KOCHI: Known for its Thalassery biriyani, Hotel Colombo on Canon Shed Road is one of the oldest restaurants in the city. It was a dream project of U K K Hassan Haji, who started it in 1952. As a teenager, he had travelled from Thalassery to Colombo to work at a hotel in the 1940s. As sectarian violence flared up in Sri Lanka, he was forced to board a ship from Colombo to Kochi.
“After he reached here in 1952, he was in a hurry to find a place to start a restaurant. At that time, he saw a tea shop named Travancore Hotel,” says Hassan’s grandson Razeen Hassan, 33. “He wanted to rent the shop, which was not going well.”
Hassan found that the property belonged to the influential Thottakattukara family, which owned most of the area during that time. “The building was in the name of one Thottakattukara Baanumathy Amma. My grandfather was told that he could have the building if the tenant was willing to vacate. My grandfather somehow placated the tea shop owner and rented the building, paying `125 per month, which was a huge amount at that time,” says Razeen.
Hassan named the restaurant after the city he had lived in and loved. “Hotel Colombo was one of the first restaurants in Kerala to have a refrigerator at that time,” says Razeen. “It was also the first one to serve tea in a cup and saucer. The restaurant soon became popular for the ethnic Malabar cuisine it offered.”
Soon, the menu expanded to include chicken dishes and a variety of snacks. “His pazhamporis were a huge hit. At least 12kg of bananas were used daily to make the fritters,” says Razeen.
The main attraction of the restaurant, however, was the Thalassery biryani, which was well-appreciated for its flavour. It was served with sulaimani, a Malabari tea with lemon and spices. Hotel Colombo is still known for the biryani-sulaimani combo. It is a budget restaurant that offers a variety of dishes. From appam and egg roast to “mutton chaaps” and Ceylon parotta, there is something for everyone here. It has been three generations and the restaurant still maintains the legacy that Hassan Haji left behind.
“My grandfather could gauge how much biriyani was sold by just tapping on the vessel,” says Razeen. “We try to emulate him.” After the death of Hassan’s son Rayees, Razeen and brothers Rizam and Rasmin took over the business.
“Film stars such as Biju Menon, Vinayakan, Suresh Krishna, Tini Tom and Madhu Warrier are our customers. Some politicians, including CPI leader Pannyan Ravindran and former minister Mullakkara Rathnakaran, are also our regular customers,” says Razeen. “Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan are regular customers at our Thalassery outlet.”
U K K Hassan Haji started Hotel Colombo in 1952. As a teenager, he had gone from Thalassery to Colombo to work at a hotel in the 1940s. As sectarian violence flared up in Sri Lanka, he was forced to board a ship from Colombo to Kochi