Paladares de Goa — Restaurant in Maia

As a Goan-Mangalorean brought up in New Zealand I could not believe our good fortune in discovering Paladares de Goa whilst staying in Maia for a summer dance festival. Craving some spice and home food after a month of travels we were struck by the authentic menu and taste of Roberto Sousa’s delicious Goan cuisine. We sampled his sorpatel, Goan prawn curry and tasty appetizers and a fragrant chicken biryani with perfectly cooked basmati rice. The warmth and hospitality from João at front of house and then Chef Owner Roberto himself bringing out a dish was outstanding. He explained his passion and love for Goan cuisine and linkage to his Goan heritage from childhood in Mozambique to his father’s restaurant in Lisbon. On complimenting him on his perfectly piquant sorpatel he humbly mentioned it was his grandmother’s recipe. You can’t get more homely than that. Next night I went back for more sorpatel to take away and received a sample of the most tasty and tangy spicy bafad I’ve ever eaten. The lovely folk of Maia are blessed to be able to experience this genuine love and taste of Goa on...

This unassuming looking restaurant from the outside in a slightly random location North of Porto blew us out of the water. We had been craving authentic Indian food for a while and Paladres de Goa met every expectation we had. From the meat and vegetable samosas to the curries, every flavour was on point. The highlight for me was the butter chicken which was slightly sweet and perfectly spiced. The prawn curry was excellent as well. Our meal wouldn’t have been complete without a conversation with Chef Roberto who was genuinely kind and excited about us trying his different dishes. Would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a hearty...

For two-thirds of the price, this could have been a reasonable casual Saturday lunch, and I would have probably given four stars overall even though the starter and dessert were nothing special. However, we could have had a far better lunch elsewhere nearby for the 62.60 euros charged for the two of us. The large chest freezer inside the door also suggested that ingredients may not necessarily be fresh. Prices are on the menu, but each dish costs a little more than I expected for what was served. The chicken biryani was presented as if it was a lunchtime deal, but cost 13.90 for a dish comprising four small pieces of...