Love Goan food? This new place in Malad's Orlem is filling katre pao

As a nonGoan this writer has only ever heard and read about katre pao Katre comes from the Konkani word for scissors lsquokatrorsquo Essentially the dough is shaped and given two cuts with scissors before being sent to the oven What comes out is an aromatic chewy staple that looks like a butterfly or a bow The bread is crusty on the outside and soft and airy on the inside And while most Goans will mop up gravies with a katre pao one of them decided otherwiseRussel Pinto opened Pinto Sando in Orlem village about 20 days ago The little shop is easy to spot thanks to its neon sign Its mostly white and brown interiors are simple with classic cafe furniture But we appreciate that the small space has managed to accommodate a toilet and a sink to wash and dry your hands These are basic necessities surely but unfortunately most newage tiny cafeacutes overlook themKatre PaoWe visited the 10seater sandwich shop on a rainy Friday night only to find ourselves in a queue Seats were taken youngsters were waiting for their takeaway orders and a constant flow of delivery boys had us worried that the shop would run out soon But we were in luckOut of the seven sandwiches on the menu we tried four Starting with a veggie one the Arabic Crave Rs 249 is a classic hummus herbed butter and grilled veggies sandwich The creamy hummus made the sandwich seem deliciously buttery and the seasoned veggies had a good bite Nothing extraordinary about it but we also had no complaintsThe 10seater sandwich shop that serves Goan food can get busy on weekends PicsSatej ShindeNext came the Posh Rs 349 and the Chicken cafreal crunch Rs 299 and we later found out via the shoprsquos Instagram that both these sandwiches hold a special place on the menu The Posh inspired Pinto to dream up a sandwich shop after he followed a Gordon Ramsay recipe for a steak sandwich The recipe recommended using ciabatta bread but lack of access to it Pinto used the closest breadmdashkatre pao It could be because of the multiple trials this recipe must have undergone that the Posh is the hero of the cafe Four slices of juicy tenderloin steak were sandwiched with caramelised onions and lettuce and every bite made us want more It was the kind of sandwich you would eat in silenceChicken cafreal crunch usesPintorsquos motherrsquos cafreal recipe We are not biased about momrsquos cooking but we have no complaints Chunky pieces of chicken marinated in the sauce were grilled with a light char on the edges It made for a smoky spicy bite and reminded us of a wellperforming tandoori chicken It had some added crunch thanks to the potato salli which didnrsquot enhance the flavours noticeably The katre soaked up the sauce wellmdashand we understood why Goans love this bread with graviesmdashand turned out to be all the more flavourfulAfter a slight confusion with our order which we would pass off as teething issues of any new space the last to come on the table was the Goan pork roast Rs 299 It was a sandwich we were most excited about because we were sitting in a Goanowned establishment Sadly we were disappointed with how dry the pork was And as the sandwiches here donrsquot use sauces and rely on the meatsrsquo juices the bread too offered a dry bite But we would be game to make another trip someday for itPinto Sando also offers masala lemonade Rs 99 and kokum sherbet Rs 129 to wash things down Both drinks were refreshing but did not stand out However having something to sip on amid all the meat is excellentThis sandwich shop is a relief in a time when most cafeacutes use sourdough or hokkaido bread and overfill the sandwich to a point where each bite is a sloppy mess No sandwich felt too heavy nor did it fall apart and the lack of sauces would make any patron appreciate the bread Speaking of which each pao was airy light and chewy Pinto Sando indeed scores full marks for themIt was also heartwarming to see that the shop is a complete familyrun eatery Russel and his mom were busy cooking in the kitchen his dad played server and another family member took orders They say it takes a village and this family is doing precisely that in Maladrsquos little villageWhat Pinto SandoAt Shop No 1 Germaine Apartments Gautam Buddha Lane Malad Orlem Lourdes Colony Malad WestTimings 12 to 3 PM and 7 to 10 PM Mondays 7 to 10 PM Closed on ThursdaysRating GoodPinto Sando did not know about our visit Sunday midday reviews anonymously and pays for meals