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There
is a variety of restaurants, coffee houses, snack bars, and
street-side food stalls scattered in the downtown districts of
Cochin and elsewhere offering a wide variety of food. Menus,
from a la carte to prix fixe, can be enjoyed depending upon
your choice, from premium to very reasonable rates.
Puttu (a kind of steam cake made of rice flour and coconut),
customarily accompanied by a spicy curry made of Bengal gram
and fried papadams, makes for an authentic Malayalee
breakfast. Another is vellayappam (a pancake made with a
batter of rice flour and yeast) which goes well with potato
stew. Substitute the stew with a meat preparation and what you
have is a filling lunch. Firm, fluffy idlis; crisp vadas and
dosas; and uppmavu (a porridge-like dish made with semolina)
can be savoured with coconut chutney and sambar with a cup of
hot, sweet tea lending a perfect finish to your morning
repast.
Keralites are justifiably proud of their seafood. Anyone who
has experienced Kerala seafood will readily agree to its great
variety and racy taste. Fish, prawns, crabs et al are always
available and all eaters will find them most palatable no
matter whether they are epicures or just ordinary diners. Most
restaurants specialize in Kerala cuisine which may prove too
spicy to a delicate palate. If required, do ask for toned down
preparations to suit your tastes. Another feature is the free
use of coconut and coconut oil in practically all culinary
preparations.
Make sure you sample such specialities like karimeen (pearlspot,
a local delicacy), either fried or curried; scampi and
lobsters (excellent when grilled); Malabari fish molee (fish
cooked in coconut milk and tamarind water); and hot Malayalee
fried prawns (prawns sautéed in red chilli paste along with
finely-chopped onions and other condiments and cooked till
tender). For vegetarians the traditional oonnu (prix fixe
lunch-time platter, sometimes served on plantain leaves),
includes rice, an assortment of curries, vegetables, papadams,
pickle, and yoghurt. Biriyani in its various forms, be it veg,
chicken, beef, mutton, or egg is another popular lunch option.
For gourmets, the generally heavy meals can be finished off on
a sweet note by havingpayasam. However most of the eateries
serve a refreshing range of fruit juices, ice creams, lassi
(sweet or sour buttermilk served chilled), shakes, sundaes,
and splits since payasams are customarilyreserved only for
special occasions. But on a hot, sultry day, nothing really
beats the heat like the fresh water of tender coconuts
available from street-side vendors.
A steady influx of people from outside the state has resulted
in more and more restaurants catering to a wider choice of
cuisines, be it ethnic South Indian (which includes the fiery
Andhra cuisine) or the North Indian spread (from rich Mughlai
to sizzling tandoori to the subtle and nutritious Gujarathi
thali). All the major hotels offer an incomparable choice of
continental cuisines in glittering restaurants, elegant
brasseries, and cosy coffee shops. There’s all the
sophistication and majesty of French haute cuisine or the
exotic flavours of the Mediterranean platter. For a taste of
the Orient, you could either sample scrumptious Peshawari
cuisine or head for the Far East to try some hot, fragrant,
and spicy Thai fare or a variety of Chinese cuisines, be it
the royal Peking, the pungent Szechuan, the subtle
Shanghainese, or the popular Cantonese. Most big hotels also
do have theme food festivals from time to time, promising to
take you on a gastronomical trip, from the deserts of Mexico
to our very own backwaters of Kuttanad. Payasam melas and
traditional sadhyas during Onam, and food festivals during the
Tourism week (Dec-Jan) are not to be missed.
Restaurants have table service with self service in fastfood
outlets. The growing number of food courts, fastfood joints,
pizzerias, delis, and cafés provide great eats with
thattukadas, or street-side kitchens, a cheap and fast
alternative to restaurants. Arabian shawarma (chicken flakes
cut off the grill and wrapped in a role) makes a great snack,
available at any of the growing number of shawarma outlets in
the city. The city has also a growing number of chaat stalls,
particularly popular amongst youngsters. Bars serve a variety
of alcoholic beverages, from beer to heady schnapps and exotic
cocktails. Both table and counter services are available.
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