KOCHI: Before the colonial-era homes, the historical buildings, the hipster cafes and art galleries, antique shops and Instagram-worthy nooks, what first catches the eye in Fort Kochi is Tippu Sulthan. No, not the Mysuru ruler, but the hotel Tippu Sulthan.
Tucked away on the busy Calvathy lane and bang opposite the teeming ferry, the centuries-old hotel welcomes all — tourists and locals alike — in a humble salute.
Today, however, the 18th-century establishment has started to show its age. Though the rustic, yet vintage ‘thattukada’ appearance still has a charm, decades of developmental works in the region have seen it ‘sink’ into the ground, requiring customers to ‘bow’ before making themselves present before Tippu. But that’s not stopping its patrons, which number hundreds, if not thousands, from stopping here for their usual cuppa or a lip-smacking meal. Others, unfamiliar with the ‘Tippu magic’, would still storm in on learning that the prices here have remained untouched for years.
“Affordable prices… this is what distinguishes us from other establishments in the area. We serve good food for nominal rates. It has helped Tippu Sulthan remain in business for centuries,” says Abdul Rahman, the hotel’s current owner.
“Hotel Tippu Sulthan has been in business for the past two centuries. Sadly, it does not get the attention it deserves,” says Stephen Jacob, a local historian. He also adds that the hotel’s ownership has changed hands numerous times. Abdul, its current owner, has been running the outlet for the past three decades. If you are wondering how the eatery got its name, Salim, an autorickshaw driver and one of its regular patrons, has a plausible theory. “The name was suggested by a muralist who adorned the walls of Fort Kochi with Quranic passage,” he says.
The nominal rates are not the only distinguishing factor. This much was clear from our visit to the establishment on one rainy afternoon. There are several dishes served here that are found nowhere else.
“For breakfast, you get beef chaps made from young cattle meat. It’s a great side for appam, porotta or maniputtu (the Fort Kochi term for string hoppers),” says Salim.The Fort Kochi resident is also all praise for the chilli beef roast, which he says has a fanbase of its own. “You can’t find a restaurant that serves this variety of delicious dishes at such reasonable prices,” Salim adds.
The Erachichoru (meat rice) is another dish to relish at Tippu’s. This plate of spicy rice and the well-cooked, flavourful meat mixed with a sweet, tangy date pickle offers a symphony of flavours. However, what sees the most patrons at this dimly lit yet homely place is Tippu’s Chicken Biryani. As quick bites to accompany your piping hot chai, the glass shelf here is loaded with Vettucake, Bonda, Pazhampori, Vada and Kozhukatta (sweet coconut dumplings).
“Everything is made fresh at Tippu’s. They don’t keep a day’s food for the next. How can you do that without at least a refrigerator… That is enough assurance for anyone about the food’s quality, isn’t it?” comments Hussain, Salim’s friend.
The place is always packed. “Our regular customers include the locals, autorickshaw drivers, and ferry operators. Also, tourists who like to relish some traditional dishes and soak in some history,” says Abdul. Back in the day, staff of The New Indian Express, too, were regular patrons, adds Salim. This was when the daily’s office was on the premises of Aspwinwall House on Calvathy Road.
In the recent past, Aspinwall House was the venue of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, an international art festival. “The atmosphere during the time of the Biennale is always amazing. Tourists from in and out of the country visited Fort Kochi then and enjoyed good business. The cancellation of this year’s Biennale is certain to hurt several establishments like ours in the area. But thankfully, we have a perennial patronage of the locals,” Abdul says.
Abdul wishes that the government does their fair bit to keep centuries-old structures like Hotel Tippu Sulthan intact.
“The road in front of the restaurant has been under construction for almost three years. The dilapidated road turns away a lot of potential customers,” he adds.