto is all set to become a foodies

’ hub apart from being the business centre of Goa. Located right in the heart of Panjim city and surrounded by offices, it' s surely a great place to explore food options. After all, food is what brings people together like no other. One such exciting place that you must explore is QMIN. QMIN, coming from the house of IHCL is now open in Ginger Hotel and makes for a great addition to this ever-evolving food scene in Panjim.

The chic, vibrant and quirky ambience of this place is something that you cannot miss. Its one of the first thing that catches your attention. QMIN is a perfect combination of a place where you can sit back and relax or also carry your laptop and work from. You 'll enjoy the chilled-out vibes and the relaxed environment at this restaurant. Seating is available for almost every mood and type of group, from large tables to covered intimate spaces, comfortable couches to single seaters. With this fresh, contemporary design and service philosophy reflecting the reimagined Ginger brand' s philosophy of providing a seamless hospitality experience, the all-new Qmin combines comfort, convenience, and chill to offer guests a multi-sensory dining experience. This space has ample charging points and seamless Wi-Fi connectivity, making it a great location for business meetings or a creative workspace. And not to forget, it’ s so beautifully designed and decorated that every corner is worthy of making it to your Instagram feed, I am sure you will end up taking tons of pictures like I did. When it comes to food, Qmin offers a mix of quick, easy, and comfortable dishes, as well as some authentic sit-down meals. You can also get beer and binge baskets while watching a match on their big screen or catching up with friends. The nachos basket for instance was just perfect. It came with a beer and nachos, served with 2 dips. Their homemade salsa was such a refreshing change from the bottled salsa dips you get everywhere, as well as their cheesy dip. With a tangy and spicy dressing, this salsa had fine pieces of onions, tomatoes, and green chillies. In comparison with the usual salsa, it reminded me more of a good kachumbar salad. You will not be able to stop

eating this after you take your first bite with the crispy nachos. I was literally licking it off to the last bite. The tawa pomfret was my next favorite starter, and it was the best dish of the day. This pomfret, marinated in a delicious masala and perfectly cooked, is a must-try and should not be missed.The new 'On the Run ' counter at Qmin is your best bet if you ' re looking for a quick bite on the go. You can buy kathi rolls, dahi bhalle, pizza, chole kulchey, dum biryani, and other packaged snacks such as cookies, chocolates, energy bars, biryani cups, and beverages on the go. Items like kathi rolls, dahi bhallas, chole kulchey are freshly prepared every day and kept ready but are heated and served immediately. So when in a real hurry, these quick serving items can be right on your table in under 5 minutes. You can even parcel them and relish them on the go. But trust me these taste as delicious as they can. The chef ensures that the quality is not compromised and the food is always fresh. Prawns Balchao, a local Goan delicacy that is usually considered and eaten like a pickle was my choice for the mains. Its sweet, spicy and tangy taste makes for an interesting combination of flavours and is best relished with a soft poee. Because of its pickle-like feature that can be preserved for many days it has always been considered a dish that you save for a rainy day when fresh fish is usually unavailable. We tried the chole kulchey next. Although the concept of kulchas is still very new in Goa and it did not meet my expectations of a typical North Indian style kulcha, its bread like taste and texture went well with the choley. The choley were nicely prepared and mildly spiced and made for an interesting combo. You can also relish mains like the Goan fish curry with rice, Dhaba paneer and butter chicken with naan, dal tadka, and more at Qmin. Qmin makes for the perfect hangout and party spot thanks to its high-energy music, quirky décor, outdoor patio, and large screen to watch matches with friends and has a lot to offer under one roof. With IHCL’ s promise of quality, Goa has got a new address where one can chill and enjoy delectable bites. So, what are you waiting for, head straight to Qmin at Ginger Goa, Patto and let the fun times begin!

THE OUTPOST BY SLY GRANNY

By Armaan Malhotra Images by Armaan Malhotra

Sly Granny has surely established a name for itself and set the culinary standards high in Goa. With 3 amazing sub-brands, Tereza by the Beach, Mamagoto and the more recent Outpost, you can always be assured of great food and great hospitality, whichever restaurant you may visit.

I have been to all 3 and my personal favourite is The Outpost. Oozing out a vintage charm, it transports you to the 1950s and you feel as if you are sitting in a beautiful café in some English country. It is indeed one of the finest places I have come across recently and it should definitely be on your list. I personally love the posters that adorn their walls and can easily spend some time just staring at them. Located close to Mandovi Creek, I love the fact that the place doubles up as both a café and a bar as they serve some amazing brews and you can relish them till the time you aren ’t ready to hit the bar or are a non-drinker like me. I enjoyed my Iced Mocha with the Burrata which was the first dish on our table. Seasoned with toasted coriander seeds and caramelised oranges, the Burrata was a great way to start our culinary experience. Up next was the Crispy Chicken, since I had tried this one at Tereza by the Beach and loved it, I just had to order again. Yes, they do have a few things in common on their menu, but the charm of this place is unmatched for me. Served with a hot fermented sauce and pickles, this chicken is something you should not miss. For the mains, while I settled for the Katsu Chicken Burger, my mom picked the Pandi Fry Tacos. I have to say that both the dishes were fabulous. With crispy fried katsu chicken and the perfect sauces to go along, it was indeed one of the best burgers I had eaten in a long time and it' s surely something that will take me back there soon. My mom had the same feeling about the Pandi Fry Tacos and I am sure they must be as good as the burger.

There can

’t be anything better to end your meal than the Basque Cheesecake or the Dark Chocolate Cake, both these desserts were heavenly and even if your stomach is full, you cannot get enough of them. The basque cheesecake in particular is something that you should not miss. Overall, The Outpost is the kind of place that ticks all boxes. It’ s a place where you can chill out with friends & family, it' s also a place that can serve as a perfect date scene and it' s also a place where one can just grab a cup of coffee or a beer and read a book from their small but beautifully curated library. The food is excellent and the warm service is like the cherry on the cake. I am sure you would love experiencing The Outpost as much as I did. About the restaurant Address: Chalta 45, Ground Floor, Soho Building, Tiswadi, Panaji, Goa Contact: +919209004575, +919209004576 Average Cost: ₹1,200 for two people (approx.) Without alcohol Exclusive of applicable taxes and charges, if any ₹120 for a pint of beer (approx.)