Saturdays are getting wetter and venturing out on a Saturday is getting harder. It takes some motivation to don your going-out attire and drive off into the cold dark night. Sometimes, at the end of the night you regret this choice. This Saturday is not one of these.
Tired of doing the same dos in South Goa, we scroll through Zomato, hoping but not expecting some new hidden gem. Then, we remember this place we passed by last week while driving through Panjim called Jaffna Jump and decide to take the leap.
Jaffna Jump is a newly opened restaurant located in Miramar, Panaji, Goa that serves Sri Lankan cuisine. We enter cautiously, always sceptic of these newer joints that serve speciality cuisine. Nothing remarkable about the walk-up to the entrance, but once you walk through those doors, you’re immediately transported to another world. And suddenly, I’m Alice who drops down the rabbit hole. There is a brave new world here – one where people sit at tables jammed together but somehow still look private. Bevies of people talking, humming, whispering and sipping. And I am immediately reminded of Lisa Hayden and that word, “vatavaran.” The vibe here is eclectic and bluesy all at once. Suddenly, the night is looking brighter!
The ambience here is electric. The music is mellow. The guests look nice. The staff is hospitable. Can it get any better?
We get ushered to our table in a cozy corner on the mezzanine. The interiors are comforting and well-lit, good enough to shake off a week of drudgery. Stepping here feels like diving headfirst into a Sri Lankan fever dream. The walls, alive with the nostalgic charm of vintage Sri Lankan movie stars, beckon you closer. A meticulously detailed map of Sri Lanka, highlighting its key cities and regions, commands attention, promising adventures and hidden treasures.
A serene Buddha statue exudes calm, a vintage map of Ceylon hints at bygone explorations, and traditional masks add a dash of mystique, making you feel as though you’ve stumbled into the heart of Sri Lanka itself. The crowd is a motley group, with a cultured mix of families, couples and friends.
We take our seats by the window and pour through the menu. With the play of lights and rain all around us, we make our first choices for the night- the signature cocktails. We order the Jaffna Bay Breeze and the Supiri Pera and hope that they are as zingy as their names suggest.
Before the drinks arrive, we are served the JJ Bar Mix which looks like our Indian “chakli”. The drinks arrive and look as pretty as a picture. The Jaffna Bay Breeze is a concoction of pineapple, gin, Aperol, Vermouth Blanco, citrus, mulled wine and mix berry dust. One sip and I want to cheer. Cheer for this Saturday, cheer for the goodness in my life and three cheers for the goodness that is Jaffna.
The Supiri Pera, a mix of guava, vodka, cinnamon, chilli, old monk and Jaffna rub is equally zesty.
Meanwhile, we get sent a vegetarian sampler, comprising of triple cooked plantain fries with curry queso-chilli cheese sauce, potato ala thel dala which is a Sri Lankan take on Aloo tuk and a side of mushrooms. I haven’t been privy to such flavours before and my palate welcomed these with ease.
Next, we go for the Jaffna Barbeque Chicken, which is your quintessential barbequed chicken pieces in Sri-Lankan spices. This one was kind of iffy for us. If there was a contest, this wouldn’t be one of the winners of the night.
We also order the vegetarian version of the Negombo Street Style Taco. The base is a soft, handmade roti, warm and slightly crispy around the edges, providing the perfect canvas for the veg toppings. One of my favourites this evening.
The Ceylon Fried Chicken then makes its appearance. It is a twist on the classic fried chicken, infused with the rich and vibrant flavors of Sri Lanka. We liked this one but I can’t say I fell head over heels in love with it.
We ask for the only dessert that there is, a sweet made of jaggery with a fudge like texture. It was pleasant enough to savour and I could feel a lingering after-taste.
We learn that the chef is Lisa Sadanah, who is perhaps known for her pop-up kitchen in Mumbai, the Bentota Box. Even thought it is our first time here, it is evident that Chef Sadanah doesn’t just run the kitchen; she works the tables like a culinary maestro, weaving through the dining rooms with an air of effortless charm. Her presence is magnetic, drawing diners into her orbit as she shares the inspirations behind each dish.
In a world where hospitality can sometimes feel transactional, Jaffna Jump stands out on account of its warm staff that seem genuine in their efforts to please, serve and delight.
The Jaffna Jump is a riot of color, culture, and curated chaos—a love letter to the island nation, wrapped in the warm, intoxicating embrace of fine spirits and even finer memories.
It’s hard to fault anything here but I wished I loved the food harder. It’s akin to that person you want to adore with all your heart but still falls in the friend zone. Would the food still enchant me if I stripped away all the delightful trimmings and ambiance? I’m not sure. However, tomorrow’s Sunday, and I’ll definitely be thanking God for my daily bread, with a small hope that Jaffna Jump will capture my culinary affections more deeply in the future. Until then, Jaffna Jump remains a happy Saturday night escape that can transport you far from the daily grind onto the charmed shores of Sri Lanka.
Honest Reviews 