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A Reverie - Fine Cuisine

Holiday Street | Gaura Vaddo- GOA, Calangute 403516, India
098 231 74927
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Ranked #3 of 103 restaurants in Calangute
Price range: $12 - $25
Cuisines: International
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Restaurant details
Good for: Romance, Large groups, Doing business, Special occasions, Entertaining clients
Dining options: Dinner, Reservations, Late Night
Description: It’s a long way, but we aspire to be the very home - the gleaming apex - of culinary experience.We are devoted to reaching our goal of creating dazzling dishes & would continue this assiduous endeavor of conjuring & pushing the boundaries till each dish becomes a flawless legend. We are not formidable cooks nevertheless we seek inspirations from great chefs; who have built their reputation on their astonishing inventions, on pioneering techniques that yield results on the table that surprise, provoke, engage one’s senses & taste divine. We want to create a cuisine that differs from others; in that "it demands psychological reflection". In other words, one doesn’t come to A Reverie for a meal, one comes for an experience…………But food, as in any other restaurant, is just one part of the equation. The contribution the front-of-house team makes to the success of a restaurant is immense. We aim & are working towards creating a service team which is absolutely top-notch, professional, knowledgeable, charming and in an environment in which diners are presented with food; the likes of which they never have seen before & served with uttermost warmth and welcome yet reflective of a friendly Goa fervor.And then there's the ambience; that thrills the senses almost as much as we hope the food does. At first glance, A Reverie is rather an antonym of being unassuming or understated with its structure & design concept …… may not seem that coastal. But it is deliberately intended to root diners into or be lost in “a reverie”. Uninterrupted views of the surrounding gazebo’s, serene garden mounds & slick contemporary yet theatrical décor which; are best enjoyed from the raised, panoramic lounge; while the restaurant is meant to mimic an amphitheatre. Like its gastronomic vision, A Reverie’s design attempts to reflect the encounter between the traditional, contemporary & creative unpredictable elements. The setting at A Reverie is not a typical seaside experience; it’ like going on an elegant Zen retreat in a space colony. If that sounds rather poetic, it's meant to….. if the place is a little absorbing, contrary to the above verbiage that describe it, by no means is it overpowering… it only serves to demonstrate the neutrality of the space that has been created to allow a canvas for the experience to unfold. Even a partial distraction by the somersaults elsewhere in the large space would not interfere with the meal experience…..except punctuated by the stars & ocean breeze. We don’t have a culinary genial reputation & heritage that precedes us; however, with humility, we take the liberty to share some of the heart-warming praises that have been endowed upon us; we have been called magicians, artists, culinary alchemists and gastronomic messiahs....but we know it’s a long journey before we can adorn ourselves with any such ambitious adulations or acclaims.....it is an endless continuous pursuit of learning, nourishing one’s love of food & it’s improvisation whilst maintaining a youthful enthusiasm, energy & dynamism. This is the great challenge: to maintain passion for everyday routine & the endlessly repeated act, to derive deep gratification from the mundane. Our culinary philosophy centres on pure, clean flavours that are decisive yet completely refined. We embraced certain classical cuisines & invigorated their creative possibilities. It’s about constantly evolving one’s "means of expression”. Our food is less flamboyant than that of many modern international restaurants. Clearly, as long as one is in possession of a fathomless curiosity half the job is done. We encourage ourselves to make an effort to explore the origin of everything we and transform over fire. Well, it's about coaxing the best flavour from the ingredients. It's also about paying a creative homage to the natural world. This often involves exploring obscure ingredients, and making original, daring marriages on the plate. Local ingredients are always a key to our cuisine; it’s just that sometimes, the indigenous ingredients are a little unexpected. At a more profound level, it's about attempting to produce food which resonates on an emotional as well as sensual level. Being a little whimsical sometimes is a part of the process & yet as contradictory as it may sound we attempt to be partially if not deeply rooted in tradition. The flavours are soft and comforting, earthy and wholesome, but at the same time fresh, distinct and precise. For us, rather than good food being a well-executed example of something generic, it is an expression of our love affair with food and the techniques that surround it. Food to us is not about mechanics, it’s about a feeling- that really resonates for us… Everything we create has to provoke an emotional reaction in us, a sort of human bonding. After all there is no better connection medium than food to touch people. We may buy clothes or an art piece occasionally but eat food thrice a day- the key is to make this most oft repeated human act interesting. For us this is both a challenge & an inspiration. When you acknowledge, as you must, that there is no such thing as perfect food, only the idea of it, then the real purpose of striving toward perfection becomes clear; to make people happy. That’s what cooking is all about....It's all about cooking effusively, with character. One has to be someone who creates cuisine first & then pursues to be a businessman.Our research journal is full of arresting ideas. But we understand that shifting away from tradition is a slow, meticulous & steady process. We would love to be harbingers playing a pivotal role in the great global food revolution……but off course in time! A seamless continuity of culinary evolution, a modernism that grows naturally & instinctively out of the classical. Achieving this rhythmic melody ….almost a musical transition with its down stokes & up strokes is our intent at A Reverie; thus our menu is a harmonious balanced split between simple comfort food & some adventurous expressions…. the familiar presented in an unfamiliar way, and the unfamiliar presented to look & taste like something familiar.Saying something doesn't make it so. What matters is not culinary invention, but culinary art. Food to us is as much an art form if not more- As in art; we are obsessed with bringing about a visual dimension to each of our dishes. In its unique way, art expresses things that belong to the world of the indescribable, so does food. Dishes are re-visited, re-interpreted & re –invented ...new creative routes to explore the search for a signature cuisine in its own right...the need to say something in a very special way.The purpose of fine cuisine is not to elicit admiring "oohs" and "aahs" over some technological or scientific find. Fine cooking gives value where science perceives none; it has its own objectives: beauty, i.e. good, what is good to eat. This concept of beauty broadens the scope of knowledge and gives rise to an urge to repeat a pleasurable gustatory experience.Gadgets are not gods & neither technique the only means, and the only rule to go by is taste. Fine cuisine is Passion, Art &… more. Fine cuisine is not a trend. It is not a vogue for regional cooking, a world food collection or a single line of creativity. It means thinking out the taste and intelligence of a dish, its esthetics, in the etymological sense of the word. Culinary invention is not virtuosity, but the aesthetic intention. The most intriguing element for us remains using simplest of ingredient to create intense flavours. Cooking always doesn’t mean creating something new. It makes no sense to scrupulously execute a recipe because no artistic intention is involved. For a culinary artist, it makes no sense to scrupulously execute a recipe because no artistic intention is involved. Food to us is not about mechanics, it’s about a feeling- that really resonates for us…As compared to some great international food concepts; A Reverie is subtler, earthier, less sexy even….but we know that we are en-route. To us, our food is a sort of parody of world cuisine, a cross between classical re-interpretative cooking as many of our creations are modern interpretations of classics, contemporary scientific research and extremely well-rehearsed performance art. We want to trigger an almost childlike glee resonating complex waves of pleasure in our diners. We don’t want to be a restaurant that does anything as prosaic as merely feeding people. Instead, we attempt to conjure the history, landscape and soul of culinary evolution from around the globe in a series of thoughtful, attractive plates of food. We lay emphasis on seasonality, zingy fresh ingredients, clean flavours augmented by certain traditional cooking techniques. First-rate imported as well as local ingredients & vegetables grown quite often, to our specifications… meticulous details like this, haven’t made “us”; but our patrons who have made A Reverie an experience.
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103 reviews from our community

85% Recommend
    66
    22
    8
    5
    2
Rating summary
    Food
    Service
    Value
    Atmosphere
Date Rating
mumbai
Senior Contributor
29 reviews 29 reviews
14 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 13 cities Reviews in 13 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 28, 2013

What lovely interiors and 3 levels of the restaurant! Must congratulate Viren Singh (owner) for this lovely thought of design and great service. This is innovative food and a great style to serve it. We ordered all veg options (3-4) must say except for the Tapas (generous portions please), all was mucho delicioso!!) A drink at the bar or the... More

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See 2 more reviews by Prince71272 for Calangute
Goa, Goa, India
2 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 27, 2013

We came to A Reverie for my birthday dinner and the place did not disappoint us. The food was delicious, the service impeccable and the ambiance pleasant.

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Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 13, 2013 via mobile

We are retired Restsuranteurs and as a Chef trained in Switzerland and loving food I was totaly impressed to the extend that I was dreaming about the experience the whole night trying to analyze the various flafours that lingered on.The Chefs talent to capture the harmony of the multilayerd flavours shows real passion for the food she creates and is... More

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Goa
Senior Reviewer
9 reviews 9 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 3, 2013

With a superb physical environment with good live music that does not disturb the dining experience, this restaurant seems to have it all. The cost of your meal will be well above the local average, but so is the quality. If you want to impress your friends (and wife) this is the place to go and it is in the... More

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Senior Reviewer
7 reviews 7 reviews
5 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed April 25, 2013 via mobile

Glad we chose this place, we were not dissapointed at all. It is one of Goa's best i would say, the service and food were of the highest quality . There is a very large selection of choices and all our food was of the highest quality. Definitely will be returning again.

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Oxford, United Kingdom
2 reviews
4 of 5 stars Reviewed April 24, 2013

It was a delight to eat there. Food excellent, service brilliant and a really beautiful restaurant. We found an old favourite wine Santa Maria from Chile which made it even more special.

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Delhi
Senior Contributor
24 reviews 24 reviews
18 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 11 cities Reviews in 11 cities
12 helpful votes 12 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed April 17, 2013

Was happy to discover this place as it is one of the restaurants in Goa that has an elegant ambiance and is tastefully done ! With soft lighting and live bands as well it is a perfect place for a laid-back dinner with friends or as a couple too. Great food and drinks though slightly expensive but well worth it.

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Moscow
Senior Contributor
30 reviews 30 reviews
3 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 19 cities Reviews in 19 cities
16 helpful votes 16 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed April 17, 2013

Honestly, this restaurant came as a surprise among the little restaurants/cafes that Calangute has to offer. The setting, the food, the service, the music - everything is perfect! It is far more expensive than all the other restaurants around but you won't regret it!

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London, United Kingdom
Contributor
20 reviews 20 reviews
Reviews in 18 cities Reviews in 18 cities
12 helpful votes 12 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed April 15, 2013

Sadly we only discovered this restaurant on our last night in Goa. We did see it the previous year but unfortunately for us we didn't try it. The restaurant's ambience is wonderful with beautiful decorations which include a waterfall, amazing lights and a great layout. The bar is at the top and looks down over all the tables. There are... More

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See 2 more reviews by Paul T for Calangute
Top Contributor
74 reviews 74 reviews
44 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 23 cities Reviews in 23 cities
11 helpful votes 11 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed April 15, 2013

A very good setting in Calangute. High roof , very interesting lounge setting and good decor. For a Friday night it was not very busy but the starters and the food overall was very good. The service was good and the food and drinks came in quickly on ordering. Highly recommended.

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