New Age Indian cuisine channeling the vibe of Goa, this fabulous restaurant is the third in a succession of concepts by chef Hemant Bhagwani, inspired by his time in Goa — India’s vacation destination on the Arabian Sea. After selling his enormously popular Indian Street Food Co. and the Amaya Express chain in 2017, Bhagwani spent six months recharging in Goa and working on a yet-to-be-released and eagerly awaited cookbook. Captivated by the sun-soaked state’s distinctive, culturally diverse cuisine, the chef returned to Toronto to open Bayview Village’s Goa Indian Farm Kitchen in 2019, followed by Goa New York in the Tribeca neighbourhood, and now thankfully Bar Goa, conveniently located on the corner of Toronto and Adelaide Street — a short walk from where we live.
Goan cuisine has long been known for its blend of Indian and colonial Portuguese influences, and the area continues to be a crossroads of culinary cultures. Offering two set Omakase menus — one vegetarian and one not — Bar Goa also has many à la carte options including chef Harjot Singh's outstanding Makhan Chicken Tikka, delicious Goan Tiger Prawn Curry and superb Grass Fed Ghee Dal Makhani. A certified sommelier himself, Bhagwani has developed a well-focused wine list which features light and bright whites, spicy reds and cool cocktails such as a Paan Old Fashioned garnished with a betel leaf and Cardamom Martini with cardamom, vodka, dry vermouth and green tea. With an irresistibly hip vibe and the finest Indian food in town, Bar Goa is quite simply the best.
Sleek and modern, the interior of Bar Goa is also warm and inviting
Black-and-white geometric flooring inspired by the traditional azulejos tiles from
Portugal's colonial influence on Goan architecture
Paan Old Fashioned, whiskey infused with paan is combined with Nonino Quintessentia,
saffron bitters and Manuka honey and garnished with a betel leaf
is my favourite dish at Bar Goa
Short Ribs Vindaloo with a mini Kulcha
to soak up all the lovely sauce
Austrian Grüner Veltliner
Makhan Chicken Tikka
Serves 2
Recipe courtesy of chef Hemant Bhagwani
First Marination:
6 oz chicken breasts, boneless with skin removed, and cut into 4 even "cubes"
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp garlic paste
3 tbsp ginger paste
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Chicken Marinade:
2 tbsp garlic paste
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp mustard oil
25g garam masala
200g Greek yogurt
50g cheddar cheese
For Tikka Masala:
10g dried fenugreek lightly roasted
2g black salt
6g chaat masala
3g raw mango powder
3g Kashmiri chilli powder
2g garam masala
8oz melted butter
Makhan sauce:
500g Greek yogurt
5 cardamom pods, crushed
50g fresh root ginger, Finley chopped
1 tsp green chillies, finely chopped
1 tsp cilantro, finely chopped
Salt
To make the marinated chicken, mix all of the ingredients, except the chicken, in a bowl, then rub this into the chicken, ensuring it is evenly coated. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.
To make the chicken marinade, mix all ingredients in a bowl, and rub it onto the chicken, then coat it again. Leave the marinated chicken in the fridge for up to 6 hours. To make the tikka masala, grind the fenugreek, and then mix with other spices and store in a container. Set the butter on the side.
For the Makhan sauce, bring the yogurt, cream, cardamom, and crushed ginger to a boil in a small pot, then blend for 3 minutes to make it a consistent sauce.
Cook the chicken on the barbecue until just done. Skewer the chicken pieces and plate with a drizzle of Mahkan sauce and serve.
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