When in Goa, we normally love sticking to the local food. There's so much to choose from - casual shacks to modern Goan fare; simple thali joints to lavish high tea in Portuguese villas. But if there's one exception that we make, it is for the Sunday Brunch at Spice Traders. A fantastic choice of pan-Asian fare, snazzy cocktails and a live band belting out a mix of popular retro and current favourites complete the perfect brunch vibe every Sunday.
Chef Tanveer Kwatra needs no introduction. As executive assistant manager he spearheads the culinary, food and beverage operations of W Goa. This award-winning chef is known for making the flakiest and finest croissants in the country. But his penchant for Oriental fare is not far behind. His enthusiasm to create exquisite international dishes has resulted in bestsellers like Chongqing mushrooms, tamarind tofu, twice-cooked rack of lamb and more. He straddles the world of fine dining and street food with equal passion, presenting both sides of the spectrum at a common meeting ground in his restaurants. He was one of the first to introduce Delhi to the street food from various Asian countries, be it the Japanese takoyaki and okonomiyaki or the spicy dan dan noodles from the streets of Sichuan.
You can sample most of his repertoire at Spice Traders where the food on offer will leave you spoilt for choice. Try and taste as much as you can on this culinary extravaganza but you simply cannot skip the dimsum and sushi. From tom yum chicken and prawn basil dumpling to vegetable chive dumpling and truffle mushroom dimsum, these little parcels burst with umami. Then there's a range of fiery Thai curries, flavourful Japanese curries and an elaborate variety of rice and noodles. But for me, the highlight turned out to be something else - the raw seafood bar where the freshest seafood is zinged up with simple refreshing flavours like lime and chilli. Simply Brilliant!
Superlative choice of ingredients is imperative especially when most fare is served raw, but the perfect condiments, a little bit of crunch from tempura and a tad freshness of the microgreens make for a delightful gastronomic symphony. The plating is as artistic as the flavour combinations. Our journey starts from sashimi grade yellow tail or hamachi and salmon and moves on to a thin crust tuna tataki pizza drizzled with Japanese mayo and truffle oil. In the midst of all the delicious seafood we are also served some roasted and pickled red and yellow peppers, a refreshing pomelo and lotus stem salad and a plateful of delicious greens topped with tofu and sichimi. This is to say that the vegetarians are well catered to as well.
W Goa is the first property of this trendy hotel chain to open in India. Since it's opening in 2016 it easily claimed the top spot as the swankiest hotel in this tropical paradise. The young energy of the hotel is enhanced by its modern décor, effervescent staff and finds a focal point at the hip 'n happening Rock Pool. The Rock Pool, overlooking an uninterrupted expanse of the Arabian Sea, makes for the perfect hangout for a sundowner. This also makes it the ideal progression from a languorous Sunday brunch. As the setting sun makes the scene picture perfect, the international DJs amp up the music while the bar churns out some heady cocktails.
Spice Traders, W GOA, Vagator Beach, Bardez, Goa.
Time: Every Sunday 12.30pm - 4.30 pm.
Price: Liquid Brunch INR 3500++; Dry Brunch INR 2500 ++.
This article was first published in a luxury lifestyle magazine in April 2019.