Culinary escapade: Where Goa meets the gourmet

The forty-five-minute drive from Goa’s airport to JW Marriott Goa Vagator felt like serenity. Cars whizzed by with coconut stacked roofs, and the scent of salty air snuck through the windows. By the time I arrived, I was already sipping the susegad cool air, that effortlessly chill vibe Goa’s famous for. The hotel, Marriott’s 150th in South Asia, if you’re counting, felt like stumbling into a jungle dream with a designer’s touch. Vertical gardens climbed walls like they owned the place. Floor to ceiling windows brought swathes of sunshine, and water features whispered, ‘Slow down, you’re already late for your inner peace.’ But then… that chandelier. Suspended over a glossy black water body in the lobby, catching every beam of light like an overachieving disco ball, it made me stop mid step. Welcome to Goa, I thought. Let’s do this. From my fourth-floor perch I felt like royalty surveying my domain and the Ocean shimmering like a cheeky hint of treasure in the distance. Inside, the room was a seaside daydream brought to life, bleached wood floors that felt like driftwood, blue accents looping through the carpet like playful waves, and a king size bed so enticing, it practically whispered, ‘stay forever’.

JUNGLE DREAMS MEET FINE DINING
It starts at Pérola, the hotel’s refined lobby lounge, where I found myself lingering over a caramel toned cappuccino one afternoon, only to return later for the sheer joy of watching the light catch the rim of a chilled glass of white. By morning, it’s off to JW Kitchen, the beating heart of indulgence, where the breakfast buffet demands an elastic waistband and an adventurous appetite. One minute, I’m folding the fluffiest paratha around a dollop of golden butter, the next, I’m relishing a zingy Goan Ros omelette swimming in bold, spicy curry. Now, the sundowner soirées at Água Pool Bar and Café are prime, especially as a balmy twilight settles over the poolside. The aquamarine tones and shell studded cushions feel plucked straight out of a Fellini movie, as if Anita Ekberg herself might sashay in for a spritz. With live music swirling in the air, I can’t decide what’s more intoxicating, the bubbling prosecco in my glass or the creamy forkful of tiramisu on my plate. And just when I thought this gastro journey couldn’t soar higher, along comes ‘Heliconia’. To reach it, you follow a winding ‘walk of life’ cloaked in tropical greens that feels as if you’re being escorted into a secret jungle dinner party. As the eponymous red heliconia blossoms nod from every corner, the restaurant emerges in all its Amazonian glory: a verdant dream of emerald tones, couture floral prints (thank you, Rajdeep Ranawat), and French windows that frame views of a river as languid as the mood. Chef Arturo Castro Salazar’s kitchen is Nikkei nirvana, where the finesse of Japanese sushi meets the irrepressible fire of Peruvian ceviche.

EAT THE PAST, TASTE THE FUTURE AT HOSA
Far removed from Goa’s sandy clichés, Hosa is the kind of place that makes you rethink everything you know about the craft of dining. Nestled in Siolim’s emerald heart, this century old Portuguese villa wears its age lightly, like an heirloom necklace paired with a designer dress. Tiny pops of art sneak up to greet you, bold murals that feel like conversations, not just decorations and the kind of cocktails that trigger your curiosity before winning over your taste buds. South Indian tradition hooks up with modern flair and the result? A culinary cliffhanger that keeps you guessing what the future tastes like. Walk in, and you’ll feel like you’ve stumbled into a time travel adventure where colonial charm and futuristic design share a highball at the bar. Lofty arches nod to the past, but it’s the sleek, moody interiors (and the bar shining like a Bollywood star mid-monologue) that pull you into the now. Then there’s ‘Varun Sharma’, the bartender who doesn’t just mix drinks, he crafts mini soap operas in a glass. Forget the usual margaritas; his comes with tamarind drama and a sweet whisper of jaggery. Mojito? Not here, it’s dragged through a spice bazaar, leaving the usual cart behind. Cocktails don’t just quench thirst at Hosa, they spin tales. But food, ah, the food, deserves its own standing ovation. Plates arrive like little celebrities, each dish demanding your full attention. I started with the ‘Green Liver Fry’, spiced to glory and packaged in a nutty ‘ragi dosa’ wrap, because who knew liver needed a plus one? Then, the ‘Naranga Chicken’, sticky, tangy chaos in a dish, like a brilliant flash mob on your palate. The ‘Kadumpuli Fish’, meanwhile, was all fiery coastal Kerala vibes, like the Arabian Sea decided to shake things up at your table. But the ‘Madurai Lamb Chop’? This bad boy strutted in, all decked out in Chettinad spices, with a pineapple salad so left field it became the life of the party. And just when life hit peak flavor, ‘Ambur Biryani’ arrived like royalty, a lamb shank lounging on perfectly spiced rice. It’s the dish that inspires poetry, and possibly a nap. And just when you think it’s over, ‘Garelu Chicken Curry’ lands. Crisp lentil fritters in a creamy, nutty gravy? A spoonful is like rethinking what comfort even means. By dessert? Let’s just say, they don’t just sweeten the end, they rewrite it. Chef Harish Rao, does it yet again! Kudos.

WHEN GOA GETS ITS FIREBACK
The fire’s crackling again in Goa, not just in the grills, but in the energy that Fireback stirs up the moment you walk in. After running riot in Mumbai this summer and leaving foodies in a ‘sweaty curry-induced stupor’, Fireback has swaggered into Goa, fierier and feistier than ever. Chef Kaustabh’s open kitchen? It’s not just cooking, it’s performance art. Flames leap off woks like circus acrobats, grills hiss ‘like they’ve got gossip’, and spices seem to stage a brawl in every dish. It’s frantic, chaotic, but entirely delicious. Housed in a sleek glass box that’s part gallery, part arena, Fireback doesn’t just want to feed you, it wants to ‘thrill’ you. The vibe is as bold as the dishes, which bang out a symphony of flavor so unhinged, it should come with a disclaimer. It’s not every day you meet a chef like Kaustubh Haldipur, alive with an appetite for culinary wanderlust. At Fireback (Goa and Mumbai), his plates feel like postcards from the kitchens of the world. ‘We weren’t just cooking in Thailand,’ he tells me with a grin, ‘we were eating endlessly, perched on rickety stools at no-name stalls.’ That endless appetite speaks through the dishes: tom kha arrives as a featherlight symphony, its coconut and galangal in perfect harmony, while pineapple som tam punches like a mosh pit in your mouth, sweet, sharp, chaos perfected. Miang kham surprises with bursts of pomelo and toasted coconut, while pork belly, brittle yet buttery, melts into charred cabbage leaves. To drink? Varun Sharma’s cocktails, defying tiki clichés, feel like tropical alchemy, each sip, a revelation.

Akanksha Dean is a zealous enthusiast of the nomadic way of life, is an independent food & travel writer, a chef and a catalyst and a Specialist with Chefs TV Spain.