There are some
restaurants we visit specifically
to review, and others we can’t help writing about. Our recent lunch at Panjim’s
Black Sheep Bistro would fall in the latter category. We were actually in the
mood for steak when we ended up there, only to learn that they do not serve
beef. Not really disheartened because we had heard quite the rave review about
the place, we decided to stick around and opted for the go-to meat – chicken.
The main courses we opted for were the Blackened Creole Chicken and the Chicken
+ Chorizo.
Before we get into the food, the ambience of the place deserves
a special mention. The place exudes a perfect balance of class and cosiness,
with dim, natural lighting, big windows, light music and the various aromas
wafting through the air. Just sitting there makes you want to laze about,
chatting away.
While I sat with my Virgin Blush, a refreshing non-alcoholic
concoction made with fresh pomegranate, mint and citrus, we decided on a common
starter while our food was still on the grill. There were items in the Small
Bites section of the menu, such as the Chili Tacos, Crispy Calamari and Spice
Rub Chicken Wings, that caught my eye, but we agreed upon the Squid Plancha,
which is squid tossed with garlic and chilli and served with garlic aioli. The
squid was deliciously flavoured and went smashingly well with the zesty aioli.
And by the time we were done chasing the last ring around the plate, our main
course had arrived.
I was really bowled
over by the mere appearance of the Blackened Creole Chicken. While my chicken
didn’t really appear ‘blackened’ (I’ve checked BSB’s Instagram account; this
dish appears more charred in one of the posts), it suited me just fine. Said to
be made with a ‘homemade Creole spice rub’, the chicken breast was grilled just
right, ending up succulent, with the tangy, herby flavours of the rub setting
in quite nicely. The well seasoned chicken was served on a bed of mashed potato
and seasonal vegetables such as green bean and broccoli, which complemented the
meat well. The flavour of the Creole butter added a richness to the dish. I
thoroughly enjoyed the mix of textures and wholesome flavours.
The other main course
dish was the Chicken + Chorizo, which was yet another attractively plated dish.
Here we had pan-seared chicken served that was doused in chorizo puree. I
personally feel that chorizo, especially the Goan chorizo, has a rather
overpowering personality, in flavour and aroma, hence it goes well with more
mildly flavoured accompaniments. Here the chorizo is pureed, thereby forming
the sauce of the fillet and allowing the chicken to also have its say and
actually tone down the volume of the chorizo. Another element of this dish that
I loved was the Apple Compote that lent a sweetness to the otherwise spicy
dish; I personally favour the pairing of contrasting flavours. The meat was
accompanied with tossed potatoes and green beans, which once again added some
more texture to the dish, rounding up the experience that is the Chicken +
Chorizo.
I’ve heard great
things about BSB’s Lamb Ossobuco, which is braised lamb slow-cooked with a
tomato base and served with mashed potatoes. The menu here is not overly
extensive, which is actually a good thing as it allows for detailing and it does
cover almost all food groups (except beef).
The
menu also includes a selection of desserts such as Layered Rice Pudding and
Chocolate Salami, which sound quite interesting, but we chose to end our lunch
on a savoury note. The desserts will have to wait for our next visit, which
will probably be soon.
