There’s delicious homely Sri Lanka-inspired food to be found at this iconic venue in Baga, Goa.
It’s peak season in Goa. This means places like Baga are bursting at the seams with tourists walking the streets, queueing up outside party venues, and zooming around on rented bikes. The smarter ones among us will steer clear of the place for at least another month. I made the brave decision to venture into the region for only one reason: The promise of good food.
Luckily for me, Inderpreet (Rummy) Nagpal and Coastero delivered.
Nagpal is a Mumbai girl, commonly called the pickle lady because of her repertoire of over 200 pickles, many of them forgotten recipes. She has always been passionate about food and started Rummy’s Kitchen (or Rummy, as she is affectionately called) to offer people a chance to taste her cooking. From doing it at home, and conducting pop-ups, Nagpal has now graduated to managing her own kitchen.
From Mumbai to Goa
Enter Coastero or the official Cavala with Coastero. Coastero is run by Nagpal and her brother Jasjeet — they’ve taken over the kitchen at Cavala resort. Nagpal started by doing a pop-up on Fridays, from last August, before completely taking over a month ago. It’s early days, which means Nagpal spends most of her time in the kitchen. She’s now moved to Goa full-time, living in Saligao and commuting to work daily.
A melange of flavours
It is here that I taste a beef dish that surprises and delights in equal measure. It’s a beef congee, a mash of rice, coconut milk, and beef cooked together so that the mixture has some meatiness and warmth. “It’s typically cooked by Muslims in Sri Lanka during Ramzan,” says Nagpal. “You will not find this in restaurants or on the street. It’s a homely dish.” The congee is a treat, it’s reminiscent of a khichdi but a meatier, tastier version without excessive spices or tadkas. It’s comforting and keeps me going back for more. To amp up the dish, Nagpal serves a selection of her pickles by the side: Watermelon, sweet lemon, and pineapple. “I’ve made this dish with lamb and mutton and even chicken. It’s a dish that’s close to our (siblings’) hearts. Everyone who has tried it likes it,” she says.
Nagpal’s takeover of the kitchen means the Cavala menu has changed: It is now a legacy menu with some standard Goan dishes, a few staple North Indian dishes to appeal to those specifically seeking it, and Sri Lankan fare.
The Sri Lankan — let’s call it inspired because there are some Keralite and south Indian twists too — portion of the menu is short but bountiful.
Sri Lankan cuisine on a platter
Why Sri Lankan food?
“The first time I went to the country, I loved it there. I went again, this time with the desire to learn about the cuisine. I stayed with a Sri Lankan family and learned from them. The third time I went, I did the same,” says Nagpal. “I used to do food pop-ups in Mumbai and started serving Sri Lankan dishes I had learned and they did well. I continued.” Nagpal’s family was a regular guest at Cavala and the partnership happened organically. They wanted someone to handle the kitchen, and Nagpal wanted to treat Goa to food that isn’t available elsewhere. “This is also part of our campaign to get people to see the good side of Baga,” says Jasjeet. “It’s never been a place people come just to eat. We want to change that.”
Our first two dishes take coconut and put it front and centre.
One is the signature dish, that staple Sri Lankan chutney, pol roti. Nagpal’s version has prawns served with a spicy coconut, chilli and curry leaf mixture that adds serious punch to the prawns. Initially, it is fiery, but over time, the heat mellows and settles down nicely at the back of the palate. There’s a familiarity to the Amaranth Poriyal Stir-fry, which abounds with mushrooms and tambdi bhaji and coconut. There’s a slight heat to the dish lightened by a cucumber pachadi served on the side. This is a Nagpal creation inspired by South India and Sri Lankan cuisine and meant to showcase the red amaranth. There’s also a hearty pol roti, flecked with coconut.
The Mutton Boti plays up its status as a star dish — boneless mutton that is tender and coated with a rich and peppery masala. “It’s a combination of spices commonly used in Sri Lankan and Keralite food,” says Nagpal.
In the main, I opt for a Sweet Potato Stew, which has a lovely sweetness. The Sri Lankan version is usually made with tomatoes, I learn. This feels more Keralite in taste. Because I ask for fish, Nagpal creates a new dish, a snapper curry. It is fragrant, light and peppery and feels like a different version of the rasam. By the side, there are appams, and dosa, thick and fluffy.
The sole disappointment of the meal comes at the end — the Sri Lankan coconut trifle isn’t available. Instead, there’s a chocolate-rich Biscoff Serradura, and a too-set Eggless Cheesecake.
Eating at Coastero with Cavala feels like I am at Nagpal’s home. There is fresh and delicious homely food. Nagpal is a gracious host, serving me by hand, telling me what combinations to try and feeding me stories to accompany the food.
It’s a meal worth that’s worth the trip to Baga.
Details: Open through the week | Timing: 8 am–3 pm, 6 pm–11 pm.
Call 91 77969 83698. Instagram
Overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.3 (Max. 5 stars)
Food: 4.3/5 | Service: 4.5/5 | Interiors/Décor: 3.5/5 | Vibe: 3.5/5 | One dish we loved: Beef Congee
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