Bernardo’s, a small home-style Goanese restaurant in Gurgaon, is Chrys and Cres Fernandes’ post-retirement project that materialised nine years ago. Since then, the couple, who have had no formal training in hospitality, have been plating popular coastal cuisine to people in and around the National Capital Region. Bringing their love for Goanese food to Delhi, they are presenting a festival of bona fide recipes at The Kitchen in Khan Market.
The dishes come with no frills attached. They are simple preparations that are routinely eaten in Goan homes on a daily basis. “A major part of our clientele comprises people who are home-sick. They come into the restaurant a couple of times a week to get their share of authentic relishes,” says Chrys.
The offerings at the festival are not many but manage to present every aspect of the true Goanese cuisine. Take, for instance, the delicately shallow-fried Prawn Recheado that bursts out with sharp, tangy recheio masala of red chillies and spices ground in Goan vinegar. A dish simple to execute, and so very delicious. The Caril de Camarão, a prawn curry simmered with ground spices and coconut milk with a tart twist of kokum, is a dish that easily qualifies as the perfect comfort curry. The Peixe Recheado, a traditional whole pomfret laced with spicy recheio masala of red chillies and spices ground in Goan vinegar is another highlight of the menu. Another classic dish, the Vindalho de Porco wherein boneless but flavourful pork cubes are marinated all night in spices and vinegar and then slow-cooked is one of the must-try on the menu. “A few months ago, a guest came to our restaurant and after checking out the menu, asked if the Vindalho de Porco was fresh. My husband turned around and said, no, much to the visitor’s dismay. Subsequently, my husband made him understand that the Vindalho’s tastes only begin to mature in a couple of days so it can never really be ‘fresh’,” says Cres.
For sweet endings, the couple insists their guests have the popular Goanese dessert, Bebinca. Even though the traditional Bebinca is made of 16 layers, this one has close to eight. ‘‘Unlike the Vindalho, this is definitely supposed to be had fresh,’’ jokes Cres.