Imagine the sectioned plastic plate that children eat with to keep all the different food groups in their own area – that’s basically what a thali is, but a beautified adult version. It can be eaten solo, or shared with others depending on your hunger levels, but the most important thing is that it offers a variety of small portions in its own section on a larger plate, or more realistically, several small bowls on a massive plate. 

There are thalis in most Indian restaurants, and they usually have a theme associated with it like a South Indian thali, a North Indian thali, a vegetarian thali, or a fish thali, pretty much anything goes, you name it. Despite being famous for its beaches, yoga, and psychedelic raves, India’s southern state of Goa must also be recognized for its delicious cuisine, including the Goan thalis. 

A thali is a staple across Goa, with various fish and prawn options as the centrepiece surrounded by a tiny bowl of curried clams, a fish gravy, a dried shrimp chutney, a vegetable medley, and a sweet bite for the end. There’s always a mountain of rice that easily accompanies all the dishes. Every restaurant has their unique recipe that’s likely been passed down for generations, and some of the dishes such as the vegetables can change daily or weekly. So you never get the same thing, even though it has the same name, and perhaps the same ingredients. 

On a recent jaunt in Northern Goa around Mandrem, a Goan thali extravaganza took place and we want to share our findings for when you find yourself in India’s beach haven. A thali is one of the more popular things to eat when sampling Goan cuisine because there are so many tasters that provide variety, and plenty of ingredients from the sea. Thalis are without a doubt the best and the most afforsdable options when it comes to eating in Goa.  

Naga’s Bar & Family Restaurant
This was the prettiest thali of them all, and you could say the healthiest because instead of a small dessert to complete the meal, there was a fresh banana in the middle of the plate that acted as an edible decoration. Keeping in theme with “health”, there was also a bowl with a chilled cabbage salad that acted as a palate cleanser between the other options. 

It was my introduction to the Goan thali, and I immediately fell in love with what I was tasting. There’s a generous amount of food on these plates, and therefore, a lot of fish and seafood to enjoy. The highlights of this thali were the clams that were perfectly spiced and easy to eat, and the dried shrimp sampling that was a first but not a last. 

If you want to go off piste here, there are several other Goan curries and specialities to sample, like the Chicken Xacuti and Prawn Masala, both of which come spicy so make sure you have a cold beer or a lassi on hand if you take this route. 

Smoke Fish Cafe
This restaurant is a little gem off-the-beauetn-track, and totally worth it. It’s set on the second floor of a house in the jungle, and it’s a full family-run operation. The thali here has its own personality – we opted for one prawn and one kingfish thali, both of which come lightly breaded and fried. The breading isn’t overpowering and the original flavours still come through. Don’t be deterred by the one bone in the kingfish, it’s easy to remove or to eat around it. 

As for the shrimp, they were the right amount of cooked, and paired well with the okra curry that came along on the plate. The fish curry had chunks of fish in it, so you got the best of both worlds regardless of whichever thali you ordered. Not surprisingly, the highlight here are the two main events – the fish and the prawns. 

As far as the other dishes go, it would be criminal not to mention how delicious the Prawn Masala is here, so much so that we ordered a second helping for dessert. The jumbo prawns are well balanced with a good kick, but nothing too fiery. If you want to go here to just eat this, you won’t regret it but we recommend to go hungry and do it all! 

Mahalaxmi Family Restaurant
After a couple of tries, we finally got to have lunch here and took advantage of the thalis – one prawn and one chanak fish. Without meaning to, we saved the best for last. Of all the three thalis, this one had the best tasting accompaniments, especially the fish curry which was cooked with chunks of fish and small shrimp. Chanak is a boneless white fish that’s native to the areas surrounding Goa. It works well with the thali as its flavour pairs terrifically with the more pungent curries and gravies. 

In keeping with tradition, an order of the Masala Shrimp was made to wash it all down. Unlike the thali, this version of the dish paled im comparison to the previous two because of the ketchup-like flavour and texture in the sauce. It was sweet instead of savoury, and lacked any balance. Although we finished the whole serving, it would have been better to save ourselves the calroies. 

The best way to get an understanding of Goan cuisine is to go out there and taste as much of it as you can, and decide which flavour profile and ingredients match your tastebuds. It’s a different story for everyone, and the best way to find your own favourites is to eat around the state, which no one will complain about! 

Eat with you soon in Toronto, 

Mandrea Bike
(Mat & Andrea)