Goan getaway via Vile Parle

Pomfret recheado with red bullet rice

Food: Flavourful
Packaging: Good
Service: great
Cost: Reasonable
Verdict:

Although a trip to Goa is far from feasible right now, The Souza's, a Vile Parle-based delivery kitchen can offer a whiff of the state's cuisine in aamchi Mumbai. And as Bomaicars (Goans living in Bombay) perpetually pining for some sunshine, we decide to order in dinner. Browsing through their menu is a mouth-watering experience: they have got thalis, seafood and meaty starters and curries, too. Since the thalis are available only at noontime, we have to go à la carte.

The space is currently open for business on Swiggy and Zomato, but is outside the delivery radius for us. All we have to do is give them a call and our order - comprising chicken cafreal (Rs 280), prawn fry (Rs 340), pomfret recheado (Rs 280), mutton xacuti (Rs 360), poee (Rs 60) and steam red bullet rice (Rs 150) - is sorted.

Mutton xacuti

After heating the poees, we begin our meal with the prawn fry that comes with a green and red chutney. The shrimp is not as juicy but is flavourful. The red chutney that has a hint of tomato isn't something we have tried before but we wish we did because it's nothing short of delicious. Next, we pair the cafreal with the rice, which is a tad tough for our liking. The cafreal is pleasant but falls short of the classic spicy aromatic flavour that arises from the green paste; the version on our plate resembles a caldine. Similarly, paired with the humble poee, the meat in the xacuti is tender and the curry tastes good but is diluted. The fragrance of the roasted spices and grated coconut also doesn't hit the right spot.

Prawn fry

We finish with the pomfret recheado, which to our surprise, has the fish tucked in gravy in contrast to the traditional stuffed masala. Perhaps, that's the modern touch they are going for but we'll stick to the stuffed variant. Despite their experimentation that didn't quite suit our palate, we will return for their thalis when we wish to order fare that is fresh, tastes good and gives us, remotely, a sensory experience of home.

Time 11.30 am to 4pm; 8pm onwards
Log on to Swiggy or Zomato

Food review rating: 4/4 EXCEPTIONAL, 3/4 EXCELLENT, 2/4 VERY GOOD, 1/4 GOOD, 0.5/4 AVERAGE

Rating

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