The newest entrant on the Baga creek restaurant strip, Rara Avis “Konkan” (of Rara Avis, Delhi, fame) is an enchanting terrace garden restaurant set in a 50 year old hillside Goan property. The menu offers a culinary exploration of France, serving bistro style unpretentious French cuisine that is hearty and rustic yet rendered for the sophisticated palate. With its uncluttered white walls, chic gr
ey patina glazed metal furniture, aquamarine upholstery, baroque chandeliers and shaded table lamps, the restaurant is reminiscent of a typical French Riviera "mas" and makes for a memorable dining experience. THE RESTAURANT
Set on an expansive hillside terrace of a 50 year old Goan property that, Rara Avis “Konkan” provides an enchanting dining ambiance. Entrance to the restaurant is down a softly lit graveled pathway that leads up a staircase, opening onto the alfresco dining space. The restaurant comprises two white-walled terrace gardens that are adorned in luxuriant tropical flora. The restaurant features an open grill where fresh fish and fine cuts of meats that are subtly seasoned with a hint of “Herbes de Provence” and olive oil are cooked to perfection. An indoor lounge bar replicates the theme of the outdoor space, It is the ideal place to sip a drink while you wait to be seated, or simply to relax and relish their selection of delightful cocktails or their signature Sangria. One of the three owners will always be there to welcome you, to personally take you through their menu and ensure your experience is nothing short of unforgettable. THE CUISINE
Rara Avis “Konkan” offers authentic French bistro cuisine, featuring a diverse selection of robust earthy dishes from various regions of France. The food here artfully blends the simplicity of home style cooking with unassuming flair, and is created using only the finest of ingredients. “The products we use extensively are mostly artisanal and everything is home-made from bread to desserts.”
The specialties of the house include classics such as French Onion Soup (except here it’s base is vegetarian), Morel Mushroom Croutes (toasted bread covered with morel mushrooms in a port wine and cream reduction) Brittany style Prawns (prawns in a light cream sauce topped with cheese and “au gratin”) and Warm Goat Cheese Salad for starters. Mains feature Daube de Boeuf (a variation of Boeuf Bourguignon) Cordon Bleu (stuffed chicken breast with mushrooms and ham) Filet de Boeuf au Poivre Vert (Tenderloin with green pepper corn sauce) Red Snapper Trouvillaise (Filet of red snapper and seafood in a fish stock and cream) and Spinach and cheese Crêpes, amongst others. THE PARTNERS
Jerome Cousin – The Chef
Jerome is a French National living in India for the past 9 years. Born in Franche Comté, to a French father and a Swiss - Italian mother, Jerome was groomed extensively at his family restaurant of 3 generations. At the age of 6, cooking on the “piano” – the proverbial term used for a cooking range in French - came naturally with the support of his grandfather who went to the extent of designing smaller sized pots and pans to ease Jerome’s induction into the world of gastronomy. Since then, Jerome’s culinary journey has won him many accolades from across the globe and, most recently, now in India. Laurent Guiraud – The Connoisseur
Laurent, also a French National, was born in Paris and has been a restaurateur since the early 90’s as the owner of a Michelin Star restaurant in South West France, Pays Basque. Laurent has been living in Delhi for the past 6 years – working with the Alchemist Group for four years, where he played a key role in the launch of the famed Manre lounge in 2007. Following an illustrious stint at the Olive Group as their Vice President of Business Development, Laurent decided to pursue his vision of opening an authentic Bistro style French restaurant in the capital, bringing together his passion for food and his impressive experience in the French and Indian culinary industry. Rajiv Aneja:
A native of New Delhi, Rajiv is an ardent globe trotter and a self taught cook, whose passion is to experiment with food. Rajiv and Laurent have been friends for several years, and when the idea of opening a restaurant came up Rajiv seized the opportunity, fulfilling his own fervent dream. Rajiv joined forces with the French duo and together they opened Rara Avis, in the popular Greater Kailash II neighborhood of South Delhi. Rajiv brings not only his immense entrepreneurial experience, but also his exceptional flair for vegetarian food, which has become a strong focus at Rara Avis. THE BRAND
The Rara Avis brand was launched in April 2012 with the opening of a bistro style restaurant in New Delhi. With its authentic and unpretentious regional French cuisine, elegant ambiance and the owners’ unyielding commitment to quality and service, the restaurant very quickly became a triumph, especially among the Indian diners. With raving reviews in the press and an overwhelming response from guests on an activate gourmet social site, Rara Avis’ fame further catapulted. Today the brand holds supreme “good will’ with their faithful patrons and in a short time has become an institution in Delhi’s culinary landscape. With the resounding success in Delhi and requests from their faithful diners to open “Rara” in other cities, the partners started considering expansion, and thus, began their quest for the perfect location. Chef Jerome was vacationing in Goa for Christmas in 2012, when he met, David, a Rara Avis patron from New Delhi. As the conversation ensued, David suggested he show Jerome his property in Baga that he believed would make for the perfect al fresco restaurant. Jerome fell in love with the space and its stunning view on his first visit and returned to Goa a few weeks later with Laurent, who, too, felt an instant connection with the elevated terrace. Following a few more days of discussion, the Goa adventure began taking shape...
