http://oheraldo.in/node/8904
Goan cuisine restaurants face no threat BY SAVIOLA VAZ PANJIM, JAN 22 -- Goa is synonymous with fun, food and beaches. It is well known all over the world for its authentic cuisine. The capital city of Panjim has quite a number of restaurants offering Goan food. Ritz, Vinanti, Avanti and Gazaali are some of the well-known Goan cuisine restaurants. Ritz is one of the oldest restaurants in the city. It was opened some thirty years back and is well known for the staple Goan fish, curry and rice. The manager said that the bulk of their customer count includes the working class but occasionally some tourists also do walk in. The coming up of many new restaurants has not affected the business of this restaurant as one can find it always packed to capacity during the lunch hour. Another famous restaurant, which has been around for over twenty-five years, is Avanti. The proprietor of this restaurant claimed that they have equal number of locals and tourists walking in every day. He also said that he believes in healthy competition and added that it has helped him to thrive and keep up the quality of the food served in his restaurant. The restaurant Vinanti is situated close to Ritz but it has not robbed Vinanti of its customers. It has been in the food business for some twelve years now and is doing quite well even after stiff competition in its vicinity. Besides Goan food the restaurant also serves Continental and Chinese cuisine as well. The local people as well as foreign tourists frequent the restaurant. Gazaali is one of the newest restaurants on the block, which was opened just four years back. The restaurant is having teething problems. The owner of the restaurant said that he faces stiff competition from Ritz, Modern and Vinanti and has to work hard to keep up with the competition. That the restaurant is situated in a secluded spot does not help either. Since the restaurant is close to many government offices it is mostly the working class people who eat there. The owner of the restaurant has tried to add variety to the menu by including Indian and Chinese dishes. For now most of the Goan cuisine restaurateurs claim to be content with the profit they are making. Hope this lasts. -- May your God be with you. Gabe Menezes. London, England