At Nora’s Cantina, 'tapas' is served with a Goan heart

Tucked inside the new five-star Novotel Goa Panjim, Nora’s Cantina might surprise first-time visitors. With its mosaic tile walls, rustic wooden furniture, and soft greenery cascading from ceiling planters, it hardly feels like a hotel restaurant.

It also doesn’t just feel like home; it transports you someplace warmer, prods you to slow down, and is more soulful. It's the kind of place that instantly puts you at ease and quietly stirs your appetite for what’s to come.

THE STORY BEHIND NORA'S  

“We didn’t want the usual. We wanted to offer Panjim something it didn’t already have,” says Marketing Manager Akshata Sawant, part of the team that wants to take Nora's Cantina to greater culinary heights.

“We considered a Pan-Asian concept initially, but the capital city was already saturated with that. So our GM proposed Spanish cuisine, and from then onwards, everything flowed.”

IBERIAN CHARM FILLED WITH GOAN MEMORIES

From the hand-picked tiles reminiscent of Iberian homes to the planters and art pieces from Macau, Nora’s Cantina is like a narrative woven from Spanish, Portuguese, and Goan threads.

“A lot of the design elements remind us of what we used to have in our homes in Goa,” Akshata adds.

The name Nora was chosen intentionally to give the space a warm, welcoming persona, like walking into the home of someone bold, grounded, and gently feminine. “It’s not just a brand; it’s a personality,” she says with a smile.

INSIDE NORA'S KITCHEN

The heart of the restaurant lies in its food, which is a clever balance of Iberian authenticity and local Goan sensibilities.

Chef Dinesh Rana, who leads the Cantina kitchen, carries the legacy of a culinary tradition shaped by Kolkata’s colonial past. Having trained under chefs influenced by French cuisine and Western styles, he brings a rare depth and refinement to his cooking.

Though most of the ingredients are local and sustainable, Rana ensures the cooking techniques stay true to their Spanish and Portuguese origins.

“We don’t import seafood from overseas when we have incredible produce right here,” says Rana. “The mussels, the prawns, the fish, all come from Goa.”

COME FOR THE PAELLA

Dishes like paella, made with Spanish rice and packed with the fresh catch of the day, speak of Rana's mastery, which he attributes to the tricks he learnt from a Spanish chef. “We recently had guests from Miramar, Panjim, and one of them said the paella at Nora's Cantina was just as good as what he ate in Barcelona,” he beams.

“Everything we do is researched, followed by trials, and tasting rounds with locals and influential guests before it hits the menu,” says Rana.

We even had Spanish guests, who came, ate, and shared certain suggestions with us, he adds.

DRINKS THAT PERFORM

Even the drinks at Nora’s are stories in themselves. "Cocktails like Malt O'Nora, crafted with Paul John single malt and infused with peach, chilli, and Tabasco, are bold yet balanced," says Tejas, who heads the bar.

Purple Cloud, one of their visual stunners, is both a drink and a performance, and so are other cocktails that echo the spirit of the restaurant.

SUNDAYS AND SONGS

While Goa is no stranger to brunches, Nora’s Cantina adds a twist with its Sunday Tapas & Cavas. There’s no buffet, no long queues, just an elegant, laid-back sit-down meal accompanied by live music by Goa's well-known musician Sigmund de Souza and his son Keanu.

“We wanted a space where people could actually talk, laugh, and share food,” Akshata says. “So dishes come to your table, and you enjoy them as you enjoy the music.”

LOCAL FAN FOLLOWING

The restaurant has quickly built a loyal following, with 80 per cent of its footfall from locals. In a city where people want to dine close to home, this restaurant fills the gap. For some, it’s about reconnecting with a long-lost heritage, one bite at a time.

 MALTS THAT MATTER

"The restaurant has a unique collection of 45-plus single malts from India and international labels, including Japanese malts," discloses General Manager Surajit Chatterjee. "We also have Spanish wines and Portuguese port wines that go well with tapas food of both countries. The guests often ask for them," he adds.

While the team is not planning Iberian food pop-ups or festivals just yet, being only five months old, they see such initiatives on the horizon once the space settles into its rhythm.

READY FOR THE FUTURE

Despite being part of a large hotel chain, Nora’s Cantina feels intimate and independent, exactly what its creators hoped for. “We wanted it to stand on its own,” Chatterjee explains.

“It’s the only place in Goa right now offering a pure Spanish-Portuguese tapas experience. And the response has been very encouraging.”

For now, the focus remains on fine-tuning what they’ve built. “Success for us,” Akshata says, “is when a guest walks in, tries something they’ve never had before, and leaves with a smile. That’s when we know we’ve done something right.”

DETAILS:

WHAT: Nora's Cantina, Novotel Goa Panjim

TIME: 1 pm to 4 pm and 7 pm to 11.30 pm

FOR RESERVATIONS: +91 89569 74912