As far as Asian cuisine in the capital goes, there have been
many establishments that have cropped up over the years. Some have stood the
test of time, while others have shut up shop and moved on. Some have gone on to
even garner a status that is ‘legendary’ though it is an opinion that I,
personally, do not subscribe to. I do love oriental cuisine though, and of my
favourite haunts within Panjim’s limits is one that is perhaps underrated: Tao.
I’ll be the first to admit that Tao’s menu is mainstream,
and seemingly caters to the audience ‘at large’. They launched with an array of
spectacular specials, but those too didn’t quite seem to captivate audiences,
perhaps for want of a discerning clientele. And I’ll be the first to admit,
that not everything on their menu has always wowed me. However, an insider’s
tip at this juncture would be to advise anyone and everyone to please go eat
their Nasi Goreng. It is my staple when it comes to dealing with that
restaurant and it has NEVER disappointed. Please note that this is Pan Asian
cuisine that we are dealing with, so no, chicken is not an option and barring
health reasons, it never should be. Please do try the beef or pork variant, and
if for reasons of faith you cannot, then deviate towards the option of shrimp;
it’s worth it.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Which brings me to why Tao right now. A recent visit brought
to my attention that they have launched into what they refer to as a Noodle
Festival; and my word, who doesn’t like noodles? For me, personally I perceive
noodles like I do risotto: comfort food. You put a sloppy portion into a bowl
and then eat out of it, casting all cares for plating straight out the window.
And with this noodle festival, there is something across every section of the
menu, barring dessert. I was fortunate enough to sample a few of these before
the curtain went up on the festival (which incidentally, is today) and I have
my verdict on what must absolutely be tried.
From the soup segment of the menu (which is a section I very
rarely visit, unless the restaurant, you guessed it, is Asian) my personal
favourite was the Vietnamese Fish Meatball Soup with Flat Noodles. A clear,
peppery broth with bok choy, lemongrass, fish meatballs and flat noodles, this
soup is an absolute winner. Why? Because simply put, it’s simple and elegant.
There is no grandeur and overstating. There is no grandstanding with many
spices and colour. However, one should watch out for the bird’s eye chilli that
goes into it. It gives you a delicious little kick at the back of your throat,
but if you bite into one, I merely offer my commiserations.
From the main segment, I opted to try the Fried Kway Teow
Noodles, which comprised thick rice noodles tossed along with seafood, bean
sprouts, onion, carrot and bok choy again. The first thing I noticed here is
how the soy doesn’t stand out too strongly. In fact, it’s a safe bet to say
that it feels like the components of the dish have been tossed in a sauce that
is closer to XO than soy. It’s got a hint of sweetness that soy doesn’t often
lend, and in all honesty, it’s a better dish because of it.
Now I have harped on the fact that Tao is a little
mainstream for my liking, but for those who love mainstream, you’re going to
love what comes next. I didn’t order it, but hey, they have created
Frankenstein’s monster and brought it to life by putting together what they have
called Chilli Chicken Maryland Noodles. As the title suggests, it involves
chilli chicken and soy-tossed noodles coming together in one dish. And there is
absolutely no denying that chilli chicken is the most sought after dish on the
Indian-Chinese culinary market. Another old favourite that finds its way on to
this menu is American Chop Suey, which has of course, zilch to do with America,
and yet remains an all-time favourite with its characteristic crisp fried
noodles sitting beneath a fried egg and above a tomato-based sauce with mixed
vegetables and pineapple thrown in for good measure.
There is so much more on the festival menu, or so much to
mention that I cannot possibly, within the confines of limited space, do
justice to it all. But that is precisely why you should go over to Tao and
check it out for yourself.
