ATITHI BEVO BHAVA

This translates as: “God comes as a guest” which is the mantra of Sri’s Restaurant: “To make sure you have a divine time whenever you come.”

Last night god alMikey and his companion were indeed the guests when we returned to this house of culinary delights in Vagator for the twice-weekly Sitarsonic session that we had seen advertised when a friend had recently taken us to sample the delicious fare on offer at this unique establishment. Unique because of all the restaurants we had visited since arriving in India, this was the only one where the owner was present and involved: flitting with a warm smile from the kitchen to the bar and making the rounds of the tables, greetings guests and chatting, making sure that everything was just what the virtuous mantra alluded to.

We arrived just after the music had started and were in time to be seated at the same raised dais that pleased me no end the first time we were there. Just a short distance on stage left and at the same elevation as the solo musician who sat cross-legged with his sitar in his lap and a laptop and mixer in front of him. For anyone who knows me, it would not come as a surprise to hear me say that even though the music was pleasant enough (I even bought the CD), I was not impressed. At our hut in Morjim we have spent many a sunset evening taking time out listening to brilliant Indian musicians who are recognized as masters of their instruments. Men and women who coax such complex rhythms and melodies from instruments which become animated extensions of their compositional and improvisational will.

Paco Rodriguez on the other hand uses complex electronic beats and loops beneath which he inserts simple riffs and motifs with the occasional vocal accompaniment with a mumbled reference to an abridged Indian iconography. When I heard his accent after the first set I thought he must be French, but the truth is I am not too sure where he hails from, however I am very sure that dear Paco is no Indian Classical Sitar master. At best, he is a dude from Europe who has moved from guitar to sitar and has managed to find a captive niche audience amongst the other wanna-be hippies from Europe who frequent the bars and restaurants of Goa. It left me wondering where the Indian musicians play their music: Europe or the USA where Zakir Hussein is just finishing a hectic tour schedule?

But coming back to Sri’s Restaurant with its four different seating areas that could probably accommodate in excess of one hundred diners at a sitting; with just two waiters who genuinely look as if they enjoy doing what they do – always smiling as they jog nimbly to the kitchen to place an order – and familiar with the ingredients and preparation of every dish. And every one of their dishes makes ones’ mouth water even though quite a few of the menu items are on offer at every other restaurant. As I mentioned before though, when it comes to food, it is all about the little things: little subtleties that transform the tried and tested into an extraordinary gastronomic experience, but the thing that truly sets Sri’s apart is the sheer variety of dishes on offer. A three-course dik-vreet was onse naam!

And of course, afterward we had eaten our fill, we could lay back and listen to the syncopated wanna-be ragas while happily ensconced on a comfortable dark hash-brown eiderdown.