Located in Warriam Road just a few buildings away from the historical Lotus Club and very close to the Ernakulam South railway station. The interiour of this restaurant is something to die for. A tasty decor of homely old styled teak furniture, beautiful drapes and paintings, brassware on display, lovely niches stocked with atrwork - in all like a Kerala home of the esrtwhile royalty.
Food is equally good. Nice hot fare with mouth watering south Indian specialities. We went bright and early on a Sunday morning for breakfast. Their collection of dosas is great for a veggie restaurant in Cochin. I ordered Iddlis first thing in the morning. A little disappointed, I would have expected fluffy soft iddlis from a place of this class. The mavu was mixed with old rice and so the iddlis were just passable. While I say this, I must say that I am spoiled by the Iddlis made at home - my wife’s mom makes the best iddlis I have tasted anywhere.
I persisted with Iddlis and tried the Rava Iddli. This was excellent. My friends all were wolfing down thier masala dosas, onion oothappam, rava dosas with gusto. The Idi Appams and Appams also came in for generous praise. We are a boistrous crowd, but the conversation had dulled down to an occasional sambar slurped mouth full mumble. Always a sign of great food - no conversation.
The rest of the menu had a Northie selection of rotis, naan plus North Indian dishes which I found disappointing. But then I was this Bangalorean on a holiday in Cochin spoiled by a plethora of Punjabi and Northie restaurants in every nook and cranny in Bangalore. Cant blame them for sticking to what may be not available in Cochin - classy North Indian veggie fare.
Being in Kerala, I decided to do as Keralites do. "Naadu oodumbam Naduve". I decided to order Chai. Big mistake, my friends were all in praise of the filter coffee. Chai was too milky and a little too sweet for my taste. I guess they should bring the decoction, milk and sugar separately. I was hoping to get a nice strong concoction with the kick of a race horse strained thru an old sock tossed a few times to stratosphere and back. Oh well, Nair Kada chai is Nair Kada chai.
They had a good selection of fast food/snack items. That said, I would have loved to see Akki Rotis or Jowar Rotis or some Adais(both sweet and dosa types) or some South Indian specialities like Kerala Vegetable Stew or Tamilian Vegetable Kuruma or the quintessential Puttu Kadala. I would have died for some cocunut and jaggery filled syrupy Kozhokkattais. Oh well . I will keep you posted when I open my restaurant!
The restaurant is rated EXCELLENT since my tastes are a little too perfectionist.