Food review: Lamuella in Arambol is as good as Goa gets! [4.5/5]
The shop sells clothes, mostly for women. From chic to near-avant-garde, the claim Laumella makes as a boutique is something only a fashionista can gauge.
However, this small shop in Arambol hides a salivating secret. Ok, it’s not so secret.
Right up front, you see the shop say it also has a bistro. However, you have to navigate the shop and a small corridor before you get to one of the cosiest eateries I have seen so far.
The ambience
It is best if you walk into Lamuella for a breakfast.
Make sure it is before 9 am, because otherwise the spillover of the cacophony from the main road — especially during tourist season — could spoil the mood.
The staff is soft-spoken, almost as if they want to food to speak for itself.
The right side of the menu is commensurate with the price tags you might associate with even the cheapest-looking or most run-down eateries in town.
However, something about the setting struck a chord with me.
I don’t know if it was the fact that it has only three proper tables, while the rest were divan-like structures converted to seating areas.
It could have been the simple natural aura — the trees, leaves, twines, etc — either.
But it had piqued my interest, and I turned to the menu.
The food
It was breakfast time, but I wasn’t in the mood for a salad. I didn’t want to entirely shun vegetarian either.
Therefore, I struck a balance and ordered a plate of Baba Ganoush.
My research would later reveal that this dish is common as an appetizer in countries like Cyprus, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, and Turkey.
What I did know at that time was I was a tourist, and I wanted to explore a new culture, even though it might not exactly be local.
Then again, enough tourists from the West visit India in general and Goa in particular to have led to the rise of restaurants that cater to their palates.
When the food came, it turned out to be Tahini sauce blended with brinjal into a cream and served, with a couple of pieces of the unblended brinjal.
The seasoning included olive oil and lemon juice, while the side was slices of bread.
Initially the portion seemed small, despite the “healthy” tack-on to justify the Rs 180 price tag.
But then I dug in, and it was love at first bite!
The Tahini-brinjal blend was exactly that: a blend of two tastes enhanced by the light seasoning mix that I did not dare ask about.
The creamy, slightly oily texture didn’t exactly put me off either.
However, the star was definitely the bread!
It was multigrain, brown, and dense, but not clumpy. It had a grilled crispiness, yet enough moisture to not remind you of rusk biscuits.
And paired with the Tahini-brinjal blend and the brinjal itself, it was satisfaction in every bite!
Final thoughts about Lamuella Bistro
This is my second day in Arambol, and I plan to go back to Lamuella just for this Baba Ganoush!
If that doesn’t tell you the special place their Baba Ganoush holds in my heart, scoot down here and try it yourself!
If you have anything to say about the review, or just want to reach out, right this way, please! We promise to reply in a jiffy!
(Code of Ethics: I paid for the food out of my own pocket.)
