Goa restaurant review: At Panjim's newest coastal cuisine place Sārvaa, fusion food is not a dated or dirty word

The Malwani Gavran mutton is served with a multigrain rotla at Sarvaa, Goa.

Goa may be brimming with restaurants, but there’s always more room for India’s coastal cuisines. The newly opened Sārvaa in Fontainhas, Panjim, embraces the concept ‘whole,’ with its coastal menu and blue-themed interiors.

Focusing broadly on coastal fare with freshly sourced ingredients and seasonal produce, the restaurant’s richly flavoured cooking is complemented by its colourful interiors and a snazzy bar. Expect well-spiced, live-fire cooked coastal food, true to its region, presented in a contemporary manner.

Ambience and décor

Chic yet relaxed, the dining space is inviting. The vivid colours of the wall-art and paintings depicting nature, serve as a complement to the vibrant flavours in the food. The comfortable sofa chairs and wooden tables are well-spaced and the variations in lighting add to the charm.

Blue dominates, yet the pop of colour in the décor elements accentuates the vibe. The relaxed, hidden enclosure near the bar area almost serves as a private dining section. The well-stocked bar with a blue counter-façade and cane lamp shades, is sophisticated yet the air is redolent with informality.

Sārvaa Goa grill seating

Food & Drinks

Start your evening with Mixologist Johnson’s creations. Here, he has crafted cocktails using coastal ingredients and in-house infusions to match the food. Expect a fusion of flavours in a 'Chorizo Oil’ washed cocktail, an aromatic 'Coconut Jaggery' infused negroni, or an ode to the region - Kozhikode Mai Tai with coconut oil-washed rum, cashew garnish, and a hint of citrus and jaggery.

I indulged in the vast array of ‘Little Plates’ on offer, before embarking upon the Mains. Enjoy Banana blossom cakes, Cleopatra’s salad, Chonak rawa fry, Injipuli pork ribs, from the diverse selection. Given that the focus is on coastal food, there’s enough and more for vegetarians.

The tender Injipuli pork ribs, stole the thunder, and my heart, from everything else around. The sweet and tangy flavours emanating from ginger, tamarind, green chilies and jaggery.

(from left) Red amaranth with burrata; Kozhikode mai tai; and Kuttanadan prawns with stringhoppers, tamarind kingfish, squid pepper fry and prawn pepper fry.

I couldn’t erase the memory of the Pork rib flavours from my palate, till the pulled lamb on coin parotta arrived - spicy, with the parotta offering the perfect foil.  The Edamame galouti didn’t deliver its promise, as the crusty encasing belied the very essence of a galouti.

Moving on to the ‘Not so Little Plates’ the Mushroom pepper fry with dosa, took me by surprise. Slathered in a peppery sauce, each mouthful was an explosion of flavours, albeit spicy.

Dishes feature haute twists here, though the menu stays true to its coastal flavours. There's a plethora of sea food dishes. Pick from Kanyakumari crab masala, Lobster Malai curry, or a Drunken Pomfret Pollichathu.

The Wayanad Pepper Butter Garlic Crabs served with a house bread, is a worthy indulgence. Delicately flavoured, yet piquant, the Tamarind King Fish curry was a delight for the palate.

Carnivores will relish the Grilled lamb chops and the Gavran mutton. Rustic and hearty, the Gavran mutton was a typical Malwani treat-spicy, well-balanced and robust. Served with a multigrain rotla, it is a wholesome meal.

Injipuli pork ribs

Drawing on the rich and varied culinary traditions of the coast in India, the food here is nuanced, flavourful and the ingredients play second fiddle to none. Spices have been thoughtfully sourced and play a vital role in the flavoursome food.

The highlight at Sārvaa is, inarguably, their long wood-fired 'Parrilla Grill’, from the Basque country in Spain. Alongside it is placed the charcoal hibachi and woodfired oven. Perch on a high stool and watch Chef Theo grill your protein (vegetarian or non-vegetarian) right before your eyes on this live-fire grill and serve it to you with a sauce and side of your choice. From Malabar sauce to a Madras onion jus and even a lemon butter garlic sauce, there are several options. An Omakase experience is also on the cards soon.

Nothing ordinary about the desserts here. Kakigori – the frozen shaved Japanese ice dessert, comes in Chikmaglur Espresso, Spiced Guava and Nolen gur Patishapta flavours and combats all the fiery food, all at once. The deconstructed Patishapta ice dessert with coconut, jaggery, is masterfully executed and the accompanying patishapta (crepe) was spot-on in terms of flavours, a la Bengal.

Nolen gur patisapta kakigori

Part of KLJMN Ventures Group, Sārvaa, according to the founders, Arup Saini and Kapil Jhaveri, “is a journey which dissolves culinary borders, yet stays true to the natural, rich provenance of each region, highlighted through a perfect mix of nostalgia and the contemporary.”

Where:  CMM building, Rua de Ourem, near Old Patto Bridge, Panjim, Goa403001

Timings: 7 pm- 1 am

Phone : +917400400547 /917400400118

Cost For Two: Rs. 2500 plus taxes approx. with alcohol