Goan Chef Gaspar Fernandes’ Lithuanian restaurant bags the Michelin Bib Gourmand

Gaspar’s Restoranas by Chef Gaspar Fernandes was rated No. 1 in the 30 Best Restaurant in Lithuania list for 2023, and from then, the momentum was on. But it was a definitive homerun in June this year when Lithuania’s First Michelin Guide was unveiled and the restaurant bagged a coveted Michelin Bib Gourmand.

When I met Chef Gaspar Fernandes at a cocktail evening when he was visiting Goa, I was transfixed with his food-centric stories. All the way from a neighbourhood in Merces, Goa, to his eponymous restaurant, Gaspar’s in Vilnius, Lithuania, this culinary savant has been crafting magic, one spice at a time, and it was evident as he regaled the highs and lows of his passion project.

“There is some form of spice in every single dish we serve, and that’s how we infuse the Goan touch” he told me. ”Right from the restaurant’s beloved, My Mum’s Curry, a rendition of cafreal mix using black cod tail in season, to the fragrant black cardamom flan with kesar mango mousse to end a meal.”

Gaspar’s Restoranas was rated No. 1 in the 30 Best Restaurant in Lithuania list for 2023, and from then, the momentum was on. But it was a definitive homerun in June this year when Lithuania’s First Michelin Guide was unveiled and the restaurant bagged a coveted Michelin Bib Gourmand.

“You see, we are a small family run enterprise, with just 14 staff members (four from India) and we put in a lot of heart in every aspect of the business. This was in no measure, a small win,” he says over a call from Vilnius. Of course, I knew this from our last conversation, where his wife Krystina, who manages the front of house operations, is totally in tandem with Gaspar’s vision. After all, the start of the restaurant, way back in 2015, was born out of their romance and the pursuit of it, which brough Gaspar all the way from the United Kingdom to Vilnius. “We started the place after emptying out our purses. But there was no cutting corners. Everything had to be of the highest possible quality,” says Gaspar.

Gaspar’s is a cozy dining establishment with just 35 covers, but the quiet elegance in unmistakable. There is brunch on Sundays, and guests can enjoy an al fresco meal during the summer months.

Adjoining the restaurant is a small green patch of less than 25 square metres, tended lovingly by Krystina, where pretty, edible flowers, five different kinds of mint, micro greens, and beans lend themselves to an imaginative and seasonal menu.

The menu is tight and concise, inspired by local produce and a ‘zero kilometre’ approach of sourcing from nearby. Like the coffee from Emanuelis (Crooked Nose & Coffee Stories) and herbs from Evaldas’ farm. His naan is made from whole wheat from nearby Zelbu family farm using a special technique. Dishes like the grilled Goan spiced mackerel are local favourites and embody his simple but clever cooking style,