Lemon Chilli in Porvorim is an underdog that deserves all the applause for its food fare
Danuska Da Gama | NT
Tucked a little away from Chogm Road in Porvorim, Lemon Chilli was strongly recommended as a promising place to try out. With so many outsiders setting up restaurants in the Assagao and Siolim area, this restaurant which is run by two Goans seemed inviting on so many counts.
It was during the COVID-19 pandemic years that Mayur Shirodkar and Ranjit Thakur found themselves grappling with the unfortunate loss of their jobs as restaurant manager and chef. But undeterred by the challenges that unfolded, they decided to channel their passion for culinary arts into a new venture to start Lemon Chilli in November 2020. “Our journey, however, took an unexpected turn with the onset of the second wave of the pandemic, leading us to temporarily close our doors,” shares Shirodkar.
But since their revival, they’ve bounced back and have witnessed a steady rise in popularity. “It’s heartening to see our patrons appreciate the creative blend of flavours and culinary innovation that defines Lemon Chilli,” says Thakur.
“At Lemon Chilli, our overarching goal is to seamlessly bridge the gap between modern global cuisine and the local palate, catering not only to connoisseurs of diverse flavours but also to those adventurous souls who relish the opportunity to explore and experiment with new culinary experiences,” explains Thakur, who handles the kitchen with a well-trained group of staff while Shirodkar is on his toes attending to guests while handling the accounting too
Their menu which includes delectable fusion cuisine is limited to a page, but has a very decent choice of food selection on one side and drinks on the other.
The Prawns Puri was recommended by Shirodkar and we demolished this dish within moments of its arrival. The rich Crab Cannelloni was also on point as was the Mushroom Cheese Croquet. But, most of all, I enjoyed nibbling on the raw banana fries. The knack for slicing the bananas into such super fine strips was admirable. Just lightly coated with seasoning, this was the bomb!
On the drinks front, the Cucumber Swirl was refreshing as was the Spicy Kokum. The Smoked Coriander is also highly recommended. And with summer setting in, the mixologist has been crafting feni and urrack-based cocktails too.
The two friends want to introduce interesting dishes in a timely manner at Lemon Chilli to people while not having major changes to the menu.
They also have Friday specials and have some items that aren’t on the menu too. “We take traditional recipes and put our own twist on them, incorporating unexpected ingredients and techniques to surprise and delight people,” says Thakur.
For the mains, you must try the Methi Gnocchi with Carrot Sauce. Who would have thought of fenugreek dumplings meeting Italian cuisine? But this was lovely. You must try the Malvani Stroganoff and the Peanut Crusted Fish too.
For desserts, we tried the Baked Yoghurt Brulee and the Churros which were good. I would have loved to also try the White Chocolate Lava but needed to stop overindulging in good food. The rates here are not steep and easy on one’s pocket. It is a place where you can expect value for your money.
It was heartening to see the power of word of mouth against advertising budgets incurred by many other restaurants to market their place. The restaurant can do 40 covers, and on a weekday when we visited, they were packed.
It was also nice to see a young student singing there. In fact, Shirodkar tells us that they don’t mind giving young talented Goans a platform to perform and earn. I found this very encouraging.
In all, Lemon Chilli’s experimental and modern cuisine clicks big time here.
