At 62, Smita Surendranath Blaggan has turned her passion for cooking into reality by opening Smita’s Lake View Restaurant & Bar, nestled on the shores of the serene Siridao lake in Goa. After retiring from a long-standing government career, she partnered with her son Rohit to launch the venture in March 2020—with an initial investment of around ₹25 lakh.

Born in Karnataka’s Dharwad and raised in a Maharashtrian-Punjabi household, Smita draws from a rich culinary heritage. She offers Punjabi, Goan, Konkani, Maharashtrian, and even continental dishes—all with home‑made spice blends (masalas) prepared freshly by her. The menu features favourites like prawn danger, fish thali, rawa mussels, and butter chicken—each dish carefully crafted to evoke the warmth of home cooking.

Though the restaurant opened just before the pandemic struck, Rohit recalls leveraging lockdown months to refine the menu and plan. Their commitment to quality and authenticity paid off gradually through word-of-mouth promotion. With seating for about 150 and picturesque lake views, the restaurant quickly gained traction among locals and tourists alike.

Facing challenges like staff turnover, irregular utilities, and bureaucratic hurdles, the duo persevered. Today, Smita’s Lake View stands as a testament to late-blooming entrepreneurship and culinary excellence—with Smita firmly at the heart, ensuring each dish is delivered with love, flavor, and tradition.