Families Visiting Goa, Hit Up Edward's Yard For A Hearty Meal By A Waterfall

Just a good ol’ place serving good ol' comfort food probably best describes Edward’s Yard. It’s a hidden gem that manages to ace biryani alongside Goan specialties, without undermining the authenticity of either cuisine.

Located at the fag end of North Goa, Edward’s Yard has become the perfect spot for a family day out. Having grown bigger over the years, this one can take about 100 plus people and if you don’t book on the weekends, there’s likelihood that you might be out waiting. That itself should tell you how popular this place is. And why not? It’s an oasis of calm with the sound of the waterfall for constant company and the promise of the freshest catch of the day, served without a speck of pretense. Surprisingly, no one is in a rush either; neither those devouring seafood, nor the ever-so-patient wait staff. 

On a rainy afternoon, when we drove ourselves down the highway, we had little idea about what to expect from Edward's. Now now, don’t get fooled by their scant social media presence. The restaurant’s actually a lot more than what meets the (virtual) stalking. An almost-road, right off the highway, leads you through sleepy village roads and there it is, a cute, rustic restaurant doing a whole lot of great, affordable food with beer to wash it all down.

Once here, we hung out with Mayur, who’s a foodie first and a restauranteur later. We tell you, no slip up escapes his eye as he spends every single day supervising his cooking staff in the kitchen. ‘That’s my zone,’ he says. Sure enough, it shows with every dish cooked to perfection.

While we have to say this place is a sure shot heaven for the meat eaters, they manage to win the odd vegetarian on their side with the bhindi aamchuri and Sri Lankan curry. Try their mushroom 65 and cheese garlic naan, which we absolutely loved! The carnivores have a dedicated seafood menu that changes depending on what they can source locally and it also looks like one of the affordable places to try mussels, crab, chonak or other creatures of the sea. We loved the chonak rechaedo which was perfectly flaky, with the masala well-balanced. The prawn dynamix (the bar snack we’d order in a heartbeat) and rawa mackerel (a tastier alternative to the ubiquitous kingfish) are other must-haves.

Like we mentioned, the fussy North Indian won’t be disappointed for there’s enough tikka representation from paneer and chicken to fish and prawns. However, give Edward’s a chance to treat you to a xacuti or ambot-tik… Who knows you might have a change of heart (and palate)?

The place shuts on Mondays and between 4pm and 7pm every day.