When the property deal that Imran and Aliya had finalized for their new dream restaurant fell through without much warning, they were left with plenty of staff and equipment, but no space. Lucky for them, a property dealer told the couple about a crumbling old villa in Arpora – a quiet space by the fields, framed by mango trees and bursting with blooms – the quintessential Goan house. It didn’t take them long to snap it up and convert it into a tasteful, summery-looking restaurant that will charm its way into your heart and belly.
ABOUT VILLA NOVA
Villa Nova is located a little after the Nagoa Church on the Nagoa-Arpora stretch of road. Set behind a field that lends to it a rustic Goan setting, upon entering the villa, you’ll find that the place has a Mediterranean-like theme going on. A gallery that spans the length of the house leads you inside to where a jewellery brand ‘Stories from India’ has made one of the rooms its home, selling a stunning collection of earrings, pendants, and necklaces – many of which are animal and bug-inspired (really cute!!!). Walk towards the end of the house, past the bar, and into the courtyard to find the restaurant, well and truly hidden from the main road.
Whitewashed walls, pops of pink bougainvillea spilling to the floor, a canopy of trees overhead and bright orange umbrellas give the space a youthful feel while retaining its classy appeal. Along the walls are pictures of what this villa looked like just a few months ago – and you can tell right there, that Villa Nova is a labor of love.
FOOD YOU’D FIND HARD NOT TO LOVE
Aliya soon came up to introduce herself and we got chatting about the idea behind Villa Nova. “It’s inspired by our travels,” she says. “We’ve picked our favorite dishes from our holidays around the world and wanted to share them with everyone. So while the dishes are not as authentic, we’ve tried to get them as close to perfect as possible.”
The small menu spans dishes that are universally loved – salads like prosciutto + melon and baby spinach + roasted pumpkin, wood-fired pizzas, pasta like Aglio olio and ravioli, a bok choy and mushroom stir-fry, fish and chips, nasi goreng, a few sharing plates like Falafel, Calamari Fritti, Pan Seared Prawns and more. Lastly, a couple of dessert options feature.
Fine Pizza at Villa Nova, Arpora
We start off with a Pepperoni Pizza that was made just a few meters away from where we sat, in a sleek new wood-fired oven that Aliya proudly calls her “Ferrari.” We watched from our table as the chef rolled out the dough, slathered on the sauce, and sprinkled a generous amount of toppings before sliding it into the flaming hot oven. He kept an eye on it, we kept an eye on him – and before long, a perfect pizza was laid on our table. Wonderfully light and so delicious, I can’t fault it! The two of us on the table could have easily finished another pizza without feeling sluggish.
Before long, a few more tables filled up and during the hour I spent there, I counted 6 pizzas fly out the oven – not bad for a restaurant that was barely a month old. We had, by then, moved on to the Prawn Gyoza – again, another stellar dish. Beautifully plump and stuffed with chunky prawns, these were crispy, juicy and all sorts of wonderful! Lastly, we tried the Avocado and Seafood Salad that was so beautifully presented! Sliced avocado, prawns, calamari, quinoa, mixed greens and mint mayo – it paired perfectly with that balmy afternoon, and with our drinks, the Cucumber Cooler and the Lemonova.
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While I’d have loved to try more off their menu, we ended our meal pretty quickly with a scoop of Gelato that began to melt faster than I could click it. Goa, garden restaurants and scorching summer afternoons don’t go together very well, but the couple has plans to move the seating out of the backyard and into the front balcony during the prime summer months, which was much cooler and breezier thanks to the field in front of it and thicker foliage overhead.
You Should Know
“We don’t want this to be a one-time-visit sort of place where people come for a celebration or a fancy meal,” says Aliya about Villa Nova. “We want it to be an ‘everyday’ sort of restaurant, a friendly neighbourhood spot. Our prices are kept as such – affordable for a family looking for a regular weekday meal. We want everyone to know our bartender by name, and our bartender to know how every customer likes their drink.”
She’s right about the prices. At Rs. 1200/- + tax for 2, it is one of the more affordable restaurants in North Goa, that offers such great food and ambiance. Villa Nova in Arpora is definitely worth a visit – in fact, once you check it out, I’m sure you’ll have a dish in mind to try out the next time. I sure do!
You can also check out Thaal in Reis Magos and Mojigao in Assagao, two other great garden restaurants in Goa. As always, follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, where I’ll keep you updated with what’s hot in Goa. Bye for now!
