Frida Cantina — Restaurant in Goa

Frida

The most disappointing dining experience I have ever had the displeasure of exposing myself to.

For a restaurant attempting to recreate the food from a culture that is usually bursting with seasonings, flavours and textures, Frida seems to come short in every aspect.

Apparently Frida recently won an award for Best Premium Dining Mexican Restaurant. They probably only won that because they had no competition.

The chefs somehow managed to mess up even guacamole, a relatively simple yet powerful condiment. It not only lacked lime, and even the basic salt, but was also extremely watered down for some reason.

The Pork Adobo Tostadas, while delectable to look at, was an insult to Mexican cuisine as it had absolutely no flavour, despite consisting of: cabbage, pickled onions, salsa, sour cream in addition to the Pork Adobo.

Having tried and made Birria Tacos several times over the past year, my expectations were set high for this menu item. However, like most of the other items we tried, it was disappointment at first bite. Without the consommé, the taco lacked any sort of punch, not even containing salt. The consommé on the other hand, was delicious, but it should have been something that added to what were meant to be already flavourful tacos, and not the only redeeming aspect of the dish.

Finally, the Grilled Prawns in Mango and Arbol Chili Mojo. This was paired with Masa that was unnaturally sweet, not at all complimenting the dish to come together as a whole. The prawns on their own tasted extremely average, but had a really foul smell to them that was extremely sickening.

All that being said, the Curbside Esquites were refreshingly flavourful, and the Beef Enchiladas would be the only saving grace of the entire experience. The Habanero Hot Wings were beautiful, perfectly seasoned and well cooked; the meat slid right off the bone.

When speaking to the Manager of the restaurant, he not only questioned my knowledge and familiarity of the cuisine, but refused to take into consideration any criticism, saying that the food tasted like it was meant to.

Overall this was a subpar experience. The portion size is pitiful compared to the lack of flavour and price paid. The price could at least be justified if the food tasted good. If you want to sit at a table only to have to season your food yourself, I’d suggest spending more time in your own kitchen. I wouldn’t recommend...

The restaurant serves authentic Mexican cuisine and inspired by the works and charm of the famous female painter and artists Frida Kahlo, delivers a visually and physically stunning experience to its dinners from its colourful yet minimalist interiors and decors to its vibrant cocktails and food filled with hues of red, yellow, green and so much more

I started my meal with a hearty plate of Muchachos Loaded Nachos which had freshly made nachos topped with Queso, Refried beans, Salsa, Jack Cheese & Roasted Chicken. I then tried a light and easy steamed shrimp ceviche in tender coconut, chili, mango and mint with onions and cilantro before moving on to Curbside Esquites which is like a street side corn salad but this one was charred and tossed in a garlic mayo and Cotija cheese, super super yum!

I then tried their Pork Adobo Tostadas topped with salsa and sour cream along with a classic Shredded Beef Birria Tacos, something that’s picking up a lot of pace these last few years, they’re tacos seared on the hot pan which comes served with a gravy that you can douse/dip them in before you dig in.

From their mains section the dish that appealed to me the most was definitely the Sliced Tenderloin Steak on a bed of mash and charred jalapeño with a chipotle marinade but in true Goan surf & turf fashion I had to try a seafood dish as well and opted for the Grilled Prawns in Mango & Arbol Chili Mojo served on a bed of creamy polenta, again another delicately crafted delicious dish. As it was the weekend, you do get a few brunch specials as well as all you can drink/pitcher options with sangrias and cocktails and to my luck I was able to give their burrito bowl a try! Loaded with rice, bell peppers, chicken, guacamole, sour cream, beans and pico de gallo this was one power packed bowl that truly delivered the blow

But I had to recover quick for dessert as I finished with a super moist and creamy coconut tree leches and freshly made churros with a white and dark chocolate sauce. I don’t even have space to speak about the cocktails but rest assured this was a fabulous meal and one...

We recently had the pleasure of immersing ourselves in a fun, colorful and delicious affair at Frida Cantina, tucked away in a peaceful lane in the friendly and popular Miramar neighborhood of the capital city.

While I've had my fair share of tacos, nachos and empanadas, Frida offers one a far more immersive experience. Born out of pure passion for the 2cultures - Mexican and Goan, co-founders Rutwik Kamat and Aditya Chowgule left no stone unturned to marry the two cultures into one seamless work of art that truly deserves appreciation.

While the ambience paints a colourful Mexican scene with Frida Kahlo herself upstairs, the real champion for me is the food which speaks for itself.

I love when veggies as simple as broccoli & corn are elevated to new heights with their Warm Charred Broccoli and Curbside Esquites. I'd like to mention that the menu is self explanatory and has vegan and gluten free options, you could even ask the warm and friendly servers who are very well acquainted with the menu, to customise it for you. Among the tacos, the beer battered fish tacos were an absolute hit, we requested for a 2nd round!

It was my first time trying 'Tamales' which is made of corn dough - masa steamed in a corn husk , the fillings we opted for were aubergine and mushroom that somehow reminded me of Goan chorizo flavour that I haven't consumed for nearly 3years.

The Goan touch of 'Fenita' 🍸or the inclusion of Goan rice in the mains really brought it together for me - the vibrance and flavours of our cultures.

If you think you've had the best churros, think again! I'm honestly not the biggest fan of churros but these are sensational 👌🏻 esp with the Dulce de leche.

If you're in and around Panjim, you definitely CANNOT miss this gem! Even prettier at night as I recently passed by their familiar lights looking down upon benches under...