Susegaad Bernardo's

Gurgaon is hell when it comes to food. Except for couple of places like Karim’s et al, I haven’t had a satisfying grub here. But in the last few days, there had been much hype about this place called Bernardo’s. Had heard about it from manager first, who hadn’t been there, but he had heard about this place from Rohan. Looks like Rohan hadn’t had much food there, but managed to spread the word. Then Goyal [1] told me about it before I tresspassed Shivam's National Highway. Bernardo’s. A Goan restaurant with an atrociously slow website, awkwardly slow service, poky little space, vague location, ordinary ambience, and …. hang on… unbelievably amazing food! Trust me, it’s the best restaurant in in the town – at least for a foodie like me!

Zero exaggeration.

About Bernardo’s:

Bernardo’s is a brainchild of Chrys and Cres Fernandez… a fantastic tale of foodie fascination that began two years ago in a pigeon hole… literally! We moved from our first premises (at Meher Chand Market, behind India Habitat Centre) to bigger digs in mini bong land – Chittaranjan Park. We have recently shifted from there as well and you can now find us at your present address in Gurgaon.

Ours is a different concept… completely! You may have gone to Goa on vacation. You may have hopped down to any of the innumerable shacks and restaurants for a bite to eat and declared the food you were served incredible. In all probability, it was very good food. Just not authentic home cooked Goan food. What the real susegaad savours come sun down or sun up.

Susegaad, Indeed. [2]

We had been talking a lot about this place, and hadn’t managed to go there. I invited some 10 odd people with a great selfish intention. Albeit the initial confusion and difficulty in locating the place, everybody turned up, surprisingly on time. The place turned out to be a rather small one, with five tables, each barely sufficient for four people. Orders were taking quite some time to come, and frustration levels were rising. But when the food arrived, everybody became suddenly happy, for all the dishes were skilfully prepared and were very very tasty.

My selfish motive of trying all the listed dishes paid me off. We ordered almost all the dishes on the menu and I tasted all of them. First came Pork Vindhaloo. I am a great fan of Vindhaloo. It’s probably the tastiest Goan style curry made with wine vinegar, red chillies and finely chopped garlic. Well, I love pork, but haven’t had much of an opportunity to eat it. When I was in Goa, I hardly used to have pork. Whenever I had it, I always found a thick layer of fat (or was it the skin?) with the flesh. In North East India, year and a half back, when I had pork in Shillong and Guwahati, I always found it slightly undercooked and too dry. Still it was tasty. But the one in Vindhaloo yesterday was heavenly, with just the right amount of fat (or whatever) and cooked to the perfection. Had it with plain rice and enjoyed every bit of it. Thanks to Anand Phene, an enthusiastic Goan, who gave me company for pork (others being *yuck* about it)

Then came the soft warm breads, Chicken Xacuti, Prawn Caril de Camarao (Prawn Curry), Prawn sukhem (dry prawns) cooked in coconut, King fish-curry (Surmai) and all the four listed veg dishes. I tried all the non-veg dishes and loved most of them. Surmai curry was an exact replica of what my mom makes (with hardly any masalas, just a hint of garlic, turmeric, tamarind, salt, red chilli and lots and lots of coconut) – so I was happy. Xacuti was not something I had tasted in Goa/Tarkarli, but I can’t really judge it. Mutton dishes and sausages are on the list for the next time. One veg dish that I tasted was called Fugad, and it was very mild and well made. All in all, the main course was to die for – for both veg and non-vegetarians!

Another thing that appealed me was the music that was played in the background in a very low volume. Typical Goan folk songs, I don’t think any of us noticed it, for we were to engrossed in hogging and praising the food – so I have to give it to Bernardo’s for the music. Interiors could have been better, but the sentiments behind putting those ordinary looking black-and-white photographs all around the place are perfectly understandable. I wish I had been to earlier Bernardo's too.

I am not a great fan of Bebincas, but was surprised to see no Bebinca on the desserts menu. I asked for an apple cake with ice cream, but ended up tasting all the four desserts. Cakes were home made types, not very sweet, but soft and warm. Lovely. Thanks to Anand, Ninad, Chaitanya, Sushant, Neha, Madhukar, Goyal, Pappu, Abhijit, and my selfish self for a wonderful company.

Post Bernardo’s, with happy thoughts of being thankful to be closely associated with Goa in many ways, I couldn’t help myself picking up the bottle of Cashew Fenny from Goyal’s house. It had been lying there for a long time due to lack of fenny fans. Good for me! Came home, had a drink with him, and had couple of more drinks alone, with nostalgia of good old Goan days. Needless to say, the high that those memories brought was much more than the fenny one, but the loyal ol’ fenny, too, worked nevertheless.

[1] Goyal’s post on yesterday’s dinner is here.
[2] Konkani word "Susegaad" has a meaning somewhat similar to Saac (here), except that it is a much wider term. Goans are known for their susegaad nature. There are couple of interesting things about it – I have seen the regular shop timings in Goa from 10am to 1pm and from 4pm to 7pm. Working hours in offices are similar too. But the people, they are unbeatable. When I’d to buy a bottle of palm fenny from a local bar in Goa owned by my landlord’s sister, it’d to cost just 40 bucks. A regular that I was, one fine day, the sweet old lady there charged me only 35 bucks, telling me that the fenny prices are gone down. . That's one of the many dimensions of Susegaad.