As Seena George steps off the escalator on the third floor of the Lulu Mall, Kochi, she gets the wafting aroma of chicken and notices a cast iron flame grille. The place is Galito’s, an open restaurant with wooden frames on the ceiling, wooden lamp shades, and with masks and artifacts on the walls. Dubai-based Seena , 23, is accompanied by her parents, Martin and Sheela. They had come for shopping for an upcoming wedding in the family.
The trio ordered an Espetada (pieces of chicken skewered on a stick), Peri-peri chicken along with spinach and corn on the cob as side dishes. An hour later, a satisfied Seena says, “The chicken is cooked well. In fact, it is amazing.”
Brand chef Sunil Menon smiles when he hears this. “We marinate the chicken, using a combination of imported spices, as well as lemon, garlic and vinegar. Then it is vacuum-packed and chilled for 48 hours for the marinade to seep in. Thereafter, it is flame-grilled to give it the best flavour. We don’t use preservatives or oil,” says Menon.
In fact, the chicken cooks in its own fat. “Because of the marinade, the inside is soft, juicy and light pink in colour. But when you eat a chicken at a fast food centre, it will always be white,” adds Menon. For sourcing fresh chicken, the company depends on the nearby farms.
The 3,860 square feet restaurant was launched on September 9, 2015. “Galito’s is from South Africa,” says Manu Abraham, the general manager (India and Sri Lanka) for the Tablez Food Company, which has secured the licence for the two countries. Abraham adds, “We wanted to bring in a healthy, flavoured chicken.”
Incidentally, Galito’s is the Portuguese word for a rooster and that is the company’s logo: an upright rooster in bright green and red with legs crossed, regally looking at the patrons. And the patrons seem to be a satisfied lot.
The best attribute about Galito’s is that you can order the level of the spices as mild, hot or extra hot. “There are similar sauces if you want to enhance the spices at the table,” says Menon. The prices are also affordable and ranges from `155 to `680.
Apart from the chicken, there are chilli beans, garden salad, coleslaw, chicken liver with rice or rolls, and a traditional tomato and onion curry. Because of the rising number of vegetarians, Galito’s ensures that they cater to this section also. “We have a paneer espata, vegetable rice, grilled vegetables, and beetroot burgers. We ensure that the grill and hot plate that are used are separate from the one used for chicken,” says Menon.
To offset the spices, light beverages are also available. These include the Kiwi Mojito (a mix of kiwis, lemon and herbs), Virgin Mojito (mint leaves, lemon and sugar) and Mombassa (strawberry with ginger).
So, it is no surprise that patrons are flocking to this restaurant. “In just five months, we have an average of 11,000 customers every month, including Mollywood directors Jeethu Joseph and Roshan Andrews. But this is an acquired taste,” says Abraham.
By habit, Indians love to eat fried chicken soaked in oil. “Not many know that the frying destroys the nutritive value of the chicken. That’s why once you start having our chicken, you tend to come back again and again. It is far lighter on the stomach,” says Menon.
At Galito’s, the most popular dish is Peri-peri whole chicken. Asked about the meaning, Menon adds, “It is the Portuguese word for bird’s eye chillies. When the Portuguese arrived in India, they came across a lot of spices. They took it back and started using it in their cuisine. Later, when they went to Africa and Latin America, they popularised it there. And now these spices are travelling back to India in new forms.”
The customers, who enjoy this food, include youngsters those in the age group of 25-45 years. “They want to try something new, which is why they like to come to Galito’s. But, we need to come up with new and exciting dishes regularly, so that we can remain popular,” concludes Menon.