What can beat feeling like you’re on top of the world, watching a glorious sunset, while relishing an assortment of high-tea delicacies? The Hilton Goa Resort offers this incredible experience through its ‘Goan Charlie’ high-tea.
SHERYL GONSALVES | NT
When I visited the Hilton Goa Resort in Saipem with my fellow foodie and colleague, Ramandeep, we were blown away by the view of the gorgeous Nerul river, trees, glittering swimming pools, and the sky painted in different colours with the sun going down. After clicking a lot of selfies, we sat at our table, eagerly waiting to dig in.
Two 3-tiered high-tea trays were placed on our table – the first was full of vegetarian delicacies while the other had non-vegetarian ones. I couldn’t wait to try out the meatier goodies from the second tray and grabbed the Pork a Que, a Goan bread (poi) roll stuffed with pulled pork. It had a delicate sauce that let the flavour of the pork shine through.
One of my favourites was the Chicken Cafreal Croissant as I love the taste of cafreal masala. The classic croissant taste combined with the chicken and slightly crunchy vegetables was a delight. While both of us were stuffing ourselves and cracking lame jokes, a kettle of cranberry tea was brought to our table. Its fruity aroma and taste elevated the experience while the double-walled glasses maintained the heat.
Before I attacked the vegetarian delicacies, I enjoyed the Goan queen of desserts – Bebinca! It was everything I hoped it would be. Next, I tasted the Mumbai Balchao Potato Crostini, which was crunchy, palatable sweet potato with sauces to add an extra dimension of flavour. The croissant had a filling which tasted exactly like my grandmother’s homemade Goan vegetable mixture. There were other items which were enjoyable as well.
For a sweet ending to the experience, we reached the bottom tier and enjoyed Serradurra, a creamy Portuguese dessert. Another dessert I relished was Akela, which looked like a mini doughnut. Its crunchy bottom, banana filling, and white chocolate topping with chilli flakes provided a flavour twist. The taste somewhat reminded me of Goan banana fritters.
You can choose from a variety of delightful teas here like Lychee Peach Tea, Oolong Tea, Black Fusion, Butterfly Pea Flowers Tea, Berry Blast, Jasmine Tea, and more to complete the experience.
The signature bites for the high-tea were inspired by the menu of The Poder Chronicles, an event at the Hilton Goa Resort, which aims to support and revive the poder (Goan baker) community and culture as they provide one of the main staples of the state. Here, local bread is showcased through delicious meat and vegan dishes. The high-tea is a great experience, especially for those who haven’t been introduced to Goan cuisine. Watching a magnificent sunset from the top of Saipem hills, and sitting amidst charming Portuguese-style architecture will surely make for a memorable evening.
