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Sorportel in Sydney
by Ben Fernandes, Singapore
Goan travelers to Sydney in Australia who may get homesick for a home-cooked
meal now have an answer to their culinary prayers - an authentic Goan
restaurant owned and run by an authentic Goan and appropriately named Viva
Goa. Located not too far from the city centre, Viva Goa is the gastronomic
passion of Gus D'Souza, who traces his family roots to Assnora in Bardez.
The restaurant is located in the quiet Pyrmont area of Sydney down the lengthy
Harris Street at 2 Scott Street and caters to the needs of residents in the
neighbourhood.. Oddly enough, not many Goans appear to be aware of the place -
but then not many Goans live in downtown Sydney. Our friends Ian and Yolande
Saldanha who migrated to Australia nearly 35 years and who accompanied my wife
and myself to the restaurant had never heard of it before. It was in fact a
Sydneysider, the owner of an art gallery in the vicinity, who drew my
attention to it after I told him that though I lived in Singapore, my family
was from Goa.
The food at Viva Goa will warm - or set ablaze, if you so wish -- the cockles
of any Goan heart. On the menu are all the mouth-watering delicacies which
make Goan cuisine an unique experience the world over. You name it, the
restaurant serves it: sorpotel, vindaloo, prawn and fish curry, Goan sausages,
fish amotik and a multitude of dishes to satisfy every palate. And glory
hallelujah!! Sitting proudly on the service counter is a squat trademark
bottle of that knockout brew -- Madame Rosa's cashew feni!!
The restaurant is clean but not grand. Open only for dinner, it can at best
seat 40 people at any one time. On the Saturday evening when we went there,
every table was occupied or reserved. I exercised my right to a table as a
visiting Goan and was accommodated with graciousness after a short wait. There
were no other Goans there that evening.
As there were only four of us we ordered the traditional upper end Goan
dishes - sorpotel, Goan sausages, prawn curry, fish amotik and a vegetable.
The verdict for each: 5 stars. Nor did the tab make a big hole in our pockets.
With three generous shots of Madame Rosa's potent concoction and a 10% tip it
all added up to A$130 (approx. US$ 100), a giveaway indeed in a city where
eating out is not exactly cheap.
Gus D'Souza is both the big boss and the master chef who has little time on an
average evening to play the role of a welcoming host. He is usually too busy
conjuring up his culinary magic in the small open kitchen which looks out on
the dining area. Trained at the Institute of Catering Technology in Bombay,
Gus mastered his craft in Bombay, Calcutta and Switzerland before moving to
Australia about five years ago.
Unlike London which has an Indian eatery or takeaway at every street corner,
Indian restaurants in Sydney are few and far between. That does not mean there
is no competition. But from what we could see, Viva Goa is holding its own
with a loyal clientele even though there were no Goans around.
Sydney is an easy city to navigate and the easiest way to get to the
restaurant is to take a cab (a bit pricey) or hop on to the monorail.
Disembark at the Powerhouse Museum stop. That will be A$4 per person. Take a
cab at Paddy's Markets down Harris Street all the way towards the waterfront
to Scott Street, a small side road. If there are four of you, it's best to
take a cab. It is also important to make a reservation specially if you are
going there on a weekend. The Sydney number is: 95661311.
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