In 2019, when Chef Ralph Prazeres and his wife Stacy Gracias moved back to Goa, after six years in London, they wanted to open a restaurant that served, as Ralph likes to call it “fuss-free European fare in the heart of Panjim”.
Logistics, and later the pandemic, did not exactly help matters and the couple found themselves opening an artisanal bakery and café, Padaria Prazeres, instead, in 2021.
With the bakery running full steam, serving dishes like pastel de natas (flaky tarts with a creamy egg custard filling), Berliners and open sandwiches, it was time to finally give shape to their initial aim. Just a few days before stepping into the New Year, they opened Praca Prazeres.
Mamasita, a vodka-based drink with custard apple puree | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Make your way through the colourful lanes of Fontainhas, the Latin quarters of Goa, to get to this simple, yet charming restaurant. Its ground floor houses an open kitchen and the main dining area. Past a black, satin curtain, a hidden-from-view staircase takes you to the bar and a lounge seating. Artworks by local artist, Gabriella Gomes, adorn both floors and a bit of greenery adds a touch of lushness to the otherwise sparse décor.
The bar programme by Hideaway, listed number 66 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023, pours enhanced classics with drinks like mamasita, a vodka-based drink with custard apple puree, and picante, with tequila, cilantro and jalapenos.
Beetroot and goat cheese salad with a dressing of candied walnuts and paprika | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The food menu at Praca Prazeres is the result of Ralph’s six years spent on studying and working across kitchens in Europe. “I’ve taken inspiration from a number of chefs under whom I have worked. St John’s in London was the last place I worked at and it blew me away, in terms of how simple things can be kept and how delicious the food can be without any of the fuss,” he says.
Every element on the plate tells a story, whether it is the beetroot and goat cheese salad with a dressing of candied walnuts and paprika, or the pillowy lemon and brown butter gnocchi, served on a bed of nutty, brown buttery sauce. Try the scotch eggs, short rib croquettes and the roast chicken with mash and thyme, if you are craving a hearty, filling meal.
Praca Prazeres proves that restaurants do not really need elaborate menus; a few well-executed dishes work like a charm.
Address: 1/95, Behind Sona Hotel, Abreu Road, Off Rua de Ourem, Panaji. A meal for two is approximately ₹1,800 without alcohol.
