“When it comes to concepts, I never repeat myself,” says Tarun Sibal. After the serene views at Titlie and headliner agave cocktails at Barfly, the chef-entrepreneur’s newest venture, Taupe by Titlie, has brought me to Goa in search of an answer: what is new this time?
Standing on Anjuna Mapusa road, Taupe shares a wall with Barfly in a 150-year-old Portuguese villa. The modern Indian restaurant completes the second and final phase of a holistic dine-and-drink experience that was conceived by Tarun, Bipin Sibal, Karrtik Dhingra, and Shyaam Khurana — all partners at Titlie Hospitality. “While Barfly launched as a cocktail-forward bar last year, Taupe is meant to be a dining space,” says Tarun.
Onion and Sumac Kulcha | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Titlie enters this love triangle by way of the name. “Taupe is a colour spectrum. Think greys, blues, mauves — the many shades you spot on a butterfly (titlie). So, we named it as such in connection with our first bar, and also incorporated the palette throughout the space,” shares Karrtik. And though minimalistic, the hues are hard to miss. Past the palm pots and jackfruit trees lining the villa, soft pink windows let the rays into the high-ceilinged grazing room. Beige and green walls complement the grey linens of the rattan furniture, a feature that runs common through the indoor and outdoor areas. Ample space for ambling belies the 90-seat cover, which takes various forms across the dining areas, patio seating, and outdoor platform constructed for more intimate gatherings. Shades of taupe colour everything, from the leaf-imprinted flooring to the fabric roof swaying in the wind.
In making the space, the villa received a complete makeover to reflect on new-age hospitality while preserving the old Goan charm. While the restoration was undertaken by interior design studio SKID during the making of Barfly, Karrtik and Shyaam helmed the designing of Taupe. “We’ve redone almost every corner of the place. Only the glades and trees were left as they were,” says Karrtik. The sprawling space inspires languid conversations and long, drawn-out meals.
The grazing room at Titlie | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Modern in spirit, Indian at heart
The menu at Taupe is as decisive as the drinks at Barfly. Regional Indian dishes find a modern play of textures, flavours, and ingredients in dishes like the creamed burrata papdi chaat, which comes spiked with jalapeño, an achaar purée and amchur chutney. The prawn balchao, a staple in Goa, takes on a new dimension with hollandaise and the addition of tobiko. The tawa meat feels tender to the bone even though we dig in only after taking photos for what feels like forever. Made with yams, the vegetarian take on haleem goes well with khamiri roti. “The bread combinations are interesting as well. The Malwani chicken sukka comes with missi roti, the tawa meat with phulka, and the balchao with poi. The dal khurchan is served with a biscuit bread,” says Tarun, explaining that while the dishes are comforting classics, the way they are done add a twist to the dining experience.
On page four of the menu, pastas and pizzas break the inertia of a journey through Indian food. “We’re a family dining space in Goa, so it’s hard to ignore that sometimes you’ll need simple comfort food on the table. And that comfort can mean different things for different people. Which is why we’ve dedicated a page to what everyone from the kids to the non-experimental can have,” Tarun confesses.
Moong dal ladoo | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
With food taking centre stage at Taupe, the cocktails complement the nostalgia that local flavours evoke. Take the Jamun Kokum Highball, for instance, which tastes of mischief, summer and childhood with spices like bhuna jeera cutting through the gin. The Parra Road Colada comes with coconut water and coconut liqueur, while Banana Caramel Milk Punch is spiked with a pinch of salt. Each cocktail speaks through its ingredients, with fresh flavours that are not too sweet but just right on the palate, leaving the desserts to take care of a sweet ending. The basque cheesecake is balanced with a punchy berry compote, while the coconut panna cotta comes decked with cool, diced mango. The classic kheer comes in variations of apple and banana caramel, paired with gelato for the perfect prelude to a susegad afternoon of post-lunch napping.
Taupe by Titlie, Anjuna Mapusa Road,Saunto Vaddo, Assagao, Goa 403507 | Meal for two from ₹2,000
