Jolene — the fiery redhead who has been haunting nation music playlists and singer Dolly Parton since 1973 — isn’t just a reputation anymore. She has had fairly the makeover. In 2024, Beyoncé rewrote ‘Jolene’ for her Grammy-winning album Cowboy Carter, however this time, slightly than pleading, she was laying down the regulation.
But when Jolene had been in Goa in 2025, would she actually be flirting with anybody’s man? I reckon, she can be too busy sipping a spritz, watching the sundown, and residing her finest life. You’ll be able to think about discovering her at Jolene by the Sea, her eponymous restaurant in buzzy Anjuna.
From pandemic dream to actuality
This swanky 140-seater restaurant shouldn’t be about heartbreak; it’s about good meals and nice views. Former actor Amrita Arora Ladak and her husband Shakeel Ladak had all the time dreamed of proudly owning a restaurant, however life bought in the best way — till the pandemic hit.
“Shakeel and I journey quite a bit, and each time we’d come throughout an unbelievable place, we’d have a look at one another and say, ‘At some point, we now have to do that,’” says Amrita. “Shakeel is obsessive about discovering bars, and me? I really like high-quality eating — locations that make you wish to costume up, sit again and savour each chew.”
The restaurant is bohemian stylish
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With time out of the blue on their palms, the couple started shaping Jolene in 2020. However issues actually picked up tempo final yr, and, earlier than they knew it, Jolene by the Sea was able to welcome visitors.
Bohemian vibes, worldly consolation
Step into Jolene by the Sea, and it seems like strolling into elevated bohemia. Rattan, rope, and textured cabanas break up the house fantastically, whereas the indoor part channels Balinese allure with towering palm leaves and amoeba-like chandeliers. The alfresco space has gorgeous views of the ocean and swaying coconut timber within the distance — good for lingering over a cocktail whereas the sky turns pink over Anjuna’s cliffs.
The outer facade
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Tickling your tastebuds
On the coronary heart of Jolene by the Sea is its menu, designed by Chef Suvir Saran, who was a part of the Michelin-starred Dévi in New York. It’s trendy world consolation meals, indulgent but surprising.
Chef Ashish’s Mexican-Indian roots convey Latin-American twist to many dishes, including one other dimension. Take the crisp and golden calamari or the Kochi lobster cornettos, fun-sized bites full of buttery richness. The Madrid to Morjim prawns? A tribute to how seafood travels throughout cultures.
Kochi lobster cornettos
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Then there’s the T, B & C salad — tomato, burrata, and cornflakes (sure, actually). It’s creamy, crunchy and stuffed with surprises. One of many greatest hits is the tuna tostada, a staple of Mexican cantina meals, now has its second as a classy seafood dish. And whereas the Japanese deal with tuna with sacred precision, Chef Ashish has thrown out the rulebook. He has used them in uneven chunks. The consequence? A daring, vibrant dish that makes no apologies.
The tuna tosada
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Feruzan Bilmoria has curated the cocktails. I had two drinks: All That Glitters Is Not Gold, which is mild, refreshing, and sundowner-perfect. It comes with a fragile chip as garnish and is topped with orange caviar. It’s a little luxe, a little bit playful and has simply the correct quantity of sparkle. Spherical two was Not A Picante.
Not a Picante cocktail
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Impressed by the basic picante, it has a cheeky twist — an ice-shaving insert and a touch of warmth.
Jolene’s Shaggy On a regular basis Sundae
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For dessert, I caught to the classics — reinvented. Jolene’s Shaggy On a regular basis Sundae was wealthy, layered and indulgent, with all of the decadent textures of a childhood favorite. The Nice Wall of Anjuna was a dense, moist chocolate cake served with syrup and ice cream on the aspect. Chef Ashish’s tackle churros was a refined, flavourful, with a twist that made it distinctly their very own.
The Goa pull
With new eating places opening always, some say Goa’s meals and beverage scene is reaching saturation. However Gaurav Batra, a associate at Jolene by the Sea, disagrees .“There’s by no means an low season in Goa,” he says. “There’s a mature, high-spending viewers with second houses right here. They go to typically, and the market doesn’t part them.”
And talking of vibes, Jolene by the Sea has an appointed a Vibe Supervisor. Enter Ibrahim Khalil Khan, a Kashmir native who has been calling Goa residence for the previous yr. His job? To fairly actually examine the heart beat of the restaurant. He chats, laughs, ensures everyone seems to be having a good time and smoothens any potential hiccups in service.
Whereas the general expertise at Jolene by the Sea was nice, there are some things they might want to fine-tune. For one, the menu might use a bit extra construction. It’s fairly in depth, which is smart given how a lot we love selection, however a little bit extra focus wouldn’t damage.
Anjuna is full of new eating places, and the market is already fairly saturated. The problem for Jolene by the Sea will probably be getting folks to come back for the meals slightly than simply the setting. The companions are clearly passionate in regards to the high quality of what’s on the plate, however in Goa, the attraction of an excellent view and a sundowner can overshadow the eating expertise. If that occurs, the meals can typically take a backseat.
Sustaining patronage will probably be key, and whereas a touch of celeb involvement may draw within the crowds initially, it’s laborious to say the way it will play out in a aggressive house. I hope it doesn’t flip into one other celebration hotspot — there’s potential for that, particularly since they solely open at 5 pm. For now, the main focus appears to be on eating, however sustaining that stability will probably be key.
The workforce did point out that the menu remains to be evolving, and they’re engaged on refining the flavours. One hopes that as they tweak issues, they elevate the general expertise whereas holding the integrity of the meals intact.
However for now, Jolene by the Sea shouldn’t be chasing enterprise objectives — it’s chasing reminiscences .“We wish folks to come back right here, get pleasure from themselves, and take one thing again with them,” says Amrita.
Jolene by the Sea is at Floor Flooring, Survey No 212/11, Dmello Vaddo, Anjuna. A meal for 2 with cocktails prices roughly ₹3,500 plus taxes.
Revealed – February 07, 2025 07:55 pm IST
