MANGO MANIA @WOK & ROLL

One of the most beautiful experiences of summer in Goa is access to some of the best mangoes on the planet, hands down. When you take this king of fruits and use it to amp up already delicious food, the pleasure senses go crazy. And that’s what Wok & Roll in Candolim does with its popular Mango Festival each year.

I have only ever visited this Asian-inspired restaurant in the evenings where the moon and stars cast twinkling lights all around and the neon signs create a fun, happy-go-lucky vibe. Wok & Roll partners Alwyn Mascarenhas, Joseph Dias and Asheen Lobo have been friends for years and their chemistry is really the Midas touch to every venture they have embarked on. They invited me over for an afternoon of tasting, wining and dining, and I was pleasantly surprised by the fresh and energetic atmosphere despite the midday heat.

The gorgeous fruit and vegetable garden is on full display at this hour, bearing goodies of jackfruit, gulmohar, mango, orchid, galangal or Thai ginger, mint, celery, bird’s eye chilli, papaya and banana all ripening in the sun.With the gentle swish of water lapping at the banks of the Nerul creek in front of you, the refreshing breeze wafting through the green outdoors and chirp of snoozing birds, we tucked into the meal.

On a typical day, the Wok & Roll menu can be quite overwhelming. After all, it brings the best of Malaysian, Thai, Singaporean, Indonesian, Vietnamese and even Sri Lankan cuisine to Goan shores. Add to that is a mind-boggling variety of trendy cocktails that are delicious and one of the reasons that Wok & Roll has remained steadfast in Goa’s culinary scene since its inception.We dipped right into the flavour of the season – fresh urak with raw and ripe mango, offering that sweet-sour bite to a fruity drink. I also loved the mango and star anise mojito that combined just the right amounts of fruit and spice.

For lunch, we tucked into generous servings of Vietnamese prawn and chicken lemongrass skewers, Thai mango som tum, prawn mango yellow curry, mango fried rice, mango sticky rice, and glass noodles with mango. Each of these used the currently ubiquitous fruit in a fresh, innovative way that brought it into focus without completing taking over the classic flavours of the dish. I was delighted beyond measure with the successful menu.

One thing I really appreciate about Wok & Roll is its waste management strategy. Alwyn, Joseph and Asheen have put effort into converting the restaurant’s food waste into bio gas, which is used in some of the cooking particularly to make its very popular and fast-moving herb tea.I can’t recommend Wok & Roll enough, not just as a fun dining space but as a relaxing restaurant to enjoy a lazy lunch, out on the terrace under the shade of its beautiful blooming garden.

Sinead