An Afternoon at Palácio do Deão
A 213-year-old mansion with a delectable Indo-Portuguese lunch spread.
Palácio do Deão is one of Goa’s best-kept secrets. It is a 213-year-old mansion that sits on a hillock on the banks of the Kushavati River in Quepem. Built by a Portuguese nobleman, Jose Paulo, back in 1787, it has been lovingly restored and opened to the public by its current owners, Ruben and Celia Vasco da Gama.
The Deão (Dean of the Church) and founder of Quepem town, built Palácio do Deão along with a church, market, and hospital. He later presented the 11,000 sq.ft. mansion to the Viceroys of India-Portuguese for their recreation, and so that they protect the estate. The Palácio was occupied by a Chaplain after the Dean’s death, and in 1989, was given to some nuns to run a home for destitute women. Ruben and Celia eventually bought and restored the property in 2012. They now live in the mansion with their family and do a tour-cum-lunch (with prior reservation) for visitors.
I first learned about this place from my uncle when my extended family and I were on vacation in Goa a few years ago. He had heard about it from a friend and insisted we make a booking and go there for lunch. I have since come back numerous times.
The Palácio has a unique blend of Hindu and Portuguese architecture styles, faces the church, and is surrounded by two acres of beautiful pleasure gardens with stone statues and an ornamental pond. The tour starts with an introduction to the place by Ruben, followed by details of the restoration process, and backstories of the various rooms and artifacts in the house. We move from the chapel at the entrance of the mansion to the living room that features old Goan furniture - some from the house itself and some bought to recreate the ambiance.
Then comes the library with bookshelves lined with a rare collection of books on Goan history, arts, and theology. Each room has small balconies overlooking the garden, and the library leads into a long meeting room with tables and chairs used to entertain guests. The game room contains a carrom board, chess board, old vases, photographs, and a beautiful wooden laundry cabinet, and opens out into a large dining area that connects to the bedrooms, kitchen, and a lovely semi-outdoor space where Celia serves us a glorious Indo-Portuguese spread.
The home-cooked, full-bodied, full-course meal starts with a feni cocktail and delicious appetizers - typically aubergine paté on toast and shrimp croquettes. Next comes moringa soup with lightly-toasted croutons. The main course consists of delicious lettuce-cucumber salad, Goan shrimp curry, Goan red rice, pumpkin pie, chicken curry, vegetable stir-fry, poi, and either grilled fish or rava-fried fish. Dessert is equally scrumptious - this time, caramel custard made to perfection. The dishes vary by season and dietary preference, based on which guests are charged a per head fee.
While Palácio do Deão is beautiful - with the right balance of antique furniture and artifacts inside, and trees, plants, and flowers of every colour, shape, and size outside - the food is the clear winner. It is full of flavour, filling, and hard to forget. Thanks to Celia and Ruben, we all get to experience it.
I have been travelling to Goa almost every 4-5 months, but never visited such a beat place , thanks Ila for this blog !!
Reading this I wish I was in Goa right now at this historical place, looking up at the grey skies with a Feni cocktail in my hand. Lovely pictures and writing