Palácio do Deão: Where History & Food Come Home.

Palácio do Deão

Where History & Food Come Home

If you’re looking for a delectable Indo-Portuguese meal with a little history on the side, Palácio do Deão is the place for you. Replete with traditional architecture, a lush garden expanse that stretches out for acres, this heritage house honours India’s past by allowing its visitors to live it out in the present. Here, dazzling sunsets and the soft rush of a waterfall punctuate your sumptuous Indo-Portuguese dining experience with nature’s own tranquility.

by Shilpa Khanna

Nestled on the luxuriant banks of the Kushavati river, Palácio do Deão is the crown jewel of South Goa, in Quepem, situated just beyond a lovely drive through paddy fields. The mansion was originally built by Portuguese nobility—namely, Jose Paulo de Almeida, the founder of the town, and smacks of historical grandeur. A "living museum", in the words of Ruben Vasco da Gama, co-owner and devoted restaurateur, Palácio do Deão is brimming with palatial balustrades and belvederes, as well as artefacts and relics from a different time. Encircled by lush pleasure gardens that boast a distinctive intersection of Goan and Portuguese design and foliage, the building itself is a stunning testament to India’s history, preserved in its opulent architecture. As you cross the threshold, built in the likeness of a Hindu chapel, the warmly-lit entryway practically transports you to a time long past, and a home away from home. Here, you can bask in the languid splendour of a life spent in the company of old Indian aristocrats, patrons, and benefactors. Palácio do Deão promises an experience, not just a musty exhibition or commercial displays. Ruben de Gama brings

| Whether it is the feeling of running your fingers along the spines of old books in their library, staring into the stone faces of statues in the chapel, or playing card games with the mansion’s owners, warmth and belonging are as significant a part of this historical villa’s appeal as its pomp and splendor.

The menu is never set, but promises four to six courses at the very least, each cooked to culinary perfection.

| The owners of the mansion, Celia and Ruben

Vasco da Gama | The seafood grub, be it the crab or the prawns, is a glorious kick to the tastebuds, and really packs a tropical punch with the coconut curry.

you right into the fold of the past, with historical anecdotes aplenty, which he narrates to all his customers as you tour the building. Here, the past is revived through the people that traipse through its hallways, that soak in the revelry of another age and time. What makes this stately IndoPortuguese mansion a must-visit is the luxury of reliving history through stories that make Goa Goa – stories that allow you to feel like you’re a part of an era that you will begin to feel is every bit your own.

This charmingly restored and beautifully maintained South Goa treasure is a safe haven away from the noisy hubbub of the city, with sublime dishes to boot. A sprawling patio towards the back verandah is adjoined by 2 acres of the most exuberant pleasure gardens in Goa’s repertoire, where you can partake of their restaurant and cafe after a leisurely amble across the luxuriant property. Here, dazzling sunsets and the soft rush of a waterfall punctuate your dining experience with nature’s own tranquility. In an ode to colonial-era Goan cuisine, which promises sumptuous Indo-Portuguese fare, the culinary experience at Palácio do Deão is designed with a labour of love and a sophisticated palate. These dishes are lent the loving personal touch of one of the mansion’s owners, Celia Vasco da Gama, who

supervises the kitchen with an iron fist. The menu is never set, but promises four to six courses at the very least, each cooked to culinary perfection, and their bebinca, a signature Goan dessert, is to die for. Their seafood grub, be it the crab or the prawns, is a glorious kick to the tastebuds, and really packs a tropical punch with the coconut curry. Synergy informs every aspect of this restaurant’s allure, be it food or furnishings, where the foreign meets the familiar, and the present meets the past. Goan cuisine is then the most natural choice, given that it speaks to centuries of cultural exchange across Indian trade routes, with Latin influences in particular working their way into typical Indian culinary techniques and ingredients. Whether it is the feeling of running your fingers along the spines of old books in their library, staring into the stone faces of statues in the chapel, or playing card games with the mansion’s owners, warmth and belonging are as significant a part of this historical villa’s appeal as its pomp and splendor. Palácio do Deão is where luxury comes back to the home and hearth, and where history becomes your present for the day.

| Synergy informs every aspect of this restaurant’s allure, be it food or furnishings, where the foreign meets the familiar, and the present meets the past.