A Flavorful Start to 2026: Our Intimate Goan-Portuguese Fusion Dinner

Kicked off the new year exactly how we wanted — hosting our very first dinner of 2026! Cooked all our favorite dishes with the finest ingredients, plated with care, and served with so much love. Grateful for good food, great company, and beautiful beginnings. Here’s to many more nights like this!

This intimate dinner was inspired by the rich culinary heritage of Goa, where Portuguese colonial influences from the 16th century blended seamlessly with local Indian flavors. Over 450 years of Portuguese rule introduced ingredients like vinegar, chilies, potatoes, and techniques such as sausage-making and layered baking, creating a unique Indo-Portuguese fusion cuisine that's spicy, tangy, and deeply comforting. We drew from these traditions to create a menu that celebrates coastal freshness, bold spices, and heartfelt home cooking.

Oysters

Freshly shucked oysters with lime, cucumber, and chilli granita. This refreshing starter captures Goa's coastal bounty with briny fresh oysters topped with a zesty, icy granita. The bright lime and subtle heat from chilli provide a clean, invigorating contrast to the oysters' natural creaminess—a modern twist on simple seafood preparations common in Goan cuisine.

Beef Croquettes

Semolina-crusted spiced beef croquettes, pickled radish and cabbage slaw. These crispy, golden croquettes (known as rissóis or cutlets in Goan homes) feature spiced minced beef encased in a crunchy semolina coating. Paired with a tangy pickled slaw, they offer a satisfying crunch and bold flavors. Influenced by Portuguese croquettes, Goan versions incorporate local spices and are a beloved appetizer at weddings and celebrations.

Roast Chicken Tart

Goan Pork Chorizo

House-made Goan pork chorizo with sautéed onions. Fiery, tangy Goan chorizo sausages—adapted from Portuguese chouriço with local vinegar, chilies, and spices—are sautéed with sweet onions until caramelised and fragrant. Served on lightly toasted rye sourdough, topped with crunchy strands of fried potato.

Tapioca & Potato Fritters

Crisp tapioca and potato fritters with cumin and peanuts, coriander and mango sauce. These crunchy fritters combine tapioca pearls and potatoes with roasted peanuts and cumin, served with a vibrant coriander-mango sauce. Drawing from Indian bhaji traditions (and similar to sabudana vada), they add a delightful textural contrast and subtle sweetness to the meal.

Bebinca

A traditional Goan-Portuguese layered dessert made with coconut milk, egg yolks, and ghee, slowly baked layer by layer. Our sweet finale was this rich and decadent pudding, known as bebinca, often referred to as the “queen of Goan desserts,” served with jaggery cream and a coconut crumble. It is baked one thin layer at a time—traditionally between 7 and 16 layers. Believed to have been created in 17th-century Goa by a nun using leftover egg yolks, it is traditionally enjoyed during Christmas and special celebrations.

What a way to start the year—surrounded by flavors that tell stories of history, fusion, and home. Can't wait for the next gathering!

What to know more about Goan-Portuguese cusine check out The Portuguese Influence on Goan Food: A Culinary Fusion