Kochi Restaurant Guide at a glance

Text by: Tanya Munshi

Kochi Restaurant Guide at a glance

Pai Dosa

No trip to Kochi is complete without stepping into the Pai Dosa. On MG Road, just next to Sankar's book store, in a narrow lane is a little place called Pi Dosa, known for its 61 types of dosas and is mostly open beyond 12 midnight. From lahsoon dosa, egg dosa or bull's-eye dosa, it's amazing how one can be so creative with dosa. After a late night movie at Sridhar, this is where all the youngsters head to. If you're not too bothered about the ambiance, help yourself to a plastic chair and relish mammoth size dosa with mouth watering chutneys.

Upstairs 

Kochi is an amalgamation of cuisines from all over India and the world. If you're looking for authentic Italian cuisine, then go to Upstairs in Fort Kochi, run by an Indian and Italian couple who take pride in serving authentic Italian cuisines. 

Kasi Art Cafe

Kasi Art Cafe is a hang out place for most of the art lovers, artists and film makers. Not so much for the night life, but one must visit Kasi Art Cafe. 

Fort Kochi area

Fort Kochi is also a popular place for dinners. There are plenty of ‘You buy we cook’ shacks were you can buy up fresh fish and give it to one of these shacks who will cook it for you for an extra charge.

Almost every corner of Fort Kochi has a delightful restaurant or shack. From Chariot, Salt-n-Pepper, Tea Pot, Dal Roti and of course the 'You buy we cook' shacks you will not run out of options. 

Pure Vegetarian Food

For pure vegetarian food, head to Bharat Tourist Home (BTH at Wellington Island) and Dwarka(MG Road) are absolutely amazing. 

North Indian Cuisines

For North Indian cuisines - head to Tandoor and Kebab House on MG Road. Tandoor is famous for its lip-smacking tava chicken and garlic naan, while Kebab House has a lovely assortment of kebabs. 

Biryani 

For authentic biryani, visit Kayee's opposite Exhibition Grounds for vegetarian and non-vegetarian briyani served with accompaniments. 

Chinese 

For Chinese, head to Chinese Dragon and The Wok on MG road. 

Continental

If you're looking for burgers, sizzlers or steaks head to the Attic opposite Bay Pride Mall. 

Top end restaurants and hotels

Top end restaurants and hotels that one must visit are - Hotel Casino, Taj Malabar, Avenue Regent and Avenue Centre. The buffets here are total value for money, especially if you're looking for a complete south Indian fare and want to taste a bit of everything. 

Shawarmas

Visit GCDA where you can try out Shawarmas from a couple of fast food joints. 

Food Court

There's an Abaad Food Court in Bay Pride Mall, which is also pretty good and has - north Indian, south Indian and Chinese cuisines on the offer. Bay Pride Mall also has a Barista and on MG Road, you can stop by for a cuppa at Cafe Coffee Day.

Coffee Shop & Lounge bars

Cocoa Tree is a popular teen hangout which is open till 12 midnight. Don’t miss out Loungevity – the pub at Avenue Regent, on MG. Both Cocoa Tree and Loungevity are owned by Avenue Regent. These are frequented mostly youngsters, tourists and naval officers and families. 

Published in Yatra.com

Link: http://www.raahi.com/travel-guides/kochi/where-to-eat.html#pixbody

Lifestyle Store> Yamini

Text by: Tanya Munshi
Home décor gets a new colour with Yamini opening a store in Fort Kochi. A popular chain of lifestyle and home décor stores Yamini has outlets in Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Goa and Chennai. Yamini is now in the city offering Kochiites its exclusive line of furnishing.

From silk blend tablecloths, poly silk blend spreadsheets, pure cottons and pure silk fabrics to give your house a brand new look, it offers a whole range of home textile products, primarily based on Indian weaving traditions. Popular among foreign tourists, Yamini showcases Indian ethnic fabrics. A wide range of ready-made curtains and cushions make attractive purchases for the tourists.

Yamini has recently launched its Equinox collection at its Fort Kochi store that is based on a theme of `equal days and equal nights'. Equinox collection is mainly available for cushion covers where cushions are available in equal halves of black and white or black and red colour combinations.

The Accent cushion is something worth checking out. They are small, neat and compact, unlike the regular square cushions. Accent cushions at Yamini's are rectangular in shape and come in jazzy and vibrant colours. To add a zing to your living room, throw in a couple of these and watch the room acquire a new style statement. Yamini offers great wedding gift solutions. You can mix and match accessories such as a set of two hand towels, which come in a beautiful muslin cover, a beautifully decorated candle, and perhaps a jazzy set of coasters.

From utility towels, bath towels, face towels, to fancy napkin holders, beautifully decorated candles, rugs, laundry bags; floor cushions, curtains and accent cushions are all available here. Prices range from Rs. 125 to Rs. 5,000. Yamini is to host a promotional sale at BTH from February 23-25, 2007. The store shares its space with the restaurant `Dal Roti' located in Lily Street at Fort Kochi.

Yamini: http://www.yamini-stores.com/

Published in The Hindu, Kochi edition, on February 17, 2007
Link: http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/02/17/stories/2007021702010300.htm

Theatre> Clown Workshop in Villaveli

Image courtesy: VillaVelli

My friend Éléna and her husband Julien are organising a Clown Workshop at Villaveli, Fort Kochi. Here's what she has to say about the workshop:

1

"Dear friends,
For next Saturday (January 26, 2008) we propose you an initiation on clown performance. In this workshop we will find the delight of a child, the vulnerabilityof the actor, and the failure of a clown who is striving with all his or her might to maintain her dignity in the midst of catastrophe.

2

The work will involve both solo and partner work exploring relationships to the audience, to your partner, status, pleasure, and enjoying failure. This class in Theatrical Clowning will draw on exercises and improvisations designed to discover a true sense of pleasure and joy inplay.
Eléna & Julien"

Travel & Food> Cafés and Cigars at Fort Kochi

Image1: Solar Café

Image2: A peek inside

Image3: Inside Kashi Café


Image4: Entrance of Solar Café

Image5: Inside Solar Café

Image6: Window at Solar Café
Image copyright: Tanya Munshi

Text by: Tanya Munshi
Fort Kochi
If you want to spend an entire day leisurely walking around or simply reading a book at an art cafe, consider Fort Kochi, a mere 9 kilometres from MG Road, Ernakulam.
Apart from enjoying the food and line up of curio shops, you could watch locals pulling up huge Chinese fishing nets, or take a walk along the fish market. Although prices are sky high, you could probably buy a couple of delicious Karimeen or Spotted Pearl Fish, and give it to the shack owners alongside to cook -- steamed, fried or in a curry.

Fort Kochi is mostly famous among foreign tourists for its home stays and cuisine. But, it has preserved a certain old world charm that lavish hotels and restaurants, with their sterile environment, simply cannot offer. The streets of Fort Kochi are narrow and cobbled, lined on both sides with trees and beautifully maintained heritage houses. Most of these have been converted to part hotels or home stays, with art galleries and restaurants for tourists to enjoy seafood and beer.

A Café with a difference
On one of our Sunday drives, we chanced upon Solar Cafe -- a different kind of art cafe.
The blackboard at the entrance announced its daily menu, along with timings for cookery classes and several workshops, including one on mask-painting. The walls were yellow and red, their peeling paint adding a rustic tinge to the ambience. While a World Space radio station played Indian classical music, we ordered two Farmer's Omelettes, which came with generous amounts of tomato, cucumber and spring onions (Rs 50).
We also got wheat grain bread and Himalayan salt, ground with sesame seeds. Finally, a pot of soothing English tea (Rs 30) made for a perfect breakfast. An average English breakfast for two, priced at Rs 130, is not a bad idea at all!

Colour therapy at work
While waiting for the bill, we took a stroll along the first floor, which was a pleasant surprise.
With typical Kerala coir carpets on the wooden floor, the white walls were adorned with paintings by several local artists. The place was peaceful. The windows, overlooking the channel with little fishing boats on them, completed the look. We walked into the adjoining Blue Room, primarily adorned with blue upholstery and blue paintings.
Maybe it was colour therapy at work, as this room was calm and soothing, classical music playing in the background.

Dine on a sewing table
On another Sunday, we experimented with another popular stop -- Cafe Kashi. The highlight here is they have converted sewing tables to dining tables, with antique furniture in their gallery and restaurant. We opted for the Breakfast of the Day (Rs 70) -- a cheese and tomato omelette, brown bread, and a dollop of butter.

More hot spots
On a lazy walk, post breakfast, we noticed a shop selling Cuban Cigars, a store called Kapitan for cold cuts and fresh meat, and a store called Shop 'n' Save, catering to everyday needs of the neighbourhood. We took a break from the sun and stopped by Vasco Cafe, next to a tidy bookstore called Idiom. Over a cup of masala chai, we read the morning paper and took a peek inside. It made for one of the best weekends spent in complete leisure.
So, the next time you're in Fort Kochi, wander into an art cafe, relish the food, enjoy the ambience and maybe you can pick up a painting to remind you of the day you broke away from the ordinary.

Fort Kochi Fact File
1. Kochi is the commercial capital of Kerala. It is well connected by rail, road and airways with major cities across India.
2. You can cover the length and breadth of Fort Kochi in about an hour.
3. Once in town, hire a cab from the airport, ask your hotel to organise reliable transport, or take the ferry from the main boat jetty or terminus jetty near Willington Island.
4. Fort Kochi has several sightseeing options -- the Dutch Palace, Jewish Synagogue, Chinese fishing nets, and a whole lot of Portuguese architecture.
5. Cuisines includes North Indian, Keralite, Chinese, European and continental food. If you are non-vegetarian, you are in luck. Indulge in a variety of seafood and meat.

How to get there
By rail: Ernakulam Railway Station is 1.5 kilometres from the main boat jetty.
By air: Cochin International Airport is 50 kilometres from Fort Kochi.
Web sites: http://www.keralatourism.org/, www.ernakulam.com/fortkochi.htm

Published in Rediff.com, on November 7, 2007
Link: http://specials.rediff.com/getahead/2006/nov/07slide.htm