When the Goan poder (baker) arrived with pao, katre, undde and poie, little kids would eagerly rummage through the basket to find their favourites. And, more often than not, the poie would be left behind, typically chosen by the elderly.
Realising its overlooked charm and health benefits, brothers Megh and Prasheel Netravalkar set out to give poie the spotlight it deserved, and started their venture that goes by the name, ‘Poie Re’.
“The whole idea was to take poie and make it big,” says Megh, sharing how the concept began. “You go anywhere, and poie sandwiches aren’t really a thing. We wanted to bring something fresh, something that resonates with Goa and Goan culture.”
It’s been around two and a half years since the brand came into existence. Initially, it started as a cloud kitchen run from their sister concern, restaurant Kismoor, in Sangolda, and operated online via Swiggy and Zomato. But in May last year, the physical outlet opened at the Heera Petrol Pump in Panjim.
“If you travel across the world, you’ll notice that cafes at fuel stations are actually great places where you can spend time while you fuel your car, relax during long journeys – you know, take a break. So we’ve tried to take the concept of a cafe by the fuel pump a notch higher,” he explains.
Twice a day, fresh poies baked all the way in Socorro, Porvorim, are delivered to the outlet to give guests bread that is fresh, and which are then packed with amazing ingredients and sauces.
To speed up the operations, only the basic assembly takes place at the outlet, while everything is prepped and cooked at their Sangolda kitchen. They're also continuously working on making the process even quicker and more efficient.
The cafe is a neat welcoming space, with soft music in the background and walls that pay homage to the humble poie, and a colour palette that reflects the warm, earthy tones of the traditional bread. The counter at the centre displays a list of offerings.
“For the menu, we tried to keep the local Goan poie and bring international flavours, so we’ve combined the two,” Megh explains.
That’s the reason why you find dishes like Butter Chicken Blast, Bella Vista Cafreal, The Goan Sando, Crusted Chicken Mayo, Lebanese Doner Kebab, Poder’s Chilly, Sloppy Pesto Salami, Seafood Overload, Crab Meat and Tuna Chilly Mint sit alongside vegan options such as the Hummus Pocket and Jack on Fire (made with raw jackfruit meat).
They also feature a rotating 'specials' menu and recently introduced chorizo, a much-requested item. As Megh puts it, “Chorico and Goan poie is just the best combination one can get.”
Much like the popular pita bread, poie also has similar characterises – it’s round, soft and forms a perfect pocket that holds the sandwich quite well. Megh believes it’s time Goan breads have their moment, and Poie Re is just a step in that direction.
Reflecting on his childhood, Megh recalls, “When I was a child, poie was something that was had by elderly people, they used to give us pao and everything and I used to wonder why, I understand because poie is also a little bit healthier.”
Elaborating about the restaurant name, Megh says, “It was my idea, I wanted a catchy name.” He explains that the phrase poie re also means ‘hey look’ in Konkani. “When tourists walk in, they are curious. They ask what Poie Re means, so we tell them that the bread is called poie. Many assume that the bread itself is Poie Re.”
While catering to those who want to grab a quick bite, someone who is filling their fuel and want to get something on the go, and even the younger college crowd, Poie Re also takes their offerings to numerous local events and pop-ups.
“Next, we'll be at the Cashew Fest,” Megh says. “I strongly feel that at any event that is organised, there has to be poie as it resonates quite deeply with Goan culture.”
While poie has always been found in Goan households, it is often underappreciated. With Poie Re, Megh and his brother are reminding everyone that Goa doesn’t just have its own bread, but something truly special.
DETAILS
WHAT: Poie Re
LOCATION: Heera Petrol Pump, Panjim
TIMINGS: 11 am to 11 pm (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday); 11 am to 3 am (Sunday, Wednesday, Friday)
HOME DELIVERY: Zomato and Swiggy