Hey everyone!
With so many foreign nationals now calling Goa ‘home,’ it’s interesting to see how various cuisines are slowly becoming available here, some in their most authentic forms. From Peruvian to Bohri and Italian to Mexican, little restaurants around the state are giving locals a host of flavours that are as far-flung from Goan food as can be. Take Sakana for example, a much talked-about Japanese restaurant in Goa.
About Sakana, Vagator
I visited Sakana one rainy night and didn’t fully get to appreciate the entrance of the restaurant. I hurriedly dashed out of the car and trotted over a bridge set above a tiny pond. If anything, the frogs croaking from the pond and surroundings only made me run in faster – those of you who’ve been following me on Facebook and Instagram for a while may know of my phobia of the species.
At Sakana in Goa, you’ll find couples on first dates, families, business associates and groups of bros ready to chow down. During the nighttime, the restaurant looks intimate with well-spaced-out tables, soft lighting and low music. The main source of light, apart from the candle on the table and dim bulb overhead, comes from an open kitchen on one side – not easily visible from the seating area, but if you go up close to the bar, you’ll see the mis-en-place kept neatly on steel tables and the plating of diners’ orders happening in near silence.
You can probably guess by now that you won’t find teppanyaki chefs wow-ing diners with their knife skills or any other sort of theatrics here. Instead, there’s demure, respectful service with attentive care given to high-quality ingredients.
Food and Service at Sakana
The servers at Sakana in Vagator are courteous but restrained, in keeping with the tranquil atmosphere. While the place may not have enough pomp to commemorate an occasion, Sakana straddles between being a laid-back place to dine in Goa with that slightly sombre feel in the evenings.
Let’s talk about the food! A plate of sushi will set you back around Rs. 300 – Rs. 400. I opted for the Prawn Ebi Cream Cheese Roll – a deliciously satisfying combination of avocado, cream cheese and shrimp. Granted, it may not have been authentic sushi as 2 of those 3 ingredients aren’t remotely related to Japanese cuisine, but I will admit to ordering it because of the rave reviews this dish had on Zomato.
Ramen Love!
For mains, I ordered the Tonkatsu, in memory of a fabulous Tonkatsu Ramen I devoured at Kofuku, Bandra (Mumbai). A real crowd-pleaser of a dish, if you can bear to share, these breadcrumb-ed and deep fried filets of pork were phenomenal! Light, perfectly crispy and without any grease, every bite into those tender slabs of pork was meltingly good! Served with some salad, rice and miso soup to break up the flavours, it will have you going back for more. Good one to have on the table!
The menu at this Japanese Restaurant in Goa invariably has to feature Ramen… and of course, I ordered a bowl. Mine came stacked with the most delicious crab sticks that tasted of the sea, some raw julienne veggies, eggs and a nutty sauce. A good pick if you’re trying to eat healthy or aren’t very keen on experimenting with new flavours and textures. Let’s call it a safe bet.
Damages
Price-wise, Sakana is fairly priced, but by Goa standards, it isn’t cheap. For the quantity and quality served, the moolah is definitely justified. If you don’t want to splurge, check out their set meals– they seem like a good value-for-money option and if you choose to order one of these, you’ll get your protein of choice, either Chicken, Tofu or Beef with a Teriyaki or Yakiniku Sauce and sides of rice and Miso Soup.
Keep in mind that this is a very popular restaurant in Goa. Even though it doesn’t have too much of a hype surrounding it, it does have its fair share of regulars. So if you’re visiting during the peak season, it would be a good idea to reserve a table before you go.
I’m definitely going back to try more at Sakana, the next time, in the day, so I get better pictures. Let me know if you enjoyed reading this post by commenting below! If you’d like some more suggestions on where to eat in Goa, check out Yaki Zushi and Tamari, both serving great Pan Asian Food in Goa. Catch me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram until we chat again! Toodles!