Budget Eats: Pakiza, Fontainhas, Panjim, Goa, Feb 2024

Today we are going to a cute place called Pakiza which my friends Vikram Doctor and Alok Gupta have told me about. Apparently it’s a little joint in Fontainhas where you get very nice fish curry and also biryani.

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Pakiza restaurant, situated just off the colourful 31 January street beyond San Tome in Panjim, is easy to find. It is located in a non motorized, pedestrian area, so park near the post office and walk down 31 January street. Continue past Caravela Cafe, Hotel Venite and Anandashram restaurant, and take the first right turn after Casa Lusitania. Pakiza is at the end of the street. The Google Map location is in the video description.

Pakiza restaurant
Rua 31 de Janeiro, nr. The Crown and Casa Lusitania, Altinho, Panaji, Goa 403001
Contact: 9764708015, 9850464086; Sundays closed
Google Map location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ufaQ9Ufmtazua...

Costs we paid: Mutton biryani Rs 270, prawns thali Rs 200

This small, family-run eatery has just a few tables, and during peak lunch time, you may have to share.

Today Maria is having mutton biryani (full Rs 270; half Rs 160), which comes with , with gravy, salad and pickle, and Lesley is having prawns thali (Rs 200). The ample prawn thali had prawn curry, vermicelli kheer, teesrio, chonnem tonnak, four big fried prawns, cauliflower and potato bhaji, kismur, sol codi, salad, pickle and rice. And a nice big pappadum.

Pakiza also has chicken biryani (full Rs 180, half Rs 110), prawns biryani (Rs 250), anda biryani (Rs 130). Our friend Viola told us that the mutton (with rice/ chapati Rs 270) and chicken (with rice/ chapati Rs 150) plates here are superb. We saw regulars come in and have these while we were at Pakiza.


Pakiza’s location in this quiet corner reminds one of the time when San Tome and Fontainhas were serene havens, before hordes of tourists came to click selfies in front of someone else’s beautiful house. The low prices here are a reminder that you don’t have to shell out a lot to eat very well in Goa. Just enter the places where you see Goans eating.

The prawn curry was fantastic, the kismur just superb, the rawa fried prawns were perfectly fried. The teesrio was completely different from what we have normally. It was like a tonnak - really delicious. The mutton in the biryani was very soft. Nicely cooked.

While we ate, Pakiza’s regulars and tourists also came in, but mostly regulars coming to eat home made food. This is where the Goans working in the many guest houses and cafes in Fontainhas come to eat lunch.

We both really enjoyed the vermicelli kheer on Pakiza’s fish curry rice plate. It was nice to see a home made sweet dish

Within half and hour we had eaten and were ready to go. What a satisfying lunch at less than Rs 500 for 2 people. It’s no wonder that this little eatery has been thriving here for more than 30 years now

Pakiza is such a small, simple place, but it’s so big hearted. It had so many items in the thali. And they had prepared vermicelli kheer for for dessert. So many of the bigger, fancier restaurants just give one gulab jamun or no sweet dish at all. We really liked how this small and sweet Pakiza hotel gave us lovely home made vermicelli kheer for godshe (sweet). It was a lovely touch.

People, please, when you’re in Fontainhas, don’t go for all these flashy places. Look for Pakiza. It’s like home food. It’s very satisfying

Music:
Wanderer's Trove / A Nightingale's Journey / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com
Daniel Kaede / Marygold Spring / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com
Vendla / Rioverde / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

#goa #4k #goanfood #fishthali #northgoa #panjim #muttonbiryani