This time, I found myself randomly searching for a restaurant to dine in, as some of the places I had in mind were closed for a mid-afternoon break. It seems that many restaurants around here take a pause around 4 PM on Tuesdays.
The restaurant I stumbled upon had an air-conditioned room, but seating options were limited. There were two spaces on the floor and one regular table with chairs. They also offered an outdoor seating area.
When I arrived, a seat at the regular table was already taken, so I settled for a space on the floor. It wasn’t the most comfortable for my legs, but I managed to stay for about five hours, so it wasn’t too bad.
The person at the table was busy with a Zoom meeting, which might have affected the Wi-Fi speed, fluctuating between 6mbps to 17mbps. I’ve noticed that places with air conditioning often have lower Wi-Fi speeds for some reason.
Interestingly, there was a man sleeping on the floor, and when I ordered Malai Kofta—one of my favorite vegetarian dishes in India—along with a cheese naan, the waiter woke him up to tell him what i ordered. I guessed he was the cook. He seemed a bit annoyed at being disturbed, and shortly after getting up, he turned off the AC and left. It seemed like the AC was more for his benefit than for the guests.
When the waiter returned with another worker, I asked if they could turn the AC back on. They were happy to oblige. It appeared that only the cook was indifferent to customer comfort, while the rest of the staff were quite accommodating.
As the restaurant wasn’t crowded, my order of Malai Kofta arrived quickly. I was pleasantly surprised by the generous size of the dish. The koftas, typically meatball-like but in this case made of potato (sometimes with cheese), were exceptionally large – the biggest I’ve ever seen. The curry sauce was a unique brown color, different from the usual creamy texture I’m familiar with, but it was quite tasty.
However, the oil content was a concern; it seemed to be vegetable oil, which is common in many Indian restaurants and not the healthiest option. Consuming such foods frequently could lead to skin issues like pimples and oily skin.
The cheese naan here was similar to what’s generally available, although it’s not my preferred type. I’ve only found one restaurant, Siona, that makes it just the way I like. The naan at Cesare’s was two pieces of bread with cheese in the middle. Despite my usual reservations, it was quite good, especially when filled with kofta and curry, reminiscent of eating a stuffed pita bread.
The combination of the hearty koftas and cheese naan was satisfying and filling, a commendable feat. For 250 rupees, the portion size offered great value, especially considering the comfort of an air-conditioned setting. The Wi-Fi, although not super fast, was adequate for basic tasks. This was evident as another patron was conducting a Zoom meeting without any issues, indicating that the Wi-Fi speed was sufficient for such activities.
Although Cesare’s Café had “Hello to the Queen” on the menu, a dessert I particularly enjoy and is rumored to have Israeli origins, they were unable to make it during my visit, likely due to missing ingredients. Instead, I opted for a ginger lemon honey tea, which turned out to be the best I’ve had in Goa. Its appearance was unusual, but the strong ginger flavor made it quite memorable.
After over two hours of sitting, I began to feel some discomfort, similar to but less intense than my experience at The Mill. The floor seating, while not entirely uncomfortable, made me wish for a more traditional chair. As evening approached and the café became quieter, the AC was turned off in favor of a ventilator, a decision that seemed reasonable given we were just 2 people in the indoor.
I would say that the place also has a very nice outdoor area that many people were sitting there in the evening when i left.
