Goan to the Mission

I went. To the Mission. Its a neighborhood undergoing gentrification if you ask the politicians to describe it. I found the ambience borderline unpleasant but with some distinct and interesting latin artwork on the local homes - there was no latin just some paitings and murals typifying the style of Latin America.

Some blocks I crossed seemed rife with its share of street hoodlums and shady individuals with the decay that comes of being a neglected part of town. The reason I embarked on the trip was to sample what is called Goan /coastal Maharashtra cuisine. Goa is a portuguese establishment on the west central coast of India and today one of its state. Logistically and culturally a food scene defined by the bounty of the ocean along with rice and coconut as well as with tropical fruit constitues the meal and the preparations. The place I went to was called Gajalee (I am told they have sister or parent - being the original - concerns in Bombay too). The word signifies informal gathering although I cannot confirm that. Lets start at the very beginning, a very good place to start - when the place said it opened at 11.30 it should have been opened and ready in all aspects. Instead what I found at 11.32 was the CLOSED sign still adorning the glass wall but the front door open. The carpet still rolled up (the floor was being mopped) and a waiter surprised to see this desi idiot actually at their doorstep expecting food. Regardless I made my way in and was seated. I was mildly informed to watch my step - in case I took a dive on the slick wet floor. Could have solved his problem of dealing with a way too early customer for sure but I was sure footed and did not slip. I sat down and immediately found myself making new acquaintances with a couple that like me had made its way from a few miles out to explore this cuisine. They too had arrived earlier and had to loiter given the place was not open at 11.30 am. Any rate the menu came ..

and I knew instantly what I was going to get to tickle my palate .. and see if nostalgia would play its tune in real time. Starter drink would be Sol Kadi - something like Soul Food for the Maharashtrian from the coast - an interesting drink made from the juice of a Kokum (a purple pitted tropical fruit) and the milk of coconut - ideally fresh and salted to taste. For someone with more inclined to learn of kokum here is the link .. http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-06-24/news/29699079_1_konkani-fruit-kokum-sherbet This version was premade and refrigerated but was not too shabby.

Next up for the main course was the Thali or platter with this and that. A couple of vegetable dishes along with the entree - a mussels in coconut curry made Goan style.

The food was at best mediocre. I have sampled some of the ingredients in Goa and in Dadar (a suburb of Bombay) decades ago. That taste was remarkable and what I had recently at Gajalee in the Mission in San Francisco did not come close. The mussels (tisrya) in a coconut gravy was fairly well done with the right masala (spice foundation) and consistency but the other items on the platter (thali) I ordered failed to impress. To mess up the arrangement there was the Dessert - one of the cups you see in the thali on the left. A yellowish item with the consistency of a gel with marshmallows - this was actually a Daal Payasaam. Runny for the most part it had the least flavor. Also to make matters confusing Payasaam typically hails from the south of India and its like inviting the Aztecs for a meal and offering an Incan dish. Or inviting a central Chinese native to offer a Cantonese item and call it authentic. I am not sure why that was included in the Thali - perhaps a filler? I must say that the Tisrya (meaning third in literal Marathi) actually came in First in the taste test of all that I sampled that afternoon. Price tag for the hassle of training myself out to the Mission and back along with the food was just around $50. Not worth the ride. IMHO!