Even if your appetite is low, the hunger to enjoy the taste of Goa turns paramount as you enter Lino’s Restaurant & Bar at Trinity Beach in Vaddi, Benaulim, in South Goa.
There’s pork, chicken, beef and fish available at Lino’s, and the dishes that tickle the taste buds of the guests, carry with them the aroma of a village called Chandor, from where Lino hails, and where some of the best cooks have been born.
The story of proprietor, Lino Gomes, begins when he was still a young lad who would wake up every morning and cook the meals for his family before they went to school as their mother was working abroad.
From cooking for his siblings, Lino went on to working in kitchens in India and abroad, before reigning over his own kitchen, where he ensures that every dish is catered to the taste of Goa.
He learnt the basics of professional cooking at an institute in neighbouring Curtorim, and then worked in the kitchens of the Taj, Oberoi, cruise liners before finally deciding to return to Goa, and give Goans and tourists the genuine taste of Goa.
At Lino’s restaurant, a customer’s taste preferences are sought before Lino saunters into the kitchen to prepare the dish that will leave his client feeling he has received value for money.
“Everyone cooks today, but taste emanates from the passion poured in. Cooking is a love affair. The more love you pour, the tastier the food turns out,” says Lino as he looks into the finer details of his clients’ orders.
Lino is the kind of chef who prefers to gauge his customers tastes before deciding on the ingredients that will leave his client’s belly satisfied.
“I believe that when one is in Goa, one must taste our food. And, our cuisine,” he says, “flows from the heart through our hands.”
Running for a few years now, the restaurant receives a steady flow of tourists as well as locals, with the latter outnumbering the former because of the sheer culinary delights that come out of Lino’s kitchen.
From amongst the many Goan dishes served here, Goa’s dessert bebinca stands out as one of the best from amongst all the restaurants in Goa, mainly because it is baked with coconut husk, and the smoky taste melds with the yolk of the eggs, and it all melts like twists of old tales.
“The bebinca is made at home, in Chandor, along with the other desserts. It is only the caramel custard that is prepared in-house,” admits Lino, whose smile sparkles when his guests compliment him.
If one steps into the restaurant on an afternoon, Lino serves a fish-curry-rice, with the curry bearing the trademark of his village, Chandor – only cooks from Curtorim would be able to compete with it – and fish that is available as per choice.
“We serve our fish curry in the Goan style, and not the fish thali served in other restaurants. The concept of fish thali is not Goan,” observes Lino.
If one steps into the restaurant on an afternoon, Lino serves a fish-curry-rice, with the curry bearing the trademark of his village, Chandor – only cooks from Curtorim would be able to compete with it – and fish that is available as per choice.
Unlike many cuisines, at Lino’s, you can get Tongue Roast, traditional Goan stew that has pork mixed in proportion to beef (available on weekends) and thick Goan soup, a dish that remains a tradition in many homes.
Being the chef in the kitchen and also dealing with customers, Lino is able to read his client's tastes and cook accordingly. The pork can be mellow, the beef cut fine and fried rare, medium or fully, with just a smattering of salt and pepper. What matters is the taste that lingers on in the client's memory.
If you are able to dig deep into your pockets, then try the lobster. It's priced at Rs 3,500 a kilo, but Lino promises it will be cooked as per your choice.
Don’t miss the drinks, for there's the best of local as well as foreign alcohol served, and the barman does promise clients cocktails that will complement the food.
The setting at Lino’s is rustic, the washrooms hygienic, and a meal for two will set you back by around Rs 1,700 (cocktails included).
DETAILS
WHAT: Lino’s Bar & Restaurant
LOCATION: Trinity Beach (Vaddi), Benaulim, South Goa
WHEN IT'S OPEN: 7 days a week
TIMINGS: 11.30 am – 3.30 pm; 6.30 pm – 11 pm