The Goa event was held on Jan. 10 at The Grand Hyatt, Bambolim. A total of 77 winners were awarded in various categories such as restaurants, shacks, bars, clubs, discotheques and lounge bars. In Goa, actor Gulshan Grover was the guest of honour and he unveiled the Goa Edition of the Times Food Guide 2012. The event was hosted by Ash Chandler. The Bombay session of the Food and Nightlife awards will be organised at the ITC Grand Central in Parel on Jan. 31.

Post the awards ceremony, which lasted for about two hours, all guests were ushered to the food and beverage stalls wherein various leading restaurants and bars from across Goa served their signature dishes and drinks to the guests.

"For the first time in Goa, we have had 77 winners and it was organised at the ultimate property, the Grand Hyatt. In each category, there were many new entrants and they had diverse specialties. Odette Mascrenas, the anchor of the guide, went around to all these restaurants to test and critique their food," said Anirban Mondal, Manager Events, Times Group Books.

Convergence has been working with the Times group and has been organising the Food and Nightlife Awards for the last four years in Western India. "We have been associated with convergence for four years now. It has been a really wonderful association," added Mondal.

The Goa leg of the event was sponsored by Blenders Pride, Grand Hyatt, Kaff, Timescity.com, Goa Times and Zoom TV.