People, returning home from work, would stop at the tavern, down a swig or two, discuss how the seeds sown were growing and stomp home for their meals. Along with the booze, there were raw mangoes, grams or salted prawns available as appetizers.
Feli in Benaulim, carries the brand tavern, and from afar gives the welcome look of a tavern and when inside, after a drink, releases the mind into a self-discovery of what it must have been like sitting in a tavern of yore.
The seating inside Feli is limited, just like the past, where once in, the opportunity to make acquaintances is vast because the essence of taverns was to have a quick chat with a quick drink to oil the stomach for a good meal at home.
“We mostly have locals who drop in. They normally start coming in after sunset and hang around till midnight. At Feli, we try to make everyone who comes in leave with visuals of Goa of the past,” says manager Manfred Fernandes, as he offers a menu that can tickle the rib of a guest.
Feli takes its guests through a Goa of the past with a cocktail made with Goan caju, or a Bebinca (Goan sweet) and gin – Bebinca Martini – as base to set the evenings with music that flows uninterruptedly through conversations.
The tora shir (slice of mango) is missing and so are the grams, but the kadi bodiyo cocktail, made by barman Sanket Fernandes, awakens the essence of being in Goa.
“Many of us have never been to a tavern but have been told stories about what they were. When we were young, the thought of visiting one never crossed my mind but we get that fulfilment now,” confesses Polly, who vouches for the snacks.
Beer never occupied space in traditional taverns, but has a distinct place at Feli with Poder Pilsner, that has the flavour of Goan poie, doing well, according to Sanket. A glass of any 330 ml of pilsner costs Rs 250, a 500 ml costs Rs 350 and a pitcher will drain one’s purse by Rs 850.
Many of us have never been to a tavern but have been told stories about what they were. When we were young, the thought of visiting one, never crossed my mind but we get that fulfilment now.
Polly, a customer at the Feli in Benaulim.
Barman Sanket who learnt the art of mixing drinks in the United Kingdom says he returned home because he could not live happily there, feeling detached from his origins.
“The place may look small but the vibes I get are tremendous. Every cocktail I make carries my signature and coming back has left me with a signature that nurtures the taste in my clients,” confesses Sanket.
That the concept of tavern has been kept alive through Feli is a remarkable feat because the legacy of the tavern may die but will never be forgotten because emotions cannot be bottled. And when you sip a drink at Feli, an emotion from the past flits by making another drink an easy option.