Review Appi’s Shack Candolim Goa

So you have booked your holiday to Goa, and now all you can think about is the moment you get onto the beach. In an ideal world you will have a cool breeze on your face. The sky would be cloudless and the sun shining. As you sit sipping a cold iced beer, or tropical juice, all you can hear is the swish from the turning waves on the beach that stretches as far as the eye can see. I know it sounds unreal, this only happens in your dreams, but your dream could become reality at Appi’s Shack.

Situated next to the life-guard station, Appi Shack is one of the last three shacks on Candolim beach heading towards Calangute, where Celina Pereira and her staff will make your more than welcome with her long-established Goan hospitality.

This delightfully, spick-and-span, shack not only offers you tranquillity, good service as well as home-cooked food by Celina herself, who still has time between cooking to come and talk to her guests.  

 

The menu offers a variety of dishes to suit any taste:

Toasties/Sandwiches   salads & soups   Goan Food   Indian Curries    Vegetarian   Chinese    pasta Tandoori and seafood to name a few.

Other facilities: Clean toilets, shower and free Wi-Fi

 

Therefore, if you are wanting breakfast, lunch or dinner, or just to relax with a cool beer head for Appi’s Shack for that not forgotten famous Goan warmth.

 THE SCORES:

FIRST IMPRESSIONS 5/5

AMBIENCE 5/5

STAFF    5/5

SERVICE 5/5

HYGIENE   5/5  

FOOD  4/5  This score is no reflection on the food, just that as all beach shacks I feel that the prices are higher than a restaurant on the street of the same standard.

 
OVERALL SCORE  4/8 Red Hot chillies 
 WOULD I GO AGAIN
Certainly I would. This is my regular beach shack three times a week.

 

 

 

Cyclone off the coast of Kerala, caused major problems at high tide today on the beaches at Candolim down to Baga Goa.

Fairview Holiday Apartments Skegness UK

If you are looking for a clean, well equipped apartment, close to the centre of Skegness and all it attractions then look no further than Fairview Holiday Apartments.

On South Parade, Fairview overlooks the bowling green, the Rock Gardens, the Boating Lake and views out to sea.  Owners Angela and Frank’s high standards, give you home from home comfort in their flats varying in size that can accommodate from 2 to 7 persons.

Facilities:

All flats have their own bathroom and toilet

All are equipped with TVs, refrigerators, gas cookers and gas or electric heating. Bed linen, towels, cots & highchairs, all of which can be hired separately.

Flats are let from Saturday to Saturday

You will have your own key – no restrictions

The property is completely non-smoking

 Open all year round

There is a car parking available on site and close by

We stayed to three nights this November and had a really enjoyable stay. There is a gas and electric meter that takes Pound coins. But even in the winter, having the heating on at night did not cost much at all. There was already money in the gas meter and even after cooking breakfast and dinner we never had to add more.

Kitchen equipment is basic, so if like me you like to cook the next time I visited I may take a few extra utensils and equipment, like a frying pan. But on the whole I cooked a main meal every night without an issue with what was provided. There is also a microwave. Being winter, we did spend out evenings in. After our evening meal, it was so cosy to sit back on the sofa with a glass of wine and watch the TV.

Angela the owner is a really nice lady, and very helpful. I will undoubtedly return to Fairview, and would recommend it to anyone who wants to self-cater.

Thank you Angela for making our stay so lovely.

CONTACT FAIRVIEW HOLIDAY APARTMENTS
Fair View Holiday Flats
84 South Parade
Skegness
Lincolnshire
PE25 3HR

T: 01754 763686

M: 07940 287010

WEBSITE  http://www.fair-view.co.uk/

Rivelyn Hotel Scarborough UK

The Rivelyn Hotel is situated on the popular South Cliff area in Scarborough. Situated 15 minutes' walk from the beach and a short distance from town.

Facilities: What the booking site said.

An en suite bathroom, digital TV and tea/coffee making facilities are featured in each room at Rivelyn, as well as free toiletries.

A small lift to all floors.

BREAKFASTS

Breakfasts available from 8am until 11am

Continental breakfast £3.95 / €4.31 /₽307.51  /Rupees 340.71  /$5.27

fruit, yoghurts, pastries, hot beverages, bread to toast, fruit juices and a large section of cereal

FULL BREAKFAST £7.95 / €8.88   /₽618.91  /Rupees 685.73  /$10.60

Includes the above with FRESHLY COOKED FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST.

DISABLED ACCESS

There is no ramp, around 8 steps into the building, the lift is too small to be able to take a wheel chair and because the rooms are budget the bathrooms are small.

PARKING

Parking permits for two full days from £1.50/ €1.68   /₽116.77 /Rupees 129.38  /$2.00

MY REVIEW

Unfortunately our expectations of our room was nothing like any of the website pictures we had seen. However it was clean and cosy.

We did get a TV, toiletries and towels.

We had a kettle, but tea and coffee etc. had not been refilled. Luckily we had taken our own.

There was no internet for the two nights stay.

As it was November, we had to ask for the heating to be put on in our room.

Apart from our arrival and asking for the heating to be put on by the barperson, we didn’t see any other staff and for the rest of the stay reception was closed.

We did not take breakfast or use the bar.

 

Would I go again?

Possibly, although the location was very good.

Contact

Address:
RIVELYN HOTEL
1-4 Crown Crescent
Scarborough
YO11 2BJ

Emailrivelynhotel@yahoo.co.uk
Phone 01723 363513

Restaurant Review- Foodland Candolim Goa

Foodland is a small roadside restaurant situated on Sinquerim Road, Opposite Friends Bar, Candolim.

   A small simple restaurant that offer a selection of Indian and European Food.

STAFF

Our waiter for the evening was Prakash or PJ. A friendly, well-presented young Goan man, who was attentive and polite. He was professional in his duties, as well as relaxed and friendly, entering in casual conversation, demonstrating how comfortable he was at his job and interacting with guests.

I never had a chance to interact with the rest of the front of house staff, but my observations of them working and intermingling with other guests led me to believe that they were on a par with PJ. On the other hand seeing as this restaurant has a partly open view to the kitchen, I could not help notice that the cooks, however were not as well-presented.  Yes they wore hairnets, but being in view of customers one would expect them to wear at least a chef jacket, or at least some form of uniform. Some may argue, this does not always reflect the quality of food and they would be right. But for the sake of appearance and in the back of your mind kitchen standards one would expect to see smart kitchen staff too.

SERVICE

Entering into the Foodland, there were a few tables already occupied. The front of house staff were all busy serving, so we seated ourselves, which was no big issue.

PJ came as soon as he had finished with some other diners, and gave us menus, taking a drinks order.

Drinks served quickly and efficiently.

When ready to order food PJ was there promptly, taking our order.

Asked how spicy we would like our chicken and then repeated back the order.

Food arrived 25 minutes after ordering.

Table check on food.

Never asked if we needed more drinks, but PJ was always available to ask when needed.

FOOD

Tandoori Chicken Full 390 Rupees/ £4.58  /€ 5.16  /₽348.69  /$6.00

Top marks to the tandoori chef, the chicken was cooked to perfection. Nice big juicy, succulent and spicy with the added crusty chargrilled skin, just how MR R and I like it. This was a full chicken. The slaw was nice and fresh with a touch of mild spice. Enough fries for two. The added bonus was the sauce boat of coriander sauce. I love my sauce, so having a sauce boat was like heaven.

The roti’s cooked too perfectly, crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. Also well priced at Rupees 20/ £0.23 /€0.27   /₽ 17.88 /$0.31

 Both MR R and I loved the presentation on the glass platter.

Brandy Coffee. Rupees 180/ / £2.11 /€2.38 /₽160.93 /$2.77

A lovely way to end the meal. A good hit of brandy and nice coffee presented well in a liqueur glass. But I have to say I have had cheaper of the same quality.

Milk Coffee Rupees 40 / £0.47 /€0.53 /₽35.76 /$0.62

A good sized cup of strong, hot cup of milk coffee and the spot-on with their price too. Perhaps the best priced in Goa.

THE SCORES:

FIRST IMPRESSIONS 4/5

AMBIENCE 4/5

STAFF   Front of house 5/5 Kitchen 2/5

SERVICE 5/5

HYGIENE  Bar/ restaurant  4/5  Toilet 2/5 Kitchen 3/5

FOOD    Tandoor Chicken & Roti 5/5 Brandy coffee 4/5 Milk coffee 5/5

OVERALL SCORE 

3.8 Red Hot chillies  

WOULD I GO AGAIN?

Certainly I would, without a doubt, I would like to try more of their menu.

 Not only was the food good the drinks prices were good too.

Kingfisher large Rupees 110/ £1.29  /€1.46   /₽98.35  /$1.69 

Large Romanov Rupees 60 / £0.70  /€0.79   /₽53.64  /$0.92

Diet coke Rupees 55 / £0.64  /€0.73/₽49.17 /$0.85

Foodland Bar & Restaurant

Sinquerim  Road, Opposite Friends Bar, Candolim, Bardez 403515, India

+91 98229 15352

 

JO'S HOMEMADE BEETROOT HUMMUS

Love it! Lunch, a quick supper or a starter. Makes two good pots! 

YOU WILL NEED: 250g dried chickpeas / 1 large onion chopped / 500g beetroot / ½ cup tahini /3 crushed garlic cloves / ¼ cup lemon juice / 1 tablespoon ground cumin/ ¼ cup olive oil / 1 cup of reserved cooking water from chickpeas.

Soaked chick peas in water, overnight. Drain and then cook until soft. Drain BUT RESERVE about 1 CUP for later.

Cook the beetroot or use fresh cooked beetroot in a packet.

Chop beetroot and place in food processor, blend in batches if needed.

Add chickpeas, tahini, onion, garlic, lemon juice, and cumin. Blend until smooth.

Slowly add chickpea water, and olive oil, a bit at a time. Keep doing this until the mixture is all combined.

Keep in the fridge until needed. Before serving, give a good grinding of black pepper.