New restaurant | Kasa 'N' Koox brings an enchanted forest vibe to sunny Vagator

Koox, Goa.

Four coconut trees pierce right through the glasshouse of Koox, merging the outside with the inside as you bite into some delicious Robatayaki or sip on that Barrel-aged Cognac Old-Fashioned. A flight of stairs leads you to Kasa, where, surrounded by sage green furniture and a semi-covered wood roof over the green bar counter, you can enjoy sundowner cocktails along with small plates. The exclusive members-only speakeasy bar, The Other Side of Kasa, beckons you with vintage-style craft cocktails in a setting that speaks of an old-world charm.

Rooftop seating.

The Bali-inspired Kasa & Koox, with three different sections for different moods, opened its doors recently in Vagator. Shweta Gupta, director of AG Hospitalities, who has brought down the concept of the rooftop bar and restaurant Koox from Chennai, shares that while Goa was not on their immediate list of expansion, the pandemic and its after-effects made them view the land of the beaches in a different light.

“The city is growing at a really fast pace and it made us feel that if we want to position ourselves and get the right feedback, Goa would be just the place because it is bringing people from far and wide here. This is the right place to test waters,” she says.

Sushmitha Ramesh, founder and principal architect, The Auburn Studio, was excited about the lush green surroundings and refreshing views from the site. “Goa is full of beach-view bars and restaurants, but this one was all green, cosily nestled between palm trees, reflective of the real Goa that is often overlooked,” she says.

The interior designer believes that the site and surroundings in itself made this project different from the one in Chennai. “While Koox Chennai has a very modern vibe with plush interiors, here we mixed up the luxe interiors with casual furniture for that easy, yet luxurious vibe,” says Ramesh, adding that Kasa & Koox was built around the site, merging it with the existing landscape. With green being the star colour for Koox and to bring the green to life here, they envisioned the concept of a glasshouse. “To begin with, we brought in all the naturally-occurring green around the site into play. We retained all existing trees and planned the design around them, including the four coconut trees that pierce right through the glasshouse,” she elaborates.

The interiors.

The green colour was incorporated into the IPS flooring, the walls and even in the marble for the sushi counter. To balance the colours, light wood elements including rattan furniture, table tops in natural terrazzo finish, and a long gorgeous community table made of live edge in the PDR were used. For Kasa, they went with a green, grey, and beige palette while shades of brown and rust lent a natural, easy vibe to the speakeasy bar.

Barrel-aged sandalwood Old Fashioned.

An extensive menu — courtesy the three different sections — offers fine-dining, small bites and morsels and cocktails crafted by award-winning mixologists. If you do happen to drop in, we recommend you to try the spicy Mala Chicken, the Shrimp & Crabstick Gyozas, Koox Style Sichuan Rice and the assortment of Robata-Yaki BBQ Grills. If you are feeling particularly experimental, the Bubble Wap cocktail with Prosecco, strawberry and raspberry mix, or the Fortune of Magenta with its gin and purple tea flower combo is sure to make it to your Instagram feed.