Gong Xi Fa Cai

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Mapo Tofu
North 16′s chinese new year fest
You’ve got to try the Oolong Tea Marinated Quail at North 16. As the comedienne Joan Rivers would say, it’s “to die for”! North Café, the restaurant on the grounds of the elegant North 16 resort in Calangute, is holding a Chinese food festival in celebration of the Chinese New Year and it’s on till the 16
th
of February.
This is a China-meets-Goa extravaganza of sorts, and I highly recommend not just the Oolong Tea Marinated Quail, but also the Peking Duck Roast, the Dumplings, Abalone Soup and the Steamed Vegetable Noodles.
I was glad that I stepped into North 16. The place is an oasis in otherwise crowded Calangute. Beautifully lit and tranquil with ample space to breathe, the place instantly set me at ease. North Café was set to the theme: with red lamps surrounding the fountain just as you walked down the stairs. The restaurant opens out to a long pool with a bar on one side, the sight of it smoothly opening your senses.
oolong Tea Merinated Quail
Still waters reflecting warm cozy lit rooms and the tranquility of night raise anticipation toward experiencing authentic Chinese cuisine. Yes, trust me when I say “authentic”. Akhil Verma, Asst F&B Manager, proudly swears by it and he’s not wrong. As you sip TsingTao beer, all your doubts will be quenched and your olfactory senses heightened along with your palette.
And now, let’s dive into the abalone soup. It is subtle, aromatic and evocative of the sea – white and clear with succulent bamboo shoots.
This was followed by steamed vegetarian, seafood, chicken and pork dumplings. My favorite was the vegetarian, it was done beautifully, soft and delicious and it melted in my mouth. I was merrily going along on this gastronomy ride and now looked forward to what was going to be served next. The Tea Marinated Quail arrived with a dash of sauce. It was my pick of the night and I loved it. It’s tender from inside and crispy from the outside. Just pecking away at the Quail because it’s not meaty but it’s the crispy tender taste that keeps you nibbling at it. Zoheb Khan, chef at North Café recommends the Peking Duck in particular when I asked him what he would choose for his diners.
Here is a recipe from Zoheb for all those who want to give it a go. Marinate whole duck with salt and pepper and stuff it with ginger, garlic and spring onion. Leave it for two or three hours. While it’s getting soaked with the flavours, take a wok and add vinegar, molasses and water and bring the whole thing to a boil and then place the duck for a minute. Remove the duck and hang the bird for a couple of hours. Pre-heat the oven, grab the bird and put it in the oven at a one hundred and forty six degrees centigrade for forty- five minutes. Take the duck out and cut it into thin slices and then serve it with cucumber, spring onion and Mandarin Pancakes.
Akhil tells me, “We have the most authentic traditional food. You won’t find it anywhere.” When I asked for dessert, Akhil tells me amusingly that they have none because he recounts his experience in China where he had frozen blood as dessert. He tells me that they believe in cultivating a truly traditional authentic experience for their guests. I learnt that the usual crispy fried noodles aren’t what some would consider truly traditional. Well, that’s a dispute over another gorgeous Chinese dinner.
Ankeeta Sekhri, Assistant Manager for Marketing & Communication says “We are one of the top players in the market” and you can expect high standards from North 16. They were the first laidback luxury resort to offer five star services around the north of Goa. In fact the name of the place comes from the fact that it is situated in the north of Goa and has the postcode ending with sixteen, hence North 16.
“We are a versatile restaurant and we offer Chinese, Indian, Italian. We don’t repeat our menus and we have a great F&B team” says Ankeeta. There is a lot more happening at the North 16 and they are gearing themselves up for some fantastic food festivals. Stay tuned for great food, lovely music and a great ride! As Akhil says, “we would love to share this adventure with the clients”.
Before I close, let me quickly run down the menu. Start with that Tsing Tao Beer or a Chinese jasmine tea, abalone soup, pork, chicken, seafood and vegetable SiewMei (Dimsums), pork belly and bokochov, Peking Duck, Oolong Tea Marinated Quail, Sichuan Rabbit, Red Snapper in light Soy, sticky rice, five spice rice, Enoki, shitake mushrooms with Bokchoy and bamboo shoots, pan fried noodles and Mapo tofu.
I’ve got China on my mind.
Ph: +91 832 6745555
Email: reservations@north16.in
www.north16goa.com