With black and white posters of your ever green heroes adorning the green walls and the sixties and seventies music playing in the background, you are immediately reminded of a bygone era.
Named after the Kallai river ‘Kallayikada’ the new family restaurant that opened in the city is your perfect place to go digging into some authentic Malabari cuisine. Located at Vanross Junction opposite to the Russian Cultural Centre, the eatery which is just over three weeks old is picking up pace with its yummy Malabari spread. “Being located at a prime location, we have a good rush during the lunch time,” says Vinod one of the owners of the restaurant.
The menu card resembling a blackboard reminds us of the old tea stalls where the day’s specials would be displayed on blackboards.
Vinod the restaurant owner says: “An all Malabari eat out is something that is new to the people of Trivandrum”. Asked about the inspiration behind the idea for a Malabari cuisine, Vinod who is a chef himself and has been in the industry for over 17 years says: “In my experience I have seen people both native and otherwise always having a special liking towards the Malabari cuisine.”
Digging into their majbuse (an Arabian biriyani) you get that homely feeling of relishing food made straight out of your grandmother’s wood burner. Unlike the usual biriyanis the minute majbuse touches your tongue; you get the distinct taste of the various spices used in it taking you to seventh heaven.
For lunch the a la carte offers the regular vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals plus appam, pathiri and Malabar chicken curry (available at all times). The evening specials include mutton stew, mutton ularthiyathu, mutton fry, fish mulakittathu and chicken ularthiyathu. “There is also the special item ‘erachi chor’- a beef and biriyani rice preparation prepared with a special masala which is a must try,” says Vinod.
“Offering truly home made delicacies is our motto. We are also planning to add couple of duck varieties to the menu. These will be available from Sunday. We are also setting up a barbecue and open kitchen offering fish pollichath, romali rotti etc,” he says.
All the Malabari delicacies are available at an affordable rate. So if you are in the mood for some true Malabari flavours this weekend, trying out Kallayikada wouldn’t such a bad idea.