Where We Are Going Today: Goa - an authentic Indian food restaurant

Photo/Supplied
Short Url
Updated 03 January 2023
Follow

Where We Are Going Today: Goa - an authentic Indian food restaurant

  • The dessert menu includes India’s beloved gulab jamun, pistachio cake and masala cheesecake, a fusion option. Goa is also popular for their ice creams, including kulfi and coconut chocolate ice cream

Goa is a sleek and classy restaurant serving a terrific range of authentic Indian food.

Located on Prince Naif Road in the Al-Shera’a district, Goa has a cheerful ambiance and soothing environment with both indoor and outdoor seating. From entering to the end of the meal, the eatery’s hospitality will undeniably win hearts.

Goa’s extensive menu offers delectable dishes with sundry herb and spice combinations. Starters include a variety of salads, soups and appetizers but the Caesar salad with mali chicken, crispy pachos and Goa lentil soup is a must-try.

The main course includes famous Indian dishes including butter chicken, chicken 65, dal makhni and meat/chicken curry masala which is best eaten with crunchy garlic, cheese or plain naan.

The restaurant also offers a sharing option called mixed Indian party. Suitable for up to three people, it includes five main-course curries served alongside biryani rice and naan. It also has a tandoori sharing platter that consists of Indian-style barbeque chicken, mutton and seafood.

All the dishes on the menu stand out due to their unique presentation and flavors. From refreshing drinks to savory snacks, the place has it all. The menu also offers kofta roll, chicken tikka roll, shrimp tandoori taco and veggie noodles, which can be eaten as a snack if one is not in the mood for a wholesome meal.

The dessert menu includes India’s beloved gulab jamun, pistachio cake and masala cheesecake, a fusion option. Goa is also popular for their ice creams, including kulfi and coconut chocolate ice cream.

This fine-dining restaurant promises an intriguing culinary experience for its diners who are from several countries abroad.

 


Where We Are Going Today: Taste and Tales by Chef Shagufa

AN photo by Sadiya A. Nadeem
Updated 29 December 2025
Follow

Where We Are Going Today: Taste and Tales by Chef Shagufa

  • We shared three platters among the six of us, and needless to say, the portions were generous and the flavors satisfying

Relatively new on the block, Taste and Tales by Chef Shagufa, located in Jeddah’s Al-Rehab district, has been making quite a buzz on social media.

So, on a cool Friday morning at 7:00 a.m., five of my cousins and I decided to visit the restaurant to experience its much-talked-about traditional South Asian breakfast for ourselves.

We ordered the restaurant’s hyped breakfast thali (platter), which included sooji halwa (semolina pudding), kheer (rice pudding), chickpea curry, potato curry, pickles, pooris (fried, fluffy bread), and paranthas (layered flatbread), all served in beautiful copper serveware.

We shared three platters among the six of us, and needless to say, the portions were generous and the flavors satisfying. 

Personally, I enjoyed everything on the platter except the semolina pudding, which I found a little bland for my taste.

For drinks, five of us ordered milk tea, which was fairly good. One of my cousins opted for their famed Pakola lassi and couldn’t stop raving about it. Since she didn’t let any of us sample it, we’ve decided it’s something to try on our next visit.

Our total bill came to SR150 ($40), slightly higher than what nearby restaurants charge for similar breakfast platters. However, the taste, presentation, and overall ambience more than make up for the difference.

Not many South Asian restaurants in Jeddah offer decent dine-in breakfast seating for families, but Taste and Tales stands out. With its simple interiors and modest seating, the space is clean, comfortable, and welcoming. It’s definitely a place I’d visit again with my female friends, cousins, and family.