Aug 24: The best Raksha Bandhan plans don’t need much: good food, a familiar face across the table and enough time to catch up properly. Vaarta’s new menu makes a strong case for all three.

Set inside a restored 160-year-old Goan home in Sangolda, Vaarta, the first-of-its-kind restaurant in Goa where interactive nostalgia is woven into the experience has introduced a new menu that travels across regions, flavours and food memories. The idea remains true to what Vaarta has always stood for: giving familiar Indian street food the time, dignity, and emotion it deserves. 

The new menu moves from the streets of Kolkata to the coast of Goa, tracing a flavourful journey through India’s streets featuring instantly recognisable dishes such as

• Punjabi Samosa Chole Chaat: Crisp samosas crushed over spicy chole, layered with chutneys, yoghurt and crunchy toppings.

• Aloo Tikki Chole Chaat: Crisp potato patties topped with hearty chole, yoghurt, house chutneys and fresh herbs.

• Purani Dilli Chole Bhature: Slow-cooked Delhi-style chickpeas paired with fluffy bhature and onion salad.

• Goan Xitt Kodi: Goa’s beloved fish curry served with traditional white steamed rice, coconut, kokum and coastal spices.

• Vaarta Bowl: Steamed rice with masoor dal broth, smoked paneer, seasonal bhartas, beetroot chop, posto chop and crispy aloo bhaja.

• Calcutta Fish Chop: Kolkata’s iconic fish croquette with flaky fish, potatoes and warm Bengali spices, crumb-fried.

• Coastal Tandoori Fish: Fresh fish marinated in coastal spices, charred in the tandoor and finished with a hint of citrus.

• Nargisi Lauki Kofta: Soft bottle gourd koftas with a flavourful paneer centre, served in a rich, aromatic tomato-cashew gravy.

• Gulab Jamun with Rabri: Warm gulab jamuns served with rabri and saffron-infused milk.

• Coconut Malai Sandesh: A Bengali classic made with fresh chenna and creamy coconut malai.

This Raksha Bandhan, make it about the simple things i.e. sitting across from your sibling, sharing familiar flavours and reliving a few memories along the way.  

Because at Vaarta, food has always been about more than what's on the plate. This time, it is about who you share it with.