Feliz, boasts of mouth-watering coastal cuisine, and offers an amazing view of River Mandovi
Feliz Restaurant housed at Double Tree by Hilton, resonates with the very essence of Goa, which provides a relaxed ambience with an outdoor-only seating overlooking lush fields and the flowing Mandovi River. Feliz serves a fine and handcrafted delection of Goan and Manglorean cuisines, to create noteworthy lunch and dining experiences.
Chef Vidhya Gawas, who has her culinary roots deeply immersed in the local cuisine, creates the artisanal menu and takes Goan cuisine to an elevated platform, at Feliz.
Their beverage menu boasts of wines available all over the world, their in-house cocktails, aperitifs and liquors, along with the usual drinks one would find in a fine dining restaurant. We were served two cocktails, The Mandovi, named after Goa’s famous river, which is a concoction of cashew feni and kokum, which is shaken to perfection and the Port Lemonade, which is a drink of lime infused gin topped up with Goan Port wine. The Mandovi was mellower while the Port Lemonade was strong and smooth. Both drinks were chilled and perfect for a hot, lazy afternoon.
Chef Vidhya then began sending out her special appetizers, the first one being pieces of local Goan Pao along with a vegetable pickle and Sandige, which is a fried snack, popular in South India, with a peri peri aioli. The sandige were crunchy and went well with the aioli while the vegetable pickle had bits of carrots, cauliflower and French beans coated well with spices and oil.
Next, we were presented with an amuse-bouche called Camarão de Poppadum which was prawns cooked in homemade spices, on a bed of amaranth leaves and served in homemade masala papad shells. Accompanying this bite-size delicacy were little shot glasses of creamy coconut milk which a drop of Kokum to offset the spiciness of the prawns. The papad shell was delicate and crunchy while the prawns were creamy with just the right amount of spice. For those who find it too spicy, the coconut milk is soothing to the palate.
Chef Vidhya then sent out her special Chicken Soup called the Kori Saaru, which is a spicy chicken broth with cinnamon and small bits of chicken. A very light broth, with a tinge of spice makes for a light appetizer.
The catch of the day was the next in the list of appetizers. This was the Chef ’s special, which was semolina-coated mackerels, stuffed with a paste of coconut, onions and coriander, served with peri peri sauce. The fish was coated to perfection and the filling was just right, highlighting the flavour of the fish as well as the stuffing.
The last amongst the appetizers was the Mushroom Varuval Tart, which is a dry preparation of cashew nut, chilly, and curry leaves in a tart shell, garnished with cheese and garlic crisps. The tart was sweet and biscuit while the filling was scrumptious.
For the mains, Chef Vidhya served us Chicken Stew, a coconut flavoured stew, with small pieces of chicken and mildly spiced. This was served along with appams, which is a type of pancake, made with fermented rice batter and coconut milk, originating from South India. The appams were paper-thin and went beautifully with the lightly spiced and flavorful stew. If one is not a fan of spicy food, this is your best bet. For dessert we had Bebinca, Goa’s speciality, which is a layered dessert made with eggs, coconut milk and flour. This version has hints of cinnamon and was served with a smooth brandy sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The dessert was light and rich at the same time, which made for a perfect ending to the meal.
Chef Vidhya, combines her rustic cooking style and personality to ensure that the dining experience compliments the food.
On Sundays, Feliz serve their brunch called the Feliz Soirée wherein they have live food counters of showcasing different cuisines, musicians, magic shows and other activities for children.
If one wants to have a relaxed lunch or dinner in the lap of nature, with a beautiful view, then this is your go-to place.
