Good food is one of the many lures that hooks tourists to the Goa experience.
You can get palatable stuff everywhere, but for seafood by the riverside, there is nothing to beat Tariwaddo in Assolna, South Goa, where crabs and mussels, sourced from the River Sal flowing alongside, is sure to leave one hungry for more.
“Not only do we have tourists from North India visiting us during the day, but also locals from all over Goa who come on weekends to crack the crabs and wallop the mussels,” confesses Edney Pinto, owner of one of the six restaurants on the riverbank of Tariwaddo.
Assolna is a village in South Goa, dressed in aristocratic houses, with a river running through that lends an ethereal design to its landscape, and where people seem to live in tune with nature.
Tariwaddo, in the past, was the bank that connected the village to Mobor in Cavelossim that today hosts some of the finest five-star resorts in the State.
Now, a bridge has made that old river crossing unnecessary, and has also made it easier for tourists to drive in and sample the seafood, so unique to Goa.
Crabs are one of the delicacies in the six restaurants. They are served simply boiled or with a mix of spices that leave a tangy taste, that could tickle the palate or just melt in the mouth with, or without, pepper and a dash of olive oil.
“Crabs are always sought and so are mussels. We get all our fish from the river, from the locals, and we try to serve seafood cooked with minimal spices and salt because the taste is in the seafood,” avers Raj from the North East, who manages one of the kitchens.
“Many of our cooks and waiters are from the North East. Although they are not Goan, their style of cooking is similar to ours and they adapt to our cooking style,” admits Xavier, owner of another restaurant.
Pork meat, beef, which includes salted tongue, are some items on the menu that the chefs from the North East lend a special touch to.
“I am a regular because, apart from the serene setting by the riverside, some of the food served here is very tempting. I like the way the salted tongue is prepared and served as a sandwich,” claims Jason who lives nearby.
“I pick up my iPad and work from here with a glass of beer,” he adds.
Drinks at the restaurants are not expensive, but it is the setting and the food that normally draws crowds in the afternoon.
“It gets dark after sunset, and one cannot see the river. That is why, the restaurant is packed in the afternoons,” admits Seby de Curtorim, who manages one of the restaurants.
“We have a lady who comes to prepare the Goan food, and a boy from the north who cooks Chinese and other stuff. We have a lot of clients from the hotels at Mobor during the day,” says Vincent as light Santana music wafts along the canoes looking to moor.
“This is one of the most scenic places to have a meal in Goa, and add to that, the seafood here is crazy. Places like these are what draw tourists to Goa so often,” claims Abhi from New Delhi.
Tariwaddo in Assolna, at one time connected the residents of Assolna to those of Mobor. The link still exists, only now, it is to the stomach and through a bridge!