It's a Herb Tale at Eric's

Taking a family of committed, uncompromising vegetarians into a restaurant rooted in traditional Goan heritage is usually an exercise in high-stakes table diplomacy. You brace yourself for the usual drill: scanning a meat-heavy menu, making a pact with the waiter to cook everything vegetarian for us.

Instead of offering a polite afterthought, they served up a feast that had us leaning across the table, forks poised, ready to defend our vegetarian territory.

A family dinner means mixed ideas aligned to different eating preferences. However, everything falls into sync once the table is set!

The Appetizers: A Tale of Two Crazes

We kicked things off with an eclectic double-header: masoor dal tikki and stir-fried wantons.

Now, making a lentil tikki sounds simple enough, but achieving that golden, crackling exterior without ending up with a dense, muddy brick inside is an underrated culinary tightrope walk. Eric’s version was spot-on—earthy, perfectly seasoned, and vanishingly light.

The stir-fried wantons, on the other hand, brought pure, unadulterated table drama. Delicately wrapped, pan-seared tossed in a gravy, they triggered a brief, silent glare-war over who was entitled to the last piece. (Rules of table etiquette dissolved within four minutes of arrival.)

The Mains: Poe, Dosa, and Coconut Alchemy

Then came the centerpiece of the meal: Goan faves poe bread, mushroom xacuti, a side of set dosa, and a bowl of cabbage and french beans foogath.

If you have never stuffed piping-hot mushroom xacuti—a dark, complex curry driven by heavily roasted coconut and warming spices—into a pillowy, pocketed poe, you are missing out on one of life’s great comforting pleasures. The earthy mushrooms soaked up the rich gravy, while the rustic bread caught every drop.

Swooping up the remaining xacuti sauce with soft, cloud-like set dosas might break regional culinary traditions, but at our table, delicious synergy beats strict geography every single time. We stuffed everything down with sounds of loud gulps.

To maintain the illusion that we were sensible adults eating a balanced meal, we sprinkled in the foogath. Tender cabbage and crisp French beans, semi tossed with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and fresh coconut, provided a bright, crunchy contrast to the deep, roasted warmth of the curry.

Was thinking, if they had a Karaoke night, how would that be like? A route to explore...

The Grand Finale: A Tale of Two Trifles

Just when we swore we couldn’t manage another bite, the dessert menu arrived, carrying with it the English and Portuguese style trifle.

It’s rare to find a dessert that feels like a history lesson and an indulgence all at once. Rich custard, soaked sponge, and sweet fruit preserves layered together seamlessly, bringing both sides of colonial dessert heritage into a sweet, creamy truce. Naturally, all previous claims of being "completely full" vanished instantaneously.

We entered expecting to compromise; we walked out thoroughly stuffed, mildly competitive over wanton rights, and deeply impressed. Eric’s proves that when a kitchen respects its ingredients, vegetarian food isn't an afterthought—it's the main event.

The reception was like a Portuguese bakery, with glass jars lined with Shrewsbury biscuits, cookies and a whole confectionary line.

We picked up our favorites and with happier hearts as well as stomachs full, walked out the main door, deciding mutually to definitely visit again.