Posts about food get the most hits. As this is clearly all anyone cares to read about on the internet, I submit. Here is my review of the restaurants of Om Beach, Gokarna (or 'the world as I know it'). This review is of course utterly pointless. It's likely that few people will read this; it's unlikely that anyone that does read it will also come to India; India isn't exactly accessible for a weekend break; even if it was, you certainly wouldn't come here for the food, and the season is just about over. But, hypothetically, if you happened to walk down the beach right now you might find the following.
As I am now a restaurant critic I have dispensed with any need to be fair, partial, refrain from using this as a tool to favour restaurants I like, or even to have eaten in the restaurants I review.
Namaste cafe.
A big but disappointing restaurant at the start of the beach.
Dolphin Bay.
The friendliest most amusing rats-nest on Om Beach, staffed and inhabited by resident jokers. Where as most dishes are pretty average, there are a few specialities hidden in the menu. Worth a try are the pizzas, small but topped with a thick layer of rich cheese. Try the olive cheese pizza, or the veg-olive pizza if you are into pieces of carrot on your pizza. Other noteworthy items are the large selection of deserts; the signature desert being the 'dolphin cake', a chilled chocolate, custard biscuit slice, best eaten with ice cream.
But saving the best for last, the Dolphin has perhaps the best lemonana on Om Beach. Billed as a 'lemon-mint juice', think instead of a virgin mojito slushy prepared with lots of mint, and a good dose of sugar. Apparently this name comes from Hebrew, 'nana' meaning mint. Just subtly add a dash of rum to create the perfect drink, mouth tingling and refreshing. Do not add whiskey. Whiskey is not 'same same' as rum. Whiskey does not complement the flavour, and if a shop or restaurant should offer whiskey when you ask for rum don't trust them to open a tin of beans. If you don't want ice in your lemonana, go home. As a friend pointed out, India is the country where no distinction is made between lemons and limes. For that matter, I'm not entirely sure which fruit the kitchen angels press to make this wonderful drink, but keep going!
Om Shanti.
Unremarkable, as far as I remember.
Om Rock.
Perhaps I will call them unremarkable for not having been specifically recommended.
Om Sri Ganesh (more commonly known as 'the one with the bridge')
Some of the best food on the beach, both in presentation and flavour, but at a cost to both your time and your pocket. As far as I am aware all dishes are well received, with recommendations for the Israeli food, North Indian food, grilled paneer and the sizzler (food served on a burning cabbage leaf, for people who like the smell of burning cabbage). The lemonana is more on the order of a frozen lemon juice, but still very refreshing.
Sagar.
I'll call it unremarkable for the totally unfair reason of my not having eaten there.
Sangam.
I have heard some credit is given to both the pizza and the salads, but the speciality is definitely local food. 'Indian food' does not mean local food, and when most of the oblivious tourists order 'Indian food' they are eating styles far less local than they imagine. The paneer and gravy dishes which spring to mind all originate in the northern Indian states, and two thousand kilometers distant is not exactly local. The recommended dishes here are the Thali, which allows you to taste several local curries, and the curries themselves. A simple veg curry includes plenty of coconut and a little green chilli, typical of the food of Kerala and seemingly also coastal Karnataka (The chef is a Karnataka man). There is also one of the best veg birianis on the beach, with a fresh and light taste, cashews, raisins (without becoming sweet) and a separate rich masala sauce. The shakes are also worth a mention, for example the kitkat nutella coffee. (In a competition to have the most outlandish shakes with Nirvana perhaps)
Manikarana/ Manikara/ Manikarna (as labelled by adjacent signs)
Run by the owners wife, a known dodgy dealer. As is sometimes the case all of the curries have a strangely similar flavour, but a search of any menu will turn up an oddity. You can get a whole plate of macaroni pasta, lightly fried with crispy garlic, and topped with cheese, for just Rs60.
Moksha.
for some reason never mentioned directly, I'm sure it's perfectly OK. I ate there last year and didn't die. Under the logic of alternative medicine this also makes it the preventative treatment for all the diseases I didn't get.
Ganesh (the second).
For a while attempted to attract tourists with enticing naked lights. Probably cooks something well.
Nirvana.
Big and developed, almost professionally run. This leads to good service and a generally capable kitchen. They have a pizza oven and the result is definitely passable, with a flavour which goes beyond reliance on a thick layer of cheese. A competitor to the title of 'the place for shakes'.
Jungle cafe.
A long sandy path leads away behind the beach and this spot has a nice forest atmosphere. At least a few good curries and a noteworthy masala chai spiced with cinnamon.
Rasta cafe.
An offensively shanti service, don't bother.
Dragon cafe.
An outdoors grill in peak season, otherwise probably unremarkable.
Sunset point cafe.
Specialises in fish. Didn't have any fish. (relevant to those that eat such things).
Dolphin Shanti.
On the rocks right at the end of the beach Dolphin Shanti comes with a view over the whole bay, it's a peaceful spot away from the people traffic. Despite a limited kitchen they will endeavour to cook most things; don't expect miracles, but simple well cooked curries, sizzlers and other dishes are possible. The pasta might be bettered by some students, but the full plateful serving is definitely appreciated by the same gap-yearing students. The finger chips (UK:chips USA:fries) are some of the best on the beach, fluffy, crispy and well salted. This mix of location and passable food seems to disproportionately attract the English and Germans.
As I am now a restaurant critic I have dispensed with any need to be fair, partial, refrain from using this as a tool to favour restaurants I like, or even to have eaten in the restaurants I review.
Namaste cafe.
A big but disappointing restaurant at the start of the beach.
Dolphin Bay.
The friendliest most amusing rats-nest on Om Beach, staffed and inhabited by resident jokers. Where as most dishes are pretty average, there are a few specialities hidden in the menu. Worth a try are the pizzas, small but topped with a thick layer of rich cheese. Try the olive cheese pizza, or the veg-olive pizza if you are into pieces of carrot on your pizza. Other noteworthy items are the large selection of deserts; the signature desert being the 'dolphin cake', a chilled chocolate, custard biscuit slice, best eaten with ice cream.
But saving the best for last, the Dolphin has perhaps the best lemonana on Om Beach. Billed as a 'lemon-mint juice', think instead of a virgin mojito slushy prepared with lots of mint, and a good dose of sugar. Apparently this name comes from Hebrew, 'nana' meaning mint. Just subtly add a dash of rum to create the perfect drink, mouth tingling and refreshing. Do not add whiskey. Whiskey is not 'same same' as rum. Whiskey does not complement the flavour, and if a shop or restaurant should offer whiskey when you ask for rum don't trust them to open a tin of beans. If you don't want ice in your lemonana, go home. As a friend pointed out, India is the country where no distinction is made between lemons and limes. For that matter, I'm not entirely sure which fruit the kitchen angels press to make this wonderful drink, but keep going!
Om Shanti.
Unremarkable, as far as I remember.
Om Rock.
Perhaps I will call them unremarkable for not having been specifically recommended.
Om Sri Ganesh (more commonly known as 'the one with the bridge')
Some of the best food on the beach, both in presentation and flavour, but at a cost to both your time and your pocket. As far as I am aware all dishes are well received, with recommendations for the Israeli food, North Indian food, grilled paneer and the sizzler (food served on a burning cabbage leaf, for people who like the smell of burning cabbage). The lemonana is more on the order of a frozen lemon juice, but still very refreshing.
Sagar.
I'll call it unremarkable for the totally unfair reason of my not having eaten there.
Sangam.
I have heard some credit is given to both the pizza and the salads, but the speciality is definitely local food. 'Indian food' does not mean local food, and when most of the oblivious tourists order 'Indian food' they are eating styles far less local than they imagine. The paneer and gravy dishes which spring to mind all originate in the northern Indian states, and two thousand kilometers distant is not exactly local. The recommended dishes here are the Thali, which allows you to taste several local curries, and the curries themselves. A simple veg curry includes plenty of coconut and a little green chilli, typical of the food of Kerala and seemingly also coastal Karnataka (The chef is a Karnataka man). There is also one of the best veg birianis on the beach, with a fresh and light taste, cashews, raisins (without becoming sweet) and a separate rich masala sauce. The shakes are also worth a mention, for example the kitkat nutella coffee. (In a competition to have the most outlandish shakes with Nirvana perhaps)
Manikarana/ Manikara/ Manikarna (as labelled by adjacent signs)
Run by the owners wife, a known dodgy dealer. As is sometimes the case all of the curries have a strangely similar flavour, but a search of any menu will turn up an oddity. You can get a whole plate of macaroni pasta, lightly fried with crispy garlic, and topped with cheese, for just Rs60.
Moksha.
for some reason never mentioned directly, I'm sure it's perfectly OK. I ate there last year and didn't die. Under the logic of alternative medicine this also makes it the preventative treatment for all the diseases I didn't get.
Ganesh (the second).
For a while attempted to attract tourists with enticing naked lights. Probably cooks something well.
Nirvana.
Big and developed, almost professionally run. This leads to good service and a generally capable kitchen. They have a pizza oven and the result is definitely passable, with a flavour which goes beyond reliance on a thick layer of cheese. A competitor to the title of 'the place for shakes'.
Jungle cafe.
A long sandy path leads away behind the beach and this spot has a nice forest atmosphere. At least a few good curries and a noteworthy masala chai spiced with cinnamon.
Rasta cafe.
An offensively shanti service, don't bother.
Dragon cafe.
An outdoors grill in peak season, otherwise probably unremarkable.
Sunset point cafe.
Specialises in fish. Didn't have any fish. (relevant to those that eat such things).
Dolphin Shanti.
On the rocks right at the end of the beach Dolphin Shanti comes with a view over the whole bay, it's a peaceful spot away from the people traffic. Despite a limited kitchen they will endeavour to cook most things; don't expect miracles, but simple well cooked curries, sizzlers and other dishes are possible. The pasta might be bettered by some students, but the full plateful serving is definitely appreciated by the same gap-yearing students. The finger chips (UK:chips USA:fries) are some of the best on the beach, fluffy, crispy and well salted. This mix of location and passable food seems to disproportionately attract the English and Germans.
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