I am en-route Goa to Hubli and looking forward to a good lunch. I am told that there is a great restaurant on the way in Margao called Nostalgia. So with the help of good old google maps I reach there 15 minutes before they shut at 3 PM.

The restaurant is situated inside a typical Goan bungalow with typical Goan eclectic décor, with no walls (spectacular in this rainy weather), Mario drawings and Goan artefacts. Using their tag line, it is truly Goan. The only catch, prices are high by Goa standards thoughlow by any other standards.

It is considered bad manners to start a Goan meal without feni, so of course I have a glass of the tipple with my own concoction of coconut feni, lime, soda and a split green chilly. We start the meal with Goan Sausage Salad (Rs 200) which is not a salad with any stretch of imagination. The sausage meat is tough which takes away from the fun of the salad.

                  Feni                                     Sausage Salad

Salted Ox Tongue (Rs 300) transports me to the Bavarian alps with its taste. A great chilled starter. Goan fish curry, called here as Fish Soimirem Curry (Rs 300) which is the best dish of the afternoon. Made using surmai fish, the curry has a perfect balance.

              Salted Ox Tongue                                Fish Soimirem Curry

We didn’t realise but once we get our Prawn Curry (Rs 300), it has the same gravy but with the addition of okra or bhindi giving it a different taste texture. I pair the curries with Sanna (Rs 20), a toddy fermented variant of idli.

                Prawn Curry                                                 Sannas

Yes, a visit here is recommended for the mood it puts you in.

The review was anonymously done after paying for the meal.

Ratings (Out of 5)  

Food: 4.0 | Ambience: 4.5 | Service: 4.0 | Value: 3.5 | Overall: 4.0

Meal for two: Rs.1000 | Alcohol: Yes | Credit Card: Yes | Wheel chair friendly: No

Address: Margao Ponda Road, Raia, Margao, Goa 403720. Tel: +91 8322777054, +91 8322777098