HIP NEW HUB

THIS PRETTY VILLAGE HAS UNDULATING ROADS DOTTED WITH STUNNING PORTUGUESE HOUSES AND A MIX OF ANCIENT CHURCHES, BOUTIQUES, AND CAFES

- PIYALI SEN

LOCATED ABOUT 45 KM from Dabolim airport and tucked between Anjuna's beach resort and Mapusa's market town, Assagao is the sunshine state's best-guarded secret. A tranquil place set in a mini valley, it is surrounded on three sides by verdant hills. Like the rest of Goa, a former Portuguese colonial enclave surrounded by what was British India, Assagao, too, was long under Portuguese rule. Among Assagao's earliest recorded residents were Saraswat Brahmins from the Atri gotra, with Ravalnath as the presiding deity (the main deity in most temples of Goa). Cosmopolitan in nature, it is known for its artistic enterprises, cafés, and restaurants, and of course, a chance to look into the Portuguese legacy for which Goa is so famous.

EATING OUT

> Bawri: The trending Bawri restaurant is a tribute to traditional Indian cuisine with a contemporary twist. The menu weaves heirloom recipes, lost techniques, and bold flavours sourced from local ingredients. Some must-haves are the wild mango curry and spicy bheja masala. The regional influence also extends to the ambience, with decor elements showcasing Goa's rich bamboo and pottery craftsmanship.

> Vinayak Family Restaurant: People flock to this much-loved neighbourhood favourite for their traditional home-cooked Goan dishes, like prawns machado. Their fish thali, which includes fried fish served with dry fried fish flakes, rice, mussels, and fish curry, is also very popular.