Leda Lounge & Restaurant

Critic´s Review

• Food: 3 / 5
• Service: 2.5 / 5
• Decor: 3 / 5

-By Odette Mascarenhas

A global experience

It is said that the ninth and smallest moon that revolves around the largest planet of the universe Jupiter, is called Leda. And if you are thinking of a small thing like 'entertainment' that revolves within your culinary agenda then there is a small lounge cum restaurant at Colva with that very same name. It's three in one concept (side walk cafe, lounge and fine dining area) rocks over weekends and makes you roll in delight as Chef Prakyath delights with preparations fine tuned based on his creative repertoire.

Decor

Enter into a lounge bar, its trendy, casual and lively. This is where the musicians belt out their notes nearly three times a week. Enter glass doors to the dining area, tiger striped wooden backed chairs with a casual dining set up peps you up (besides the guitars mounted on the wall) to what is to follow. The dining area is split level and air conditioned, quiet during lunch and active when the musicians strum their notes.

Food

Chef Prakyath does a fine job of tweaking global cuisine to a new high. Start with Leda style prawn cocktail with Pineapple salsa. As the name suggests it is a Leda special. The original prawn cocktail has been tweaked with the addition of a shot glass of pineapple salsa. Don't forget to roll that prawn into the tangy mixture before taking a bite, and if the musicians strum the right note you will be doing the 'salsa' too. Not overpowered with the sauce, the prawns take on a new cocktail avatar For an Indian beginning go for the Murthika Nawabi. A baked dough covered plate comes to the table. Slice the Naan like covering and the steam hisses out. Chef Prakyath explains that the preparation of this dish is in two stages. The chicken tikka in its spices is first cooked 80%, and then covered with dough before being baked. The succulent dish (all the juices are retained in the dish) is a mind blowing preparation. Remember we are still on starters; one has a choice of Indian or Continental for the mains. The south Indian preparations are a must order. Try the chicken ghee roast; the red Manglorean spiced preparation is accompanied by Appams. The red masala tickles the palate as the bedagi chilies begins to work. Or if pork is what you like then the Coorgi pandi curry with two mini cheese Naans. Great combo and the flavor of this dish as the roasted spices begin its mesmerizing magic; if you have not tried this preparation please do so. On the continental side the Moroccan lemon chicken on hash potatoes with a red wine sauce. Well presented with two breasts of chicken placed on the bed of hash potatoes in its pool of red wine.

It is one of the few places where the chef's creativity works on desserts too. The Bailey's Mousse with waffle pancakes as an accompaniment and the eggless blackcurrant cheese cake, both destined to make you say cheese.

Plus and Minus

The designer meals are a 'gourmet's' delight, the presentation outstanding. It is a feast for your eyes. The starters were great and so was the chicken ghee roast and Coorgi pandi curry. The Appams were a trifle too sweet for my liking; chef uses a sweeter batter to get the caramelized effect at the edges. The Moroccan chicken great presentation but did not enthrall like the others, the succulence in the chicken needs to be addressed. The desserts were good, the eggless blackcurrant cheesecake to die for. Luncheons are quiet, so great for 'over lunch' interactions or small parties, weekends a great place to jam up with music. Taken in totality Leda is a place which will cause a weekend revolution, and make you revolve throughout the week too.

Must try:

Murthika Nawabi, Coorgi pandi curry, eggless Blackcurrant cheesecake.