Restaurant Review | Where East and West Collide
Mustard, a quaint little restaurant off the Sangolda main road towards Saligao, boasts one of the most fascinating cuisine combinations in the land, French and Bengali. The brainchild of Poonam Singh and Shilpa Sharma, both of whom have successful hospitality careers, they set their sights on giving life to their long time passion of providing a unique culinary experience in the form of Mustard.
The menu, curated by Chef Gregory Bazire (French Menu) and food historian Pritha Sen (Bengali Menu) is in good hands with Head Chef Abhimanyu running both kitchens. Trained in Seychelles and of Bengali origin, Chef Abhimanyu has the necessary skill and expertise to retain the authenticity of each dish.
The Place
As soon as you enter, the first thought that comes to mind is ‘homely’ as Mustard has set up shop in a converted Portuguese style house and with the huge front lawn as was the norm in these sophisticated settings that add to Mustard’s charm.
The staff at Mustard are very friendly and the manager, Sandeep explained the menu concepts and each dish that we were served. This was much appreciated as some of the names of the Bengali dishes
The Drinks
We started out with a speciality of the season, the Aam Porar Sherbet, a seasonal drink made from slow roasted green mangoes spiced with cumin and black salt. The sherbet was ideal for the heat wave this summer brought and had a nice cooling effect. This drink is also a good digestive post a heavy meal.
Next up were the Pina Colada and the Sangria. Both are traditional favourites and are good choices when dealing with the summer heat.
Starters
Chef Abhimanyu got us started with some of the favourite starters of his menu and we were not disappointed. First up was the Kasundi Chicken The chicken was roasted to perfection and the bold flavours of mustard was an immediate hit with us. A definite must try for first timers.
Next was the Smoked Fish and the House Style Tabouleh. The Smoked Fish, one of the most famous starters at Mustard is a delightful preparation of Perch marinated with mustard powder, oil and mild herbs and smoked with rice husks and jaggery. The Tabouleh was another surprise for us. Made with foxtail millets, radish, cashews, lime, kokum and pomegranate, Mustard adds a twist of Goan Choris to the mix which blends all the flavours into a very unique dish. Another must try that foodies will savour.
This was followed by the Stir-Fried Calamari with Kasundi and the Kaanch Kolar Kebabs. The juicy and fresh Calamari stood out in this dish catered to seafood lovers. The Kaanch Kolar Kebabs were another story. This veg take on the classic Shammi Kebab,made with green banana and packed with Bengali spices, hit the spot with every bite.
Up next was the Dijon Stuffed Chicken and the Crunchy Veg Millefeuille. The chicken, stuffed with a dijon liver pate, had a bold but not overpowering liver taste as we expected from this dish and was well rounded. The pastry of the Millefeuille was crispy and with the freshness of the vegetables, was pleasantly light to our meal.
The starter barrage came to a halt with the Jholshano Mangsho and the Mustard Bread Basket. The mutton ribs marinated with black cumin and charred was another highlight of our meal. The Bread Basket was served with the chilli mustard and grain mustard sauces. The multigrain homemade bread and the mustard sauces were a pleasant palate cleanser for the main courses to come.
Mains
The first of our mains was the Kosha Mangsho, a rich mutton gravy served with luchi, pineapple raita and chana dal. Perhaps the best known Bengali curry dish, the mutton was ‘fall of the bone’ cooked and the luchi (puri) was a perfect combo supported by the fresh raita and dal.
Along with the Kosha Mangsho, we were served the Maccher Paturi, fish marinated with mustard and other Bengali spices, steamed in banana leaves. This was served with rice, masoor dal, saag and tomato chutney. The fish normally used is Sea Bhekti which is not common in Bengali cooking but ideal for this dish. The tomato chutney with it’s smoky flavour and the saag, a veg preparation made with mustard leaves, go best with the fish.
Dessert
For dessert we were served the Mango Kheer and Mango Cheesecake. Both of which are not part of the actual menu but made fresh during the mango season. Both are rich and flavourful and excellent as summer desserts.
The Verdict
Mustard provides a unique culinary experience and a homely atmosphere catered to foodies and families wanting to try new things or celebrate events. With their well curated menu in great hands, we are sure Mustard will withstand the test of time.
Mustard Goa
Hours | Lunch: 12 noon to 4 pm, last order at 3.30 pm Dinner: 7 pm -11 pm, last order at 10.30 pm
For Reservations Call | 9823436120 Email: savour@mustardgoa.in