KOCHI:Roadside eateries and thattukadas are the heartthrobs of every Malayali. Amongst many such eateries, ‘Sarbath Shameer’ stands out with a 24x7 ‘sarbath’ shop and a thattukada open
for business from 5 pm to 2 am. With a variety of ‘sarbaths’ and street food, the shop attracts crowds in large numbers, mostly college students and bachelors.
“Unlike what most people think, the name was not inspired from the movie character of the Aadu series,” said Shameer, proprietor of Sarbath Shameer. “My name is Shameer, and what I do is make ‘sarbath’, hence the name ‘Sarbath Shameer’. But it definitely had an impact on the business, especially after the release of Aadu 2 last year. The items are priced keeping the budget of students in mind. An average evening square meal may cost up to C80.”
Located at Padivattom on the Civil Line Road, the shop has been open for around nine months and picked up the pace in January after the release of the Jayasurya-starrer Aadu 2. “We heard about the shop from our friends who travel regularly by this route,” said Sathish, a customer. “They were intrigued by the name and decided to try the place out. Once they did, they recommended it to others.”
Even at the wee hours of the night, people kept turning up at the shop. The flavours for kulukki sarbath include regular, pineapple, orange, mango, grape, cucumber, watermelon, Horlicks and Boost. The price ranges from C15 for the regular kulukki, C25 for the fruit flavours and C30 for Horlicks and Boost kulukki.
Amidst the wide array, the ‘Boost Kulukki’ stands out to be the most favourite among customers. “I was not sure how the combination of milk and sarbath would be like. One drink later, I changed my mind,” said Sathish.
According to Manu, a regular customer at the shop, people keep coming back because of the taste and pricing of the items. “I’ve been coming here for almost five months now. The quantity they offer for the price is really good and worth the money,” he said.
Despite being a ‘thattukada’ the shop attracts people from all working classes. “You can find all kinds of people here. And they always come back for more,” Shameer said. “In a day, there is approximately business worth C15,000, but the profit margin is less. When three to four people eat, it comes up to just C300.”
The minimal seating arrangement or the lack of adequate parking does not seem to stop people from coming here. “I don’t mind standing, as long as the food is good and hot, both ofwhich have never been a problem for me here,” said Nithin, a college student residing at Palarivattom.If you are a fan of street food or even an admirer of the character of S I Sarbath Shameer, you ought to take a trip to this roadside eatery.