Verandah — Restaurant in Goa

Atmosphere is cosy and charming, but the staff is also really friendly. The service needs much improvement, and the cocktails as well as some dishes definitely need to step up the quality to justify the price point. Menu is extensive yet expensive, however most dishes are worth it especiallythe pizza, rum soaked prawns, the hummus. Overpriced drinks with mediocre taste. A few things observed based on the two visits I did in the past 2 months (3rd Dec 2022 and 14th Jan 2023)

1. menu needs to be at the table once the guest is seated.
2. someone should attend to the guests to take the order and suggest the new specials since it's a newer menu.
3. attentiveness to taking orders.
4. The bread baskets we ordered had some stale breads.
5. table clearance once dishes are done eating. Our table looked cluttered and messy. Your staff needs to be attentive and proactive. also if the staff notices a dish hasn't been finished and is laying on the table, one would expect the staff/management to inquire/get feedback about it.
6. cocktails at the main bar have been disappointing both visits. There is inconsistency in the same cocktail ordered over a period of time in the same evening. If a guest is paying 800-900 for a cocktail, s/he expects consistently being served good cocktails. Exorbitant priced drinks with mediocre tastes. And the previous week, the cocktail I had at the main bar was just regular like at any beach shack in Goa where one would pay 200-400 for the same.
7. the bill took a long time to be presented after being requested. We gave the hostess a feedback about the food experience and she was indifferent about it. Lack of customer service and attention to customers feedback/disappointment. one would hope some compassion for being served raw/cold/improperly cooked food, and complimented with a replacement, a dessert or just taken off the final bill.
8. the pork ribs were brought cold to the table so upon tasting one, we asked the staff to change it. Within 5mins another plate of ribs that were haphazardly stacked,came to the table which was not up to the mark at all- low quality meat, undercooked and flavours were off.
9. we also ordered the beef steak medium rare , which was again bad quality meat, chewy with a lot of cartilage and the marinade was wrongly done. Since it was precut into slices in the kitchen, we had 4 slices (there were 4 of us at the table) and left the remaining 5 odd pieces in dissatisfaction.
10. the Burrata was hard and lacked the rich creamy texture. We left that dish half eaten as well.
11. Friday night is supposed to be live music as advertised on the Instagram page, and we came especially to listen to the music. We were disappointed on being told on arrival that the event was cancelled. Why wasn't it posted on instagram that the event was cancelled? I had informed my friends Sharan and Ash( regulars at the establishment) who came with their guests and we all were disappointed upon arriving there. We wouldn't have made a reservation at Verandah and gone elsewhere to experience live music while dining on a Friday evening.

Verandah is a cosy lovely restaurant and I have recommended it often to friends and relatives visiting Mandrem, but in my humble opinion, it will lose out on the regulars (local Goans as well as Indians who have moved to Goa), would visit more often than the weekend tourists.

I've tried to be as objective in my feedback as possible, and it's not meant to hurt sentiments, only improve the establishment. Having said that, I don't think I will return to this restaurant after yet another...

I am forced to write again because instead of Taking a note of what was pointed at, Verandah condescends by saying I do not understand the difference between Servile deference and true Hospitality.

I wanted to give a benefit of Doubt to Verandah but the words of the response confirm that they consider themselves as superior because of certain approach that they might have. Both approaches can co-exist wonderfully in this Business of hospitality where Respect doesn't mean certain words of Addressing and/or bowing. Instead, it can be Accomodated in two words: Warmth and Welcome. Both these Attributes were missing in my second visit. When was Not being Servile equivalent to Not being Warm and welcoming? When did Speaking English and Gyrating while speaking become Hospitality and even if it did, How can it be devoid of The two W's?

Another Approach: There's nothing wrong in addressing a Guest as 'Sir' and Its equally good to address the Guest by their First Name. I work in corporate culture where we address even the Owners Of The company by their first names. While in a Restaurant, I am the first one to say My Name as soon as a staff addresses me as Sir, so I am the last person who Would not understand the difference in such approaches. I still see no problem in places where Guests are addressed as Sirs. That's their Style. Their choice of style doesn't make them superior and Verandah's style doesn't make them one, But if they have the Warmth and Welcome for the Guest, they are most certainly superior. The Subject was Not allowing the Guest that place to sit which is Constructed for Guests and is for Guests, solely on the basis of Either Racial discrimination or Laziness. Now, this is for the Establishment to Mull whether it's their Restrictive and Selective approach towards Guests OR a Staff's Laziness and Unhospitable Mannerism. Rude and Obnoxious are better words for lack of Other More explanatory words. I am Still being considerate and Not Accusing them of Outright Racism, which now seems a Huge Possibility reading the Response which deviates from the Subject smartly.

I clearly mentioned that in my First Visit there was no issue. So, I most definitely am most welcoming towards a Name Addressing Gesture from the Staff. Both the Young Boy and the waitress were Extremely Cordial. It was in the second Visit that I was denied My CHOICE OF LOCATION (Its not Sir/Maam issue) by a man who thinks, may be like the entire establishment, that he is superior and He can say anything and people will just Obey.

It wasn't just me, others were denied that Choice too. And it is very sad that People who claim to be great in Hospitality and English are not even understanding the concern raised, instead they are deviating it to some other subject.

This deviation certainly gives Rise to the suspicion that it might not have been the Staff's conduct which should be a concern, his conduct is probably a Reflection of a Policy which RESTRICTS only certain people to certain Tables and certain Floors. And this was camouflaged remarkably by Proclaiming Themselves as Superiors than other Warm places which might have a different style.

Reflection was needed at your end and not mine. Your asking me to Reflect is a deep Reflection of immense Flaws in your Thinking as the owner of an Establishment which must be WARM And WELCOMING towards guests without Bowing down and without Sir and without Dancing.

Having said all that, On further deliberation I reckon I must visit Verandah again and see If Anything changed...

A Mixed Bag of Good Food and Disappointing Hospitality

My wife and I visited this restaurant with high expectations, but unfortunately, our overall experience left much to be desired. While there were some highlights, several issues marred our evening.

To start with the positives: the pizzas were truly exceptional—flavorful and perfectly cooked. The drinks were great, and the rest of the food was decent, though not particularly memorable. However, the service and hospitality did not meet the standards one would expect, especially given the premium pricing.

Despite making a reservation in advance, we were seated at a rather undesirable table tucked away in a corner, far from the band. While we understand that prime seating can be limited during peak hours, the restaurant was not particularly busy at the time, with several better tables sitting unoccupied. We requested to be moved but were repeatedly told that those tables were reserved. Strangely, no one occupied those tables for quite some time, which felt frustrating given that we had also reserved in advance.

On one occasion, a couple briefly sat at one of the “reserved” tables, relaxed for a bit, and left without ordering. This made the situation even more baffling and left us feeling as though our reservation wasn’t given proper consideration.

Another incident added to our disappointment. Earlier in the evening, we were informed by a staff member that the advance payment of ₹1800 would be adjusted against the bill. However, at the end of the night, we were told it was a cover charge. While the issue was eventually resolved after speaking with Matt, one of the co-owners, the miscommunication left us with an uncomfortable impression.

All in all, the experience didn’t live up to the hype. While the food was enjoyable, the lack of attention to reservations and inconsistent communication overshadowed the positives. For the price and effort, there are several other excellent options along the same stretch that not only serve great food but also prioritize their guests’ comfort and...