The Pride Sun Village in Arpora Goa is located very close to Sarovar Portico Lazy Lagoon, Old Bombay and the Saturday Night Market. Not many people know of the Pride Hotels, perhaps because, unlike many popular hotels in North Goa, this one isn’t really ‘out there.’ While it may lack in terms of promotions and advertising, it seems to be a popular choice among European tourists. After all, this is the kind of clientele that prefers quiet, tucked-away resorts to holiday at.
I was invited to a blogger table by the Pride Hotel Goa and the dinner was centred around Goan Food. The menu for the evening was titled ‘Goenkarche Ruchik Famat,’ apt for a heritage Goan property. The evening promised authentic local food paired with an old-world ambience. Since the event was at night, one couldn’t really appreciate the façade. The interiors and the grounds of the property were in darkness. After making our way through the reception and up solid laterite stone stairs, we found ourselves by the poolside bar.
Dinner at The Pride Sun Village
From there, we could see the small property before us. A simple poolside bar, a pool in front of it, and the restaurant at the other end. Three floors worth of rooms stood at one side of the pool. And our communal table was set by the poolside, too, illuminated by candles.
Friendly servers were quick to offer us drinks called Coconut Surprise – tender coconut slivers in chilled coconut water. Next came starters, and a few of my favourites featured on the pre-planned menu. Prawn Stuffed Papad, and Vegetable (Potato) Croquettes to name a few. We also nibbled on some delicious Chilly Squid and Tawa Mushrooms straight off the grill from the restaurant beside us. Definitely a good start to the meal!
Next, we moved on to Soup – Caldo Verde, a Portuguese soup comprising of potatoes and spinach. There’s something about creamy soup when there’s a slight nip in the air, isn’t there?
A beautiful evening in Arpora
For mains, we were directed to the restaurant buffet, which seemed to be a common buffet for us (the invitees) and the resort guests. The very limited spread comprised of select Goan delicacies – just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the wonderful repertoire of recipes that Goan food actually comprises.
Our simple Goan meal commenced with Kismoor (tender coconut salad with kokum and dried prawns) and a regular salad. What makes the kismoor such a sublime dish is the fresh, juicy coconut and hints of saltiness from the dried prawns. However, the excess of lime juice that was perhaps stirred into the salad overshadowed both elements of the kismoor.
For mains, I tried a little of everything! Some yummy Chicken Cafreal (a quintessential Goan green along with some semi-dry, Chicken dish). I tried Shark Ambotik (a deliciously sour-spicy Portuguese-inspired curry after a long time, alongside Kingfish Rava Fry. And some veggies – Beans Fogath (local beans in coconut, chillies and curry leaves) and Alsanyache Tonak (garden vegetables cooked with finger-licking Tonak Masala). All of that with a small portion of Ukad Rice (or Goan red rice).
My absolute favourite was the Beans Fogath – I love eating it at home, in restaurants and wherever I find it. If you haven’t tried it, you can consider tasting some at The Pride Sun Village Arpora since they do a pretty good version. It was a pleasant meal, and if I had to pick between starters and mains, I definitely preferred the starters.
A sweet ending
For dessert, a choice of either Dodol with Ice Cream or Pancakes was on offer. While most Goans love Dodol, I never took a liking to it, so I merely nibbled a piece from someone else’s. Goan Pancakes or Alle Belle are deliciously soft melt-in-your-mouth, lightly rolled pancakes stuffed with juicy coconut and jaggery. When done correctly, it is divine, especially when paired with a cup of tea.
The one served, unfortunately, missed the mark. It wasn’t close to being the way it is made in Goan homes, the ones we grew up eating. A tad thick, stuffed with more coconut than jaggery and a sprinkle of tutti frutti and thick chocolate drizzle. Tutti Fruity and chocolate are definitely not seen anywhere near Alle Belle. So the taste verged on being a Christmas dessert, rather than the beloved treat we know and love.
Overall we had a pleasant evening at The Pride Hotel, and if you’re in the area, consider paying them a visit. As I said, the hotel seems to be popular among European guests and I didn’t see any domestic tourists on the premises either. For more great hotel reviews and authentic Goan food, check out Taj Vivanta and Mum’s Kitchen, both in Panjim. Bye for now!
