Beyond Dosa Morjim – South Indian Food Beyond Goan Expectations

The Saraswat Brahmins are a key historical link to the popularity of South Indian food in Goa.

Forced to migrate south during the Inquisition, they settled in Goa, coastal Karnataka (Udupi/Mangalore), and Kerala.

This migration created a “flavour corridor” where dishes like Sol Kadi, Udid Methi, and various lentil preparations became shared heritage between Goa and South India.

While the Portuguese introduced iconic ingredients like vinegar and chilli, the soul of Goan cooking remains distinctly South Indian.

1. The Holy Trinity of Ingredients

Goa shares the same “base” as states like Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.

Coconut: Just like in Kerala, coconut is the lifeblood of Goan food. It is used as a freshly grated garnish, ground into thick pastes for curries (like Xacuti), or extracted as milk for stews.

Rice: Rice is the undisputed staple. Both regions favour parboiled “red” rice (often called Ukade rice in Goa/Konkan), which is more robust and nutty than the basmati preferred in the North.

Fish: As coastal regions, both prioritise seafood. The Goan Fish Thali is a direct cousin to the seafood meals found in Mangalore or Malabar.

2. Souring Agents (The Tang Connection)

Both cuisines rely on fruit-based acids rather than the yoghurt or tomatoes common in North India:

Kokum & Tamarind: Goan Hindu (Saraswat) cuisine leans heavily on Kokum (Garcinia indica) and Tamarind, mirroring the flavour profiles of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Toddy Vinegar: While the Portuguese introduced vinegar, Goans created their own version using Coconut Toddy (fermented sap), a tree that defines the South Indian landscape.

3. Shared Culinary Techniques

The Sanna vs. Idli: The Goan Sanna is essentially a coastal South Indian Idli, but fermented with toddy instead of just urad dal, making it sweeter and fluffier.

Tempering (Tadka): Many Goan vegetable dishes (Bhaji) use a classic South Indian tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and green chillies.

Steam Cooking: Both regions use steaming extensively for snacks and sweets, such as Patoleo (rice cakes steamed in turmeric leaves), which is very similar to Kerala’s Ela Ada.

4. The “Byadgi” Bridge

The famous bright red colour of Goan curries (like Recheado or Vindaloo) often comes from the Byadgi chilli, which is actually native to the neighbouring South Indian state of Karnataka.

Goan cuisine adopted this chilli for its vibrant colour and mild heat, creating a flavour profile that is uniquely “Southern.”

In October 2025, Sujit had to travel to Vashi-Virar for a meeting. On this day, he was returning to Goa via the Vande Bharat Express train, which would drop him early morning at the Thivim Railway Station.

The arrival time of his train was around 7 AM, and the Thivim railway station was around an hour away, so I left Hibis at Morjim around 6 AM without having breakfast or even a cup of coffee.

I reached the Thivim station with time to spare and drove up an inclined ramp to find parking. The entire area was filled with cow & buffalo dung, with some of the bovines awaiting the sun to shine on them.

While I was getting over the shock of the view, a parking attendant rushed up to me and started demanding a parking fee infroming me that this was a VIP parking and I needed to pay immediately.

I wasn’t going to park in that dungomporium, so I drove out to look at a better common man’s spot, and I found one right outside a restaurant on the approach road of the railway station.

The train hadn’t arrived till then, so I ordered a cup of strong coffee and waited for Sujit. The entire area was full of cows and buffalo roaming around. Maybe the VIP parking was insufficient for them.

Finally, Sujit arrived, and we left for Hibis Morjim. Enroute I realised that even he hadn’t had dinner en route, and now the Mahindra Scorpio N had two famished souls looking for food.

By this time, I had reached Chopdem round about, and Sujit asked me to stop at this South Indian restaurant called Beyond Dosa.

The first thing that impresses you is the activity quotient at any restaurant that you visit for the first time. What surprised me was that the sprawling dining area at Beyond Dosa was empty.

Two of us were the first ones to enter the precincts. However, I ignored the activity quotient since it was 0845 hrs, and their opening time is 0900 hrs, which, in my opinion, is a bit late for any South Indian restaurant.

South Indian restaurants thrive during breakfast hours, and we had arrived before they opened for the day. However, the service staff was there, and they allowed us to sit at the table that we liked.

The green view – beyond dosa morjim

We chose a table with a green view and allowed us a visual of the entire restaurant. While we were soaking in the view, the menu booklet appeared, and we got lost in the big file.

Missing my good coffee, I asked for two filter coffees – one each before and after the meal, while Sujit opted for a Kombucha.

For food, we requested Idli Sambhar, Masala Dosa and a Ghee Roast Rava Masala Dosa and then sipped our beverages.

The ambience of the restaurant was quite classical. As you enter through the green pathway, you encounter a whiteboard with the day’s specials on the left of the board are their spankingly clean washrooms.

Specials of the day – beyond dosa morjim

On the right had side, they have a huge dining area, bordering which there are two huge feature walls. The dining area has furniture of all sorts, wooden tables and chairs, sofa sets and even a bean bag.

You can languish there for as long as you want, doing your work or even reading your book or borrowing one from their book shelves.

The reader’s shelf – beyond dosa morjim

The walls depict the current Goan & Indian rural scenery with their pets, and another one with a lady in her dance form that was Kathakali, maybe & women carrying a brass water pots. (Pics below).

The food arrived without much delay, so the food preparation and service were quite good. We attacked the food instantly. All three items ordered were delicious, and we ate with gusto.

The idlis were firmly round but soft, light, fluffy and spongy. The sambhar had a delicate balance of spicy, tangy, and sometimes sweet flavours, with a pouring but not watery consistency.

The masala dosa was thin, crisp, and golden-brown on the outside while remaining firm enough to hold the potato filling.

The Rava Masala Dosa: It had a distinct, web-like pattern with many small holes and a shatteringly crisp texture, which created a satisfying crunch when we ate it.

The filter coffee: The strong filter coffee was the cherry on the cake. It had a rich aroma, balanced flavour, and smooth mouthfeel.

Not to miss the three kinds of chutney that were excellent and will make me comeback to Beyond Morjim onec again when I am in Goa.

The menu – beyond dosa morjim

Excellent ambience, food and service we got so they did very well. Even their washroom was clean. So in my opinion it is a must go restaurant, if you are in that neighbourhood.

They prices are a bit expensive, however, if you find them appropriate, do not miss going to the restaurant.

For people concerned about their health the even have dosas made with millets which are on my list to try on my next visit.