The address, which used to house Café Goa at Mount Mary in Bandra west until a few weeks ago, first belonged to a bistro called Trafalgar Chowk. After changes in the partnership, its title became Café Goa at Trafalgar Chowk, until finally, it came to be known as Café Goa.
Now, after a year and a half of its flourishing tenure, one of the suburb’s most active live gig joints has been forced to shift base to Linking Road. It now has quite literally ‘moved in’ with the Den, located next to Elbo Room. “The company behind Den, Forever Hospitality, was happy to have us,” says Theron ‘TC’ Carmine DeSousa, co-owner, Café Goa. “This place is more suitable to what I had in mind. The only thing I miss is our ‘tandoor’.”
The original address, which has been broken down by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, was one in the line of many restaurants that have been hit by what TC calls ‘civil activism’. “The structure didn’t belong to us, so we couldn’t move court,” he says, adding that the new Café Goa at the Den will maintain 70 per cent of its original menu and will begin taking orders by Wednesday.
The restaurant, which was best known for events organised by Bombay Elektrik Projekt, will continue to host them, but in moderation. “Let’s just say we will have more civilised events, which are literary based like poetry slam. Stand-up comedy will remain,” says TC.
{{/usCountry}}The restaurant, which was best known for events organised by Bombay Elektrik Projekt, will continue to host them, but in moderation. “Let’s just say we will have more civilised events, which are literary based like poetry slam. Stand-up comedy will remain,” says TC.
{{/usCountry}}Before settling for a location more central to the city’s nightlife, as pubs like Mumbai Times Café, Firangi Pani, Bonobo, Elbo Room and Red Ants Café surround it now, the owners did have some options in South Mumbai. But TC, along with his partners Carl Sequeira and Shiv Nath, all preferred Bandra.