A 150-Year Old Feast: Discovering Ourém in Goa’s Fontainhas

By: Akanksha Dean

There are places that holler for attention and then there’s ‘Ourém’, which whispers, yet somehow, everyone hears. Great hospitality, like gemology, is about noticing the unnoticed, the cracks, the sparkle, the story. Puru, a Delhi born gemologist, took an unexpected leap from precision craftsmanship to soulful cooking and launched ‘Ourém. Tucked down a cobbled, sun dappled lane in Fontainhas, Goa’s famed Latin Quarter, this 150 year old restored home feels less like a restaurant and more like being welcomed into someone’s storied family table. The mint green walls don’t just stand; they preen, flaunting their colonial charm. That wraparound balcony? It practically begs for a glass of vinho verde and some wistful staring into the distance. The gold signage twinkles like an heirloom locket, a nod to the Portuguese obsession with ‘ouro’ yes, gold, but here it’s the stories that gleam brighter. In the heart of Fontainhas, ‘Ourém’ feels like stepping into an Instagram filter, live.

Whispers of Goa’s Soul

The weathered Portuguese door creaks open, and suddenly you’re in another era. Inside, it’s all muted nostalgia, terracotta floors that softly creak underfoot, walls wearing their age like vintage lace, and cane lights glowing in a way that’s neither too earnest nor too affected. The kind of place where the walls whisper stories of Goa’s entangled history, Portuguese sailors, African traders, Indian spice merchants, all leaving their footprints on the menu. Wander further, and you’ll find a little hidden garden, starring an ancient chiku tree that’s still been generous enough to bear fruit, as if whispering secrets from its roots.

The ground floor hums alive with lively lunches and boisterous dinners, where strangers turn to friends over plates of something exquisite. Upstairs, the vibe shifts completely, a nostalgic lounge bar with balcaos built for lingering conversations, softly glowing under wicker lamps that sway ever so slightly. But the real magic? A discreet vault door, one you might mistake as mundane. A hidden stairway behind, leads to a speakeasy, bathed in burnt gold, lit with chandeliers. Even the sunlight plays its part, streaming theatrically through a skylight, bouncing off a mirror to turn the place into a golden reverie. Ah, and the cocktails? Let’s just say Goa’s gold isn’t limited to its sand. And that’s just the beginning.

Past, Perfect, Present Tense

But the spotlight truly belongs to the food, Luso Goan classics like ‘Frango à Cafreal’. It’s not shy. Smothered in coriander, mint, and a hint of garlic, this emerald tinted dish doesn’t pander; it commands. ‘We’re going to bring back bacalhau for sure. People love it, and it’s fast disappearing from menus everywhere. Bacalhau is emblematic of the Portuguese cuisine we grew up with, though it could be a very premium addition to the table,’ says Chef Ines Soares Lobo, her voice cutting through the faint scent of frying spices that wraps the kitchen like a familiar hug. Chef Ines isn’t just someone who cooks , she’s a storyteller fluent in flavours, a Goan daughter with a global resume, blending nostalgia and modernity as carefully as she seasons her signature ukade rice.

Her vision translates seamlessly, the ground floor hums with the clatter of plates loaded with prawn balchao, brighter than a Goan sunset but sharper on the tongue, tangy with vinegar and bold with spice, or buttery kingfish with parra, that’s Goa in a bite, fresh caught simplicity kissed by a fiery flirt of chili. And what of dessert? That ‘Orange Pudding’. Silken, citrusy, and unapologetically nostalgic, it’s less dessert, more a hug in disguise. Upstairs, it’s playful but rooted, chorizo paos, rissois, crumbed prawns ready to pair with a perfectly chilled feni sour. Goan cuisine has always been sunshine on a plate, but here, it feels… transcendent. ‘Ourém isn’t about flashy trends,” he says. “It’s about reviving recipes we’ve left behind and creating a sense of home’, sums up Puru.

FACT BOX

Where: Sheet No. 45, H.No. 62-C1 of Chalta No. 82, P.T, behind Head Post Office, next to O’Pierre Hotel, Panaji, Goa

For reservations, call: +91 9810205043