Indulge in flavourful South Indian delicacies at Goa's hottest new restaurant

What would you do if you could stretch time Our maiden trip to Goa upskilled us with a secret power mdash the power to bloat time Packing more moments in a minute and quiet in a while is an art we are yet to tame But someday we will wield the susegad spirit that Goa mdash with sun and sand in attendance mdash avowed Did it happen over a sylvan home the stone benches a porch skirting the street or the longest dinner of our life It was a blend that seeped undisguised into the last bit the dinnerCured red snapperTherersquos something about stepping into a restaurant that has measured out exact portions of the oldworld and contemporary Was this someonersquos home Our first thoughts perch on intrigue and intimacy The Portugueseinfluenced cottage in Siolim that houses Hosa seems to be hosting a lively party We listen in on conversations that sweep past the arched partitions A closer look and we realise these are diners seated at different tables playing a part in the spare friendliness of Hosa Hosa means new in Kannada The jollity begins from the cosy entrance that leans over to the bar To the left a private dining area restfully sits between walls where stories from the architecture of resplendent Chettinad homes take centrestage To the right and beyond mdash where sections blend much like the cultural milieu in Goa mdash corners bubble with food and banter In the heady waft of curry leaf oil fresh flowers malty drinks and choicest glimpses of art its newness holds our handPuli munchi wingsMoulding a fresh faceTo catch our breath we step out onto the patio Tucked in the back this inner court overlooks the sky The whiteandblue seating against a bright peach wall could transport even a nondreamer to Amalfi But the reverie needs some sunshine and lemon trees It could wait until we dig into the food thatrsquos been sourced over a threemonth trail in the hills and valleys of South India Chef Suresh DC from Bengaluru had fun curating a menu that focuses on flavours from the region with a new approach We munch on their cashew nut pakoda Rs 345 as an accompanying snack to our kokum cola drink Rs 600 with rum The housemade kokum cola drink takes us back to the simple joys of childhood We had requested a nonalcoholic drink to enjoy the tang of kokum cola but one can have it with rum The cashews are lathered with a coarse spice mix that offers a pleasant break in between sips We like the lemony aftertaste The chef shares that it has been tossed in lime leaf podi and fried chilli ldquoThe idea was to find a wider identity for the food I grew up eating My friends and colleagues believe that South Indian food can be summarised in dosa idli and sambar I wanted to turn that idea on its head and present an amalgamation of microcuisines from its towns and villagesrdquo With our next drink sandy shack Rs 500 for a glass we move on from childhood to late adolescence mdash the malty undertones are hard to miss The pale ale beer base gives us a spirited nudge At this point we note the upbeat music thatrsquos allpervading but never quite gets in the way of the drinking or dining experienceCoconut and jasmine sorbetThe food menu at Hosa is fussfree The dishes as per appetite mdash categorised under headers such as small plates large plates and extra large plates mdash take after the single page menu card in a South Indian cafeacute We move on to the banana blossom cutlets Rs 345 which are served with a tomato chilli jam and pickled onions The crispy outside makes way for a gooey spicy inside but the contrasting textures are held together by the subtlesweet jam We then try small plates coconut shrimp Rs 495 and curry leaf cured snapper Rs 545 The first one echoes a match made in heaven the latter can take a while to warm up to your palate for the slight seawater taste of the fish But the spiced kokum rasa and herb oil drizzled all over it adds the right kind of tart We end our meal by polishing off some succulent goat ghee roast Rs 745 and Guntur crab fry Rs 1195 with a flaky soft parotta Needless to say the chef seemed to have saved the best for the lastHosa bears the spirit of a GoanPortugese homeAll about convictionWe barely have room for dessert but canrsquot refuse the coconut and jasmine sorbet Rs 295 that looks like a beautiful mystery The bed of ice itrsquos enshrouded in helps retain texture We dig deep in to mix all the layers The spoonful has coconut ice cream and cookie crumble on a bed of jasmine sorbet What follows is a symphony of unalike but delicious flavours in our mouth Full from the artsy and electric ambience and the indulgent food portions we canrsquot stop thinking how a thorough lens from South India attempts to view decadent Goa ldquoGoing ahead with a restaurant that takes South Indian cuisine to a whole new level was always on my mind We were waiting for the right environment This space clicked with what we had in mindrdquo admitted Rohit Khattar founderdirector EHV International mdash known for its awardwinning Indian Accent With our long relaxed dinner coming to an end our first innings in Goa sets the bar highHorchata colada Pics CourtesyRohit ChawlaHosaON 1 pm onwards lunch 7 pm to 11 pm dinnerAT Irada Home house number 601 near St Anthonyrsquos Church SiolimCALL 8326747212Wild mushroom sukka interiors of the mezzanine sectionLetrsquos experimentFor those eager to experiment with South Indian cuisines chef Suresh DC advises to go easy on the spices ldquoTraditionally we use a lot of masalas In many parts of the region food is cooked in coconut oil This can be overpowering for many patronsrdquo he reasons adding that spices should be used judiciously and if unseasoned one shouldnrsquot go overboard with byproducts of coconut or curry leaves Gun fizz powder right Mohabbat ka sharbat