When Baga goes Gaga!
The food is shack fare, sort of multi cuisine.
'Lady Gaga…? No, Lady Baga' - this was the curious little refrain we exchanged as we ventured, all set to 'chill like hippies', into Olive Group's latest addition on Lavelle Road. This is the latest offering by Delhi-based hospitality tzar, A.D. Singh, who has partnered with Deepti Katragadda Das, a young, raring-to-go, LSE graduate for a Goa-inspired address - Lady Baga! Above Sodabottleopenerwala, a waterfall rustles its welcome at the bold, graffiti-inspired entrance. The wall on the left projects a video of the actual Baga Beach vista, replete with sunrise, sunset and golden sand!
The spunky Deepti and AD coursed through memories of the Goa they love, to give the city's party animals a place for a night out, in the warm, homely haven that only a Goan beach shack can offer you, filled with bits and bobs and flea-market treasures from India's most loved seaside destination. The whimsicality of the design is thanks to the contributions of AD's wife, Sabina Singh, inspired by the couple's fateful tryst with Goa (they married there and continue to have a strong association with the state). Visitors can indulge in some kitschy retail therapy too, at the line of hawker-type stalls with names Turquoise and Gold and House of Soul, designed by Esha inc and Horn Ok Please. The bartender will happily whip you up a tropical (even more so) version of a mojito, made from tender coconut and a delicious Kalla Khatta, curry leaf and tamarind. Yes, it's all about fun! The Goan essence is great, but a tad overdone. A continuous Baga Beach video is projected on the wall, overkill, we though… but we are, perhaps, old school.
As for Katragadda herself, who first entered hospitality as an intern with Olive Beach, says she trained for a year and a half to learn the ropes, after cutting short a corporate career that saw her employed at MNCs like Infosys and E&Y. "This is my baby," she smiles. Her LSE learning has brought a touch of numeric precision to the what she calls the inherent creativity of the F&B industry. "Numbers and organisation are my forte," she says.
The food is shack fare, sort of multi cuisine. We were slightly confused by the Goan USP, given the restaurant's namesake, for the menu was average. It has regulars - prawn curry, xacuti, sausage chilly fry, beef chilly fry, etc and seafood in classic avatars like butter garlic, recheado, crumb fried and chilli fry, but in a city that has gone the Goan route time and again, the taste and dishes need a rethink. The Prawn Loncha was alright: the ginger-infused prawns were succulent - it's a Marathi dish we have rarely seen in Goa. We ordered the classic Goan prawn curry, which was disappointing. The prawn pulav was alright. But back to the prawn curry, which is a staple of any Goan home, and made by Catholics and Hindus with subtle differences and needs to be spot on. Given the brandished Goa essence, we were expecting authenticity. We spotted a Goan thali too, with a kokum shot… and hope it comes wholesome and simply tasty.
What we did like was the Continental fare, especially the vol a vent with its flurry of mushrooms and the raw, tangy tuna salad which was spectacularly fresh and perfectly tossed. We also had the sesame crusted chicken, which was juicy, tender and very different. The quinoa and avocado salad was somewhat bitter.
We enjoyed the Crispy Fried Bombil or Bombay Duck, a specialty of Florentine's in Goa and a welcome addition to a city menu. It was fresh, golden fried and delicious but we didn't care much for the coconut chutney with which it was served. We spotted the Father Lorenzo's Chorizo, tossed in a traditional spice mix and a Ros Omelette too. "The idea was to bring in the essence of Goa. Most Goan restaurants look at food but we decided on a sensory exploration-it is an overall entertainment space with a flea market, a shack-like feel and live music to activate all your senses," says Deepti who is also working on a nail bar in the flea-ish area. We spotted a Serra Durra (full marks on its inclusion) a sawdust pudding and our all-time favourite Goan dessert, which one Goan gentleman, Ernesto made to perfection at Club Vasco in Panjim. This was good, tasted creamy. The saffron panacotta too was divine, subtle in specs… perfectly plated. Deepti calls it great food, mad drinks and a trippy vibe. We agree about the trippy fun vibe… for partying young, the food, might need some work since they just opened, and in keeping with the name it does deserve more Baga than Gaga.
Address: 24/4, First & Second Floor, 24/4, Opposite Harley Davidson Showroom, Lavelle Road
Call:+91 8048669269 / +91 9108934177
Meal for two: Rs1800