Goa is a treasure trove of food, and the phrase “food to die for” can perhaps never be overused in this blessed land of spices. In 2016, I had the great luck of visiting Goa thrice, and even if one of those trips was very disappointing in terms of food, I more than made up for it in August, when separated by days, I visited Goa twice. Andron was recommended by a good friend, and by the end of my Goa stories, it became a place to remember, a place to cherish, and obviously, go back a few more times for incredible food.
Mind you, this is not a place by the beach, or in Panjim, or in any other easily accessible location. This lies in the heart of Moira, a village near Aldona – about a 25 minute drive away from Mapusa. The ride is fabulous - once you veer from the highway, it is a stretch of road through greenery and typical Goan landscapes till you reach the village. An extremely narrow lane to your left spells out Andron – Family Restaurant and Bar, and that right there is your way into a distinctive Goan food experience.
The restaurant is in a fairly big compound, with provision for parking, and open as well as indoor seating. The owner, Francis, welcomed us with a warm smile as we made ourselves comfortable. As we arrived during closing time, we had already placed our order on phone – Tongue Roast, Chicken Chili Fry, Ard Mas, Shark Ambotik, Prawns Curry, and Rice. The beef tongue was specially recommended, and I could not wait to sample it. One by one, it all arrived on our table, and what followed was absolutely epic. The tongue – oh my god, I had never hoped it would be that amazing! The tongue meat is of a slightly chewy consistency, but the taste was beyond words, in fact I loved it much more than normal beef. The sauce was perfect too, and the preparation bowled us over. The Chicken Chili Fry was very good as well, but not as special as the tongue. The next star was the Ard Mas, which is a Goan specialty made with bony pork pieces in a typical spicy gravy. This was superb too – and I never knew I would enjoy pork on the bone so much. The pieces were slightly fried/sautéed and that lent tremendous taste to the dish, the gravy was great too. Reeling under the meat effect, we reached out for the seafood, and boom! The Shark Ambotik was an absolute explosion on our senses and the sharp, spicy, tangy gravy was more flavorful and tasty than any other Ambotik I have had. Really unique, and another must-have when at Andron. The Prawns Curry was milder compared to other dishes, and was good, but no competition for the other delectable fare that we had sampled that day.
Cut to my second trip to Andron, about a week later, and the story got even better. In addition to all the above dishes, we tried the Beef Chilly, Pork Vindalho and Pork Solantle. In fact, the dishes on my post are the only ones available at Andron (besides the occasional Butch, or pig tripe), and they create magic with the limited menu. Coming back, the Beef Chilly was great – tender meat fried with onions and chilies – not much could go wrong. The Pork Vindalho was very different from the usual version – with a thicker gravy that tastes more like an Indian curry but with an overdose of garlic. It wasn’t an authentic Vindalho but a rustic one, and we enjoyed the hell out of it. But the craziest superfood of Andron must be its Pork Solantle – for it left all of us speechless, as we savored it trying to memorize the flavor for life. A magical concoction of meat cubes, onion, and kokum – the Solantle at Andron is a meal fit for the Gods. Not overly spiced, but subtle and flavored by the meat jus, I wondered what I would be missing out on had I not visited the second time. And to top it all off, Francis offered us a few shots of Spiced Feni at the end of the meal – and it was a beautiful, strong drink to wash down the unforgettable dinner.
Andron is one of the un-commercialized, peaceful village eateries of Goa, and one of its best kept secrets. I doubt there is a lot of tourists who know about this place. Next time in Goa – do me a favor and pay them a visit. The snaps may not do justice, but I bet you will never forget it. Tongue Roast, Solantle, Ambotik, and Ard Mas – that’s your holy grail for the visit. Good luck!
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