125-year-old villa-turned-restaurant Maai takes you back into time with its menu and decor

Lately, Assagao has been transforming the food scene in Goa. The tranquil village houses luxury villas, posh boutiques, and new-age restaurants. The distance from the beach and premiumness – both in terms of price and offerings – mean the streets of Assagao are yet to attract the mass-touristy crowd that regularly flocks to Goa. 

YS Life was recently in Assagao to check out Maai, a concept restaurant. Co-founded by 27-year old Columbus Marquis, Maai is the second project of Marquis Beach Resort, the hospitality group behind Goa’s popular beach-front pan-Asian restaurant, Yazu. 

As I set foot into Maai, I was almost immediately teleported to a different era. Set in a 125-year-old Portuguese villa, Maai is a tribute to the old-world Portuguese-inspired Goan era. And Maai, which translates to mother in Konkani, highlights this not only in its decor and ambiance; the inspiration is reflected in its food and cocktail menus. 

“The menu has been specially designed to replicate the magic of a mother’s cooking and give patrons a feeling of home,” Columbus says. 

The old villa, painted in a typical yellow hue, showcases a vernacular style of design, alongside traditional Portuguese architecture. Maai has tried to honour the days gone by, by retaining peeling paint on walls inside the villa and upcycling most of the furniture in the restaurant. 

The outside seating area, in the courtyard, is furnished with lounge chairs and wooden benches, and is for guests seeking a casual dining-out experience. The open area is guarded by mango and jackfruit trees forming a canopy, providing a private feel to diners. 

In the middle of it all is the open bar. Adorned by stacks of Mangalorean tiles and locally sourced wood and bamboo, the bar showcases a wide range of liquor– both old and new. 

Inside the bungalow, the ambience is more formal. It features upcycled wooden chairs and dining tables by Portuguese-style larger-than-life windows, red floors, chandeliers, and long-stem fans hanging from the tall wooden false ceilings, and walls adorned with paintings, vintage photographs, and iron candle holders. 

Combined, the decor strikes the perfect balance between the old and the new. 

Now, coming to the purpose of my visit– the inspired food! 

Recheado-stuffed okra, raw banana cutlets, Kenya bean salad, chorizo hummus, and suya marinated chicken– my first glance at the menu revealed traces of African, Mediterranean, European, and, of course, Portuguese and Goan influences. 

The server suggested the spicy chicken skewers to start with but I often judge a restaurant by the mutton they serve. 

Growing up in a Bengali household meant indulging in tender mutton curry, or kosha mangsho, on Sunday afternoons. If the mutton melts in the mouth, without having to use the teeth too much, it’s a win. And the pepper spiced mutton at Maai was definitely a win for me. It wasn’t as fiery as the name suggests, but spicy enough to balance out with poi, the traditional Goan bread. 

I also ordered the pan-seared spicy prawns because what’s a visit to a Goan restaurant if one doesn’t indulge in seafood? The prawn was inspired from the piri peppers-spiced grilled prawns usually found in Mozambique, in East Africa. Served with a side of red and green spinach, they paired perfectly with the Will you Be Able, Cane? cocktail. Goa’s Greater Than Gin paired with basil, spiced lemon leaf, roasted sugarcane reduction topped with berry smoke bubble– the sweet drink that I needed to perfectly balance the spice of the peppers in the prawns. 

Next, the server recommended Whole Lotta Soul. If there was one drink to represent the Konkani food culture, this would be it. Tip some kokum shrub and lime juice into gin and garnish it with a tadka of curry leaves…that’s Whole Lotta Soul for you. Usually a fan of fruity and sweet gin cocktails, Whole Lotta Soul was like a breath of fresh air, one that I don’t mind ordering on my next visit.  

My fellow diner, ordered the Xec Xec, a cinnamon-dominated dark rum cocktail topped with tamarind liqueur, spiced syrup, orange juice, and fernet. 

Call it an unconscious bias but the signature raw banana cutlets did not impress me as much as the mutton or prawns did. The soft banana and potato cutlet served with a not-so-spicy spinach dip failed to touch a chord and was - at the most - basic.  

For mains, we ordered the crispy-skin Goan sea bass with lemon caper sauce and the Suya marinated chicken. While the lemon caper sauce was delectable, the fish wasn’t as soft as one would expect it to be. The chicken dish was a chef’s signature one. The grilled chicken leg in Nigerian spices was served on a bed of the creamiest mashed potatoes I have ever had, instead of the cauliflower puree, jollof rice, and fried bananas mentioned in the menu. I guess my plate got exchanged with another guest's!

We were already too full from the main course, but I insisted on sharing a dessert. My heart was inclined towards the warm croissant pudding, but I settled for the less fussy almond truffle cake, as the former would take at least 20 minutes of preparation time. The almond sponge cake was layered with dark Belgian chocolate ganache and served with vanilla gelato, topped with roasted almonds. 

Born with a sweet tooth, I did not mind the 70% dark chocolate, but would definitely advise one to order the dessert along with the main course to make the most of the Maai experience. 

I am a fan of protein-dominated meals and the dinner at Maai offered exactly that. Easily a four out of five. Interestingly, the restaurant offers equal, if not more, options for vegetarians and vegans as well. 

“If you truly want to divulge in the rich heritage of Goan cuisines, then Maai is where your feet should take you,” Columbus tells YS Life. 

Meal for two (with alcohol): around Rs 3,500. Open all days from 12 PM to 12 AM. The restaurant hosts Whiskey and Jazz Nights every Thursday.