Xacuti 'n cafreal @ Pereira Bar, a Goan village taverna, Apeval, Priol, June 2023

Pereira bar is a village taverna that is at least 60-70 years old, opened before Goa’s independence. Owner Nixon Pereira tells us the taverna’s licence which was issued to his grandfather Simão Xavier Pereira, is in Portuguese. Pereira Bar and Restaurant, Apeval, Priol, Ponda, North Goa Contact: 8269050505 Timings: 11 am to 2.30-3 pm; 6 pm to 11 pm, Mondays CLOSED Pereira Bar and Restaurant Google Maps location: https://goo.gl/maps/zAzvz6zkmquw3uLg9 Costs: Chicken cafreal Rs 180, chilli chicken or chicken xacuti with parotta Rs 150 Last Tuesday was quite sunny in Benaulim, so we were heading to the rainy ghats of Ponda taluka for a break from the heat, and to enjoy some xacuti. We were going to Pereira Bar, the local taverna in the picture perfect village of Apeval, 5 minutes from Priol in Ponda taluka. Apeval village is just a 10 minute drive from GEC circle on the Panjim-Ponda highway in Farmagudi. If coming from the south, Margao side, take the Panjim-Ponda highway and after crossing the Shivaji Maharaj Fort and GEC circle, you will see the blue wall of the pharmacy college on the right. Soon after is the right turn to Priol, 3 km away on this road. Just after the bridge, you reach a T-point. Turn right here into Priol town. Just a short way ahead, climb up and right onto the Priol road. Continue for 2 km. As you approach the T-point, you have reached Apeval. Pereira Liquor Point is at the t-point. Turn right here and immediately left for the entry to the taverna. The way is different if coming from the north, Panjim side. From the Ponda highway, be sure to take the left turn to Priol and then just follow the Priol road till Apeval at the T-point at the end. Pereira bar is Apeval’s taverna. As we all know, the local taverna is a crucial institution of village life in Goa. It’s the place to catch up with delicious gossip and even more delicious food. Taverns have short and simple menus and costs are lower than the regular bar-and-restaurant variety. Some of them are famous beyond their village for one dish they make really well. This village taverna is at least 60-70 years old. It was opened before Goa’s independence. Owner Nixon Pereira tells us the taverna’s licence which was issued to his grandfather Simão Xavier Pereira, is in Portuguese. Nixon assumed that we had come to Apeval from Benaulim to visit the Karmale waterfall and told Maria how to get there. We decided to visit the waterfall after lunch. Apeval has such a serene setting in the ghats of Fonda. Priol market is just 5 minutes away on one side, and Karmale waterfall is 5 mins on the other side. This taverna is a lovely place to chill, especially on a rainy day, with that gorgeous green view. On the way to the waterfall, we met some good-looking langurs. Karmale #waterfalls is on both sides of the road. It is a dangerous place as the wall of the bridge at the waterfall, is very low. As we turn around and head back home, we leave Apeval deep into its siesta. We will definitely be back in this lovely village very soon indeed… Music: Daniel Kaede / Forgotten Memories, Anamnesis, Meridian Sun / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com #goa #4k #ponda #hires #goanfood #chickencafreal #xacuti