If not for the tolling bell, and aunties spilling out of church in their lacy, modest knee-length frocks, there’s nothing to remind me about the Goan-ness of my neighbourhood in Cavel, a tiny Goan Catholic hamlet in South Mumbai. A shrinking demographic, largely due to relentless waves of migration since the 1960s, Cavel and its sister offshoots, Sonapur in Dhobi Talao and Dabul near Charni Road, are losing their form and fabric, even if slowly. The gentrification and rampant development have locked residents out of familiar sights and sounds—the raucous fish markets, bread bakeries at every nook to replenish their pantry with kadak pao, and most importantly, restaurants that serve authentic Goan meals. Castle Hotel and Snowflake Restaurant were perhaps among the last remaining dug-outs for Goan Portuguese cuisine-inspired grub, such as fish cutlets, chicken cafreal, sorpotel, and ambotik curry.  Or so, this writer thought. Until, of course, a visit to Dhobi Talao’s Dukar Gully, which gets its name for the pork shops that once lined the road, saw us chance upon a spruced up board in bold red-orange titled, C D’Souza Marosas Restaurant and Confectionery.

Jude D’Souza, 58, took on the renovation of the 75-year-old C D’Souza Marosas Restaurant and Confectionery in Dhobi Talao, in 2021. The eatery will open to guests this month. Pics/Ashish Raje