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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. ----- End forwarded message -----