Imagine walking into a small, yet cosy space infused with a pleasant scent of coffee, freshly baked goodies and roasted cocoa beans ready to be ground into velvety chocolate. Doesn’t that sound like the perfect place to spend time at?
Truly, sometimes just the right amount of sweetness and a warm cup of coffee is all you need for a quick recharging session. And, guess what? You can surely find that place on the busy streets of Margao. And, Chef Rodwin’s Boulangerie and Patisserie Cafe it is!
Chef Rodwin is very passionate about his craft. Hence this cafe is an outcome of years of practice, research and hard work.
“Before opening up a cafe in Margao, I started with a small prototype model in a village called Raia where we developed all the recipes further through sample testing and analysis,” reveals chef Rodwin, who has been in the bakery and pastry arts industry for over 30 years.
Their menu, curated by chef Rodwin and his team, features a variety of pastries, bread, and coffee as well as savoury options made following authentic recipes and employing artisanal techniques - making every bite a sweet delight.
What makes this cafe a rare gem is that the chocolate used in their recipes is made from scratch, using organically produced cocoa beans from Kerala. “We are a Bean to Bar chocolate cafe, which means we have our own micro chocolate factory."
"We make our chocolate right from scratch. This involves roasting, winnowing and grinding the cocoa beans. My friend Regie is the chocolatier who has developed a mini chocolate factory within this cafe. You will find internationally acknowledged, hand-crafted excellent chocolate here,” he elaborated further.
Besides the chocolate delights, the cafe is known for its scrumptious Pasteis de nata - a famous Portuguese custard tart. They offer many more delicacies like Paozin, which is a mini stuffed bread, cheese eclairs, quiches, opera pastry and the list goes on.
One of their main goals is to produce healthy and quality bakery items. In fact, chef Rodwin, who has also served as a lecturer and researcher at various hotel management institutes, worked on a research paper dealing with the removal of chemicals and conditioners from baked stuff making them healthy for consumption.
At the cafe, you’ll find healthy baked alternatives like multigrain Poee made without sugar and maida. “Many nutritionists will consider bakery products as unhealthy hence, we have made Ragi biscuits and multigrain muffins. Our goal is to change people’s perspectives on bakery products,'' adds chef Rodwin.
“Every ingredient has a specific function in product preparation and one needs to understand and achieve an optimum level for the best flavours. Use of quality ingredients is the main reason for our consistent flavour note,” he says.
The cafe has received positive feedback over the years for its delicious flavours from customers around the globe, Rodwin adds with a glitter in his eyes.
So, what are you waiting for? If you want to treat yourself to something sweet and enjoy a pleasant time, visit Chef Rodwin’s Boulangerie and Patisserie Cafe anytime.
DETAILS
WHERE: Shop No 10, 70, Abade Faria Rd, near Old Civil Court, Murmuti, Nehrunagar, Margao.
Contact Number: 099236 35287