Panjim's Huge, Original Ravan Thali at Royal Ruchik, Goa, September 2023

Описание: Last week, we visited The Royal Ruchik, home of Panjim’s original Ravan thali, invented by the Salgaonkar family and arguably the largest Goan thali in Goa.

Will three of us - Vaga, Yooti and I - be able to do justice to the massive Ravan thali? Let’s find out.

Royal Ruchik is on St Inez Road in Panjim, Goa, opposite Basilios Gym, halfway between Caculo Mall and St Inez church.
Timings: 12 to 11 pm
Google Maps Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/DZinc8DfD8x4E...

Right from the entrance, there were tempting signs of the day's specials all around, but we had come to try this restaurant’s famous Ravan thali (Rs 700). Since we had visited just before Ganesh Chovoth, the Shravan thali was still available, which Jaya, who is vegetarian, tried. It was exciting to see the patoli on the Shravan thali!

But, to enjoy these meals, we would have to wait a little as we had arrived exactly at lunch time. The Salgaonkar family’s food is very popular with Ponjekars. And though they have put tables in every possible space, all are full at lunchtime on working days.

So we studied the lovely menu and very cool wallpaper while waiting. I like restaurants like Royal Ruchik which display their fish plate prices instead of hiding behind ‘as per market rate’. They give rates for all kinds of fish and seafood plates, except for crab and xinaneo (mussels) only.

Royal Ruchik’s bangdo (mackerel), lepo, tarle, velio and veg Goan thalis are Rs 120 each, muddoshi thali Rs 150, chicken thali Rs 180, prawns and modso thali Rs 200, kingfish thali Rs 220. The fish plates range from Rs 80 for bangdo fry to Rs 360 for rawa fry chonak.

Pretty soon, we were seated and awaiting our lunch with great anticipation, for the Ravan thali of Panjim is famous even in our South Goa.

When it comes, the Ravan thali is far bigger than anything we imagined.

Royal Ruchik’s Ravan thali has assorted rawa fried fish and seafood, pickle, tidkeo midkeo bhaji, kheer, dal, raw banana and alsande tonak, prawn curry, chicken xacuti, teesrio, dry prawns kismur, salad, mirchi and sol kari. There was so much on the plate that I forgot to point out the chapati, papod and the banana. A total of 20 items on your plate, including four types of fish and seafood rawa fry: prawns, kingfish, leppo and bangdo. You can make out the scale of the Ravan thali from the size of the bangdo, which was a normal, medium size one, not small by any means.

Vaga and Yootie are going to start off, then I will switch places with one of them and try to finish the rest. The cost of the Ravan thali is Rs 700, and it’s for 4 persons. If any one person can finish an entire Ravan thali, you’ll get Rs 1,000 cash back. So at Royal Ruchik, you can theoretically be paid to eat. But whether it is even possible for one person to eat so much, we shall soon find out.

The Shravan thali had nirponnos (breadfruit) fodi, raw banana and alsande tonak, dal, takachi kari, gulab jamun, curd, kheer, pickle, salad, tidkeo midkeo bhaji, sasav, rice, banana and a beautiful patoli (rice paste stuffed with palm jaggery/coconut mixture and steamed in turmeric leaves). There were also puris and papod under the fodi, which I forgot to mention.

Though the Shravan thali is available only in the Shravan month, this shows you that the Salgaonkars make the most authentic Goan food. The rest of the year, you can be assured of tasty Goan vegetarian thalis over here.

Jaya has done very well, finishing every last bit of rice in her Shravan thali. But for now, we three have proven unequal to the Ravan thali challenge.

What a fantastic meal that was.

We shall be back sometime, probably after skipping breakfast, and try to slay Ravan again.

On our way out, we chatted with Sujit Salgaonkar about his family’s restaurant. He told us that the Salgaonkars have been in the food business for two decades and it was they who invented the Ravan thali, which has been copied by many in Panjim now.

Music:
Dexter & The Disciples / Leisure Island / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com
Daniel Fridell / Penguins / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com
Aks & Lakshmi / Punjabi Swag / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

#goa #4k #goanfood #fishthali #northgoa #panjim #fishcurry