State Bhavan Canteen Review - Viva O Viva, restaurant at Goa Niwas

Viva O Viva is the restaurant / canteen at Goa Niwas, the State house of Goa. In Delhi, every state has a State house or bhawan for the use of its members and officers of the government. Most of these State houses or bhawans have a canteen or restaurant to cater to the needs of its guests and some of them are open to the general public as well. These canteens and restaurants usually provide a cheap eating option though not always authentic. Most of these canteens have Delhified their food and the usual paneer and stuff gets served to cater to the northie tastes. But sometimes you do find dishes which sticks to the original recipe and our undying hope to get some fresh, authentic and tasty Goan food led us to this restaurant.

  

Many a times we planned to visit Viva O Viva at the Goa Niwas but every time we decided to stick with the familiar and went to our usual haunts. Then we went there one Sunday afternoon and couldn't resist going there again last night for dinner. The Goa Niwas building is relatively new and was inaugurated in 2010 by Mrs. Sonia Gandhi. The building, the lobby and reception is well maintained and minimally and tastefully done up.

Viva O Viva is more like a canteen than a restaurant with genuine effort made to lift the utilitarian looks. The chairs are a pleasant lime color and the tables have plastic table mats with Mario's cartoons. The canteen has a huge plasma TV, a mini teeing mat and a Foosball table and right now the Christmas decorations are up. Two hand written white boards are kept leaning against a pillar - one with the day's menu and the other with the specials. The canteen is currently being operated by a couple from Goa who also have a catering business.

Till date we have had their Prawn Curry, Mackerel Curry, Prawn Peri Peri, King Fish Masala Fry, Mackerel Ambotik and Rice. The Prawn Curry and Mackerel Curry was "the" best dish for us, it was a coconut based curry with kokum in it. The fish was fresh and its flavor intermingled with the coconutty gravy which we enjoyed by eating with our fingers and licking it! The King fish masala fry was fried just right in a typical Goan red masala and was served with a little salad on the side. The Prawn Peri Peri is a signature dish of Viva O Viva and is again a typical Goan dish with a vinegary red masala. The Mackerel Ambotik is another great fish curry and is sour like the name suggests. Viva O Viva serves the usual white rice and pav to go with their curries. The pav is nothing great to write about - it is the usual huge pav found here in Delhi. The seafood is fresh and comes in three times a week from their suppliers from - Kochi or Gujarat or Andhra Pradesh.
They serve the Goan delicacies bebinca and dodol for dessert along with a couple of puddings. Currently, they have a Christmas special going and have included Christmas sweets and puddings in their menu.

 Mackerel Ambotik

 Prawns Curry

King Fish Masala Fry

 

 

Pricewise it is not cheap like the other canteens but we thought the food was really good and did not mind paying for it. All in all Viva O Viva serves some serious fresh and authentic Goan food.

Our Verdict: Definitely go there if you are a Goan food lover who loves to eat seriously yummy food. If ambiance and decor matter more than the food, then stay away. Viva O Viva could be the answer to your seafood cravings without burning a huge hole in your wallet.