The striking interior of The Assa House at Assagao, North Goa
Inside the quiet elegance of The Assa House and Loulou Cocktail Bar
In the hushed back lanes of Assagaon, the afternoons are quieter than the evenings, a tad scented with susegad perhaps, Goa’s very special flavour. And, past the spiritual and philosophical centre of Casa Pallotti, this quietness seems a bit more sacred, as I make my way across. The greenery includes a well manicured, wraparound garden and the unassumingly restrained façade I am about to enter. A beautiful veranda with fans whirring slowly overhead and elegant checkerboard tiles below are a charming space for a relaxed tête-à-tête. I am in Assa House, a fetching French bistro that opened its doors in Goa in 2022. Ensconced snugly inside it, and accessible via a secret flight of stairs is Loulou, an intimate cocktail bar that quietly redefines elegant evenings out in Goa, with jazz evenings and a thoughtful cocktail programme.
The Assa House entrance.
At Assa House the design philosophy is about crystallising nostalgia, allowing memory to breathe in a space that seems remarkably lived-in, and yet intentional. While the façade is unassuming, one steps onto a sunny veranda, and then inside the beautifully restored house with interconnected rooms just like a home. On entering, one is hit by a pop of colour with warm tones of red and salmon while vintage chandeliers cast a soft glow. Original Mangalorean tiles that once lined the floors of old coastal homes were restored and lovingly reset. The room adjoining it, is an understated shade of bluish-green. A gleaming black bar-top at one end adds character in the most charming way.
One can immediately discern the thoughtful intentionality of the team that created Assa House — Nitin Wagh, Riya and Shubham Sethia. They had sensed a gap in Goa for an elegant French bistro style place.
An artfully presented dish of shrimps
“When we opened Assa House, we wanted to create something here that was inspired by global dining. We wanted every guest to feel important and enjoy fabulous food with a feel of the French Riviera,” says Nitin, whose strong leaning towards aesthetics, lent the place its creative flair along with the celebrated Pavitra Rajaram, the creative force behind Nilaya Anthology..
The menu at Assa House is classic and contemporary, with a quintessential French touch. I tried the classic French onion soup and truffled mushroom velouté; both delicious and soul satisfying. The former was comforting, while the mushroom soup was lush and velvety with truffle aromas. Their famous goat and blue cheese éclair topped with black olive tapenade and caramelized walnuts is a winner. I happen to be a lover of ceviche (marinaded raw fish) but found the sea bass coconut ceviche lacking a little in flavour. The tagliatelle mariscos served with a smattering of seafood, however, was simply delicious with the smoky notes of paprika truly hitting the spot.
Goat and blue cheese éclair.
Chef Kriti Pinto trained at the Tsuji Culinary Institute and Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto which formed the basis of her culinary foundation. Given her Japanese culinary sensibilities, the dish that truly encapsulated it all, was the savoury mango tart, a painting on a plate. Served with hot honey, blue cheese and delicate segments of ripe mango, it tasted as beautiful as it looked. A vivacious play of bright flavours, cleverly juxtaposed with the creamy cheese. The meal ended with the chef’s masterstroke — an artfully created dense, dark chocolate rocher with umami flavour served with a generous raspberry coulis. Chef Kriti is also a skilled barbecue pitmaster, and a line-up of burgers and sandwiches are the newest entrants on the menu.
Assa House’s version of the Coromandel Thali, is a conversation between Puducherry and Goa; both shaped by the tides and its colonial past. The vegetarian Coromandel Thali pays homage to the region’s lush produce and delicate spices, whereas the seafarer’s plate is a nod to fishing hamlets, spice-laden trade routes and jewels from the sea.
Cocktails at Assa House are imaginative. If you’re looking for a daytime cocktail, look no further than a Limoncello Spritz or a Botanic Mist with gin, yuzu and fresh basil. But come eventide, an Assa Negroni hits exactly the right note. There are some delicious zero-proof cocktails too for the sober curious.
Loulou, the cocktail bar, situated above a flight of stairs behind a nondescript door inside Assa House, is dark and velvety and has a moody, seductive feel to it, much like a lady’s boudoir. With only 18 covers, the place is lit by flickering candles, with an antique John Broadwood piano gracing a corner, which Nitin reveals belonged to one of his grandmother’s friends.
Dense, dark chocolate rocher with raspberry coulis
Created by Tulleeho, the cocktail programme includes Bimbli Spritz, which features pickled bimbli, gin, and ginger ale. With multiple interpretations of the well-loved picante, I chose the Mandarin Picante, featuring a citrusy and fiery twist on the classic style, with homemade orange and grapefruit marmalade. There are cocktails with a Goan slant too, like the Veroni-ka, with Malabar tamarind and an aged feni. The food at Loulou is easy to graze and interesting, with its familiar as well as creative spin. Like edamame with a vivacious thecha salt or an Orleans roll, with shrimp salad and Emmental cheese.
In the end, what makes Assa House so compelling is not its architecture, nor its design, nor even its immaculate restoration. It is all of that, and more. Assa House isn’t trying to recreate a bygone Goa. It is crafting a new one; rooted in memory, but also bold enough for what is personal. This is a home that welcomes you not just as a visitor, but as a character in its unfolding narrative.
Dining and Cooking