Cafreal : The one and only Florentine Restaurant -------------------------------------------------------------- by Vivek Menezes for BBC Good Food vmingoa@gmail No place better illustrates the globalization of Indian food than Goa. For at least 3000 years, this tiny sliver of the Konkan coast has functioned as an entrepot: a window to trade and cultural exchange with the outside world. Unusually, Goa also accepted waves of settlers, from ancient Sumerians and Saraswats, to medieval Arabs. All these influences flow together to comprise the many distinct cuisines of Goa. Indian culinary historys most dramatic shift also took place in Goa, during the longest European colonial period in history, when long colonial era when Portugal held sway from 1510 all the way to Nehrus military intervention in 1961. An unstoppable flow of new products -- tomatoes, corn, potatoes, groundnuts -- streamed in to alter the subcontinents food landscape forever. Indian food everywhere is now unimaginable without chilis, for example. But they only entered Goa in the sixteenth century, and took at least another 200 years to spread to North India. Similarly, western-style leavened breads (pav) were introduced by Portuguese navvies, as was chhana, the cottage cheese needed to make all manner of Bengali sweets. Goan food habits profoundly transformed in response wide confluence of inputs. The small territory of Estado da India played an outsizedly significant international role at the centerpiece of a global maritime empire that stretched from Mozambique to Macao to Manaus in Brazil. All these places have contributed something to the Goan table. Goas most beloved tipple, the famous caju feni, for example, is brewed uniquely from a fruit that native to the Amazon. The states traditional dessert, fragrant many-layered Bebinca, is a more sophisticated version of a popular Filipino pancake. And arguably Indias single most famous dish in the West, the vindaloo, (British football fans serenade their team with a song extolling this curry) is an inspired Konkani rendition of the traditional, Iberian carne de vinho e alhos, or simply meat cooked in wine, vinegar and garlic. One of the most fascinating aspects to the Goan palate -- and thus the states culinary traditions -- is how open both remain to new dishes, new techniques and ingredients. While storied traditions of the past are as prized as ever, the states culinary canon remains broadmindedly open to reinterpretation. I love the way we accept new things, and make them our own so quickly, enthuses Fatima Silva Gracias, the states best known food historian and author. She points out how rissois, the wildly popular Portugal-derived stuffed little pillows of dough, are only in Goa made in crescent shapes, a clear influence of the traditional Hindu neuri pastries that are made both sweet and savory on special occasions. Another range of newly invented items that have become established in Goas culinary repertoire comes from the huge assortment of traditional bakeries, confeitarias and patisseries, like Panjim citys single favourite snack: the mushroom samosa. It was invented at the century-old Café Central less than two decades ago. But the best illustration of the Goan penchant to make instant classics out of new dishes is Chicken Cafreal. Unknown in Goa right into the 1970s, the richly aromatic, long-marinated fried chicken dish that comes smothered in a tart, spicy coriander-heavy sauce is now ubiquitous on state restaurant menus, and widely known across the world as a one of the signature Goan food preparations. For this, the laid-back Florentine Restaurant in Saligao bears greatest credit. Most Goans remember their first taste of Chicken Cafreal there. It is a dish that conquered the state. And so Caetano da Costa and his family have achieved something extremely rare -- by themselves, theyve changed the face of Goan food forever, so emblazoning their restaurant in the annals of culinary history. The first man to put Cafreal on a menu was Gines Viegas, long-time proprietor of what was once Goas only stand-alone restaurant, O Coqueiro. A devoted foodie who travelled across the world in the wake of the Goan diaspora, it Viegas tried to make a local version of the African Chicken hed encountered in Macao (where it is stifled under a thick layer of satay-type peanut sauce). His own coriander-heavy version became popular with tourists -- the gangster Charles Sobhraj was a regular, before being arrested in the restaurant itself -- and soon other restaurants put their own versions on their menus. It was at the Mandovi Hotel in Panjim that Caetano da Costa first encountered his first Chicken Cafreal. He worked in the kitchens there in the 1980s under the tutelage of a senior chef, Caridade Alfonso. By this time, da Costas parents had opened a tiny taverna in a by-lane of Saligao, selling cashew and palm feni distilled by another relative. His mother added home-made snacks to go along with drinks, and the little taverna immediately became a hit with the motorcycle-pilots of the region. They brought their customers in increasing numbers: Caetano left his job at the Mandovi and Florentine Restaurant was born. When I first visited Florentine in 1992, it was still a proudly unlabelled shack (though with a restaurant license) with sandy floors, and a roof made of palm fronds. But its Chicken Cafreal had already earned a state-wide reputation. By then, Caetano had established the routine of personally marinating each piece of chicken in a secret blend of fresh spices, chili, lime, vinegar and ground coriander paste. And those hints came to my nostrils when the Cafreal first appeared on my table, but they were no preparation for the first bites. The da Costas fry the hefty chunks of chicken, with plenty of marinade, under for far longer than you might imagine, but always under cover: this imparts the dish with its blackened look, and steeped piquant taste, but also leaves the meat wonderfully moist and tender. I was instantly addicted -- Its one of the most addictive dishes on offer anywhere. Like myself, I know many people whove gorged on Caetanos Chicken Cafreal for lunch, then gone home (or back to their hotel) to nap, only to wake up craving it again, so to return like homing pigeons for another stuffing at dinner. Ive known families to pack it up in coolers to take back with them to Mumbai, or, on occasion, even Manchester. Once tried, its hard to bear being Cafreal-less again. I immediately loved the Florentine Chicken Cafreal, admits Silva Gracias, unlike some of the versions I had tried before, it has a delicious tangy gravy that goes really well with the Goan poee (a robust, pita-like local bread). Like me, the food historians family became instantly hooked. For years after that first taste, her husband would drive to the restaurant several times a month to pick up Chicken Cafreal for dinner. That is how this restaurant grew from a four-table little room, says a visibly proud Caetano, we never ever take short-cuts with the food, and have always remained consistently focused on our own local customers. They are have always been loyal to us from the beginning, and they know that Florentine will remain loyal to them. Now we are truly like a family. And so, while Florentines premises itself have transformed radically from its shack days to an impressive multi-storeyed building, including a paved childrens playground to its rear, its laid-back charm and emphasis on fresh ingredients has remained unaltered. Caetano and his wife personally visit the markets soon after dawn to select their days offerings, the drink of choice is still unlabelled feni straight from the distillery, and the place remains filled with locals all year, including the height of monsoon. Still a regular more than 20 years after I first noshed hard on Florentines Chicken Cafreal, it is interesting to note that several familiar faces of staff from the shack days are still all around. Caetano is less ubiquitous than before, but his philosophy has not budged perceptibly from the days when he scorned the idea of the simplest signboard on the nearby highway to the beach belt. Word of mouth, he used to say, if my food is good they will come. And despite the fact they now come in unceasing droves, and Florentine is singularly associated with one of the most famous dishes in Goa -- with a genuine world-wide reputation -- Caetano is notably uninterested in franchising, or even expanding the restaurant any further. franchise. Thats not Florentines style. In a state that has long since lost most of its once-prized, laid-back sussegado vibe, Caetanos restaurant remains an oasis of contentedness, calm and classic Goan food, that should not be missed by any visitor to the state. ----------------------------- Florentine Restaurant CHOGM Rd Saligao, GA 403511 0832 227 8249
Posted on: Mon, 14 Apr 2014 15:22:49 +0000