Samosa Corners, Goa Opens for Season, & Big Wins for Cheesemakers

A look at the industry’s biggest news and newsmakers over the last few weeks.

The samosa is back in the news. And, for the unlikeliest of reasons. A poll on Twitter about which part of the samosa is preferred — the crust or the filling — saw the former emerge victorious. This love for samosa crusts inspired a QSR, Samosa Party, to introduce a dish called Samosa Corners: just the crust served with chutneys.

It goes to show, Indians can make anything trend.

Francorp and Restaurantindia.in’s Food Service and Restaurant Business Report 2022-23 says that India’s food service market is expected to grow by 11.19 per cent and reach USD 79.65 billion by 2028. Data released by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics notes that India’s agricultural and processed food products exports rose by 25% in April-September (compared to last year). On one hand is the problem of plenty. On the other, food waste continues to be a major issue worldwide. Every year, the world throws away around 931 million tons of food. And though nations pledged in 2015 to halve food waste by 2030, few are on track.

Here is what else made news in the food and hospitality industry these last two months.

Thoughtful American Bistro, all-American modern bistro

Big wins

Homegrown cheese won big at the World Cheese Awards held in Wales in November: Eleftheria Cheese picked up a gold and silver for their cloth bound cheddar and Elef Brunost, and Kase Cheese picked up a bronze for their Lavender Fields.

The annual list of 50 Best Discovery — unranked favourites — features seven Indian restaurants and bars in the list of 601. These include Bomras, and For the Record-Vinyl Bar in Goa, Comorin in Gurugram, Tres, Home, and Lair in Delhi, Copitas in Bengaluru, and The Living Room at Masque in Mumbai.

Outside India, south Indian Semma in Greenwich Village was the only Indian restaurant in the US to win a Michelin star in 2022.

Festivals and pop-ups

Chef Sanjana Patel, of the fabulous La Folie, was invited to exhibit her handcrafted chocolate bars at Salon du Chocolat in Paris in October. Another chef, Marina Balakrishnana, whose delicious meals at Ottupura have been promoting vegetarian fare, also did a pop up at Chef Ritu Dalmia’s Cittamani Milano in Italy.

Bengaluru hosted the first Indian Cacao & Craft Chocolate Festival in November honouring craft chocolate makers. 30 Best Bars, India’s only independent bar ranking and awards platform, has added another award category to their list: Best Sustainable Bar award. Masterchef Australia Winner Justin Narayan did an Indo-Fijian pop up at The Sahib Room & Kipling Bar at The St. Regis Mumbai.

Celebrating their 50-year anniversary, restaurant Copper Chimney brought out a special menu inspired by undivided India. Think dishes like Himalayan Gucchi Pulao with black morels and ashtuni Chicken Yakhni Pulao garnished with afghani red berries, and more.

Open for business

As Goa opens for the season, it’s seeing an unprecedented number of new launches. The Indian Accent team brought Hosa, championing south Indian food; the makers of Arbor Brewing Co and Great State Aleworks teamed up to launch a taproom Half Pint; Offbeat Goa initiative has Café We, which aims to be a nutritious, meat free and vegan community space. There are beachside bars CoyKoi Beach Club and The Warehouse; cocktail bar Guilté; redefined shack Slow Tide; bistro Pinch; New Delhi imports: Drinking Safari Pitstop, Fig & Maple, Tera Vita and Mystras; the contemporary Indian Juju, Bali- themed Kasa & Koox, Italian Paper Moon, Spanish TeQuiero, Pan Pacific Istaka, Asian Village 36 and Casa Café inspired by a Portuguese ‘tasca’.

At Taj Palace, New Delhi, is Loya, which aims to offer flavours from northern India, beyond butter chicken. In Jaipur is the swanky rooftop bar and lounge, Rosado; the gourmet café Cibo inside the Royal Heritage Haveli; the Roastery Coffee House and Diona, a rooftop bar & lounge.

Youkoso is Mumbai’s new delivery kitchen serving Thai & Japanese cuisine, this October. At Hotel Marine Plaza, Allamanda Terrace is a new rooftop restaurant promising Indian Progressive cuisine and a view of Queen’s Necklace. TAB - Thoughtful American Bistronomy is an all-American modern bistro experience, with a menu curated by chef Ajay Chopra. Cafe Panama launched a tequila lounge in their restaurant, offering tequila and mezcal-based cocktails served with tacos. British Brewing Company debuted a flagship outpost at Todi Mills, and Bizza is a new pizza joint from the owners of Bastian.

In high spirits

It’s not just the food industry that’s booming in Goa; the flow of new spirits continues. The latest are Great Indian Gin: plain, green apple, and orange, and retailing in 60ml bottles too; and Sector gin from Living Root Distilling Company. NAO Spirits launched a limited-release gin Broken Bat, a barrel-aged gin using Kashmir Willow or cricket bats. Single Malt Amateurs Club (SMAC) have teamed up with John Distilleries in Goa to launch ‘Alter’, a rich, amber-peated sherry whisky, matured for 6 years and complemented with a finish in an Ex Madeira-cask. John Distilleries also released Malhar, a small batch copper pot still distilled gin in two flavours — Malhar Classic Dry Gin and Malhar Citrus Gin.

Radiohead Brands (of Jimmy’s mixers) launched a new category of sparkling mixers: Tonic Water, Ginger Ale and Classic Lemonade.

BACARDÍ India has announced that it is foraying into the Indian-made whisky segment with the launch of ‘Legacy’, their first made-in-India whisky. Elsewhere, third generation rum-maker Lalit Kalani launched Rock Paper Rum, with two small-batch variants—Indian Spiced Rum, and a Coastal White Rum. India’s newest homegrown whiskey, a single malt called GianChand, comes from the cooler climes of Jammu, and Yauatcha restaurant partnered with Fratelli to create a refreshing white wine called Ivelle.

Recipes and more

Author Karen Anand launched her part-memoir-part cookbook, Masala Memsahib, which traces her childhood recipes and family’s roots across Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra, and West Bengal. Author Nandita Iyer’s The Great Indian Thali is a compilation of seasonal vegetarian dishes from around the country. Social media star Shivesh Bhatia’s newest book is targeted at children. A Cookbook For Special Days, Special People has 42 simple recipes (with step-by-step illustrations) for 21 special days that children will find easy to make.

Joanna Lobo is an independent journalist from Goa who enjoys writing about food, her Goan heritage, the freelance life, and other things that make her happy. Follow her on @thatdoggonelady.

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