Everything's fishy here

Spicy traditional coastal cuisine tastes beckon at the Kerala food festival

Spicy traditional coastal cuisine tastes beckon at the Kerala food festival

Hidden inside a maze of road lanes, it took us some time to find The Paul, but once you enter the wooden rolling gate, you begin to wonder how could one ever miss this place?

Enter the hotel and you are witness to a replica Kerala setting. Classical music in the background, Kathakali masks and banana leaves on plates. Every dish prepared here has coconut and spices to flavour the dishes, the way they are cooked back home in Kerala giving it a sharp pungency that is heightened with the use of tamarind, coconut for the richness, absorbing some of the tongue-teasing, pepper-hot flavours. We begin our meal with tender coconut water, a refreshing nutritious thirst quencher. The crunchy papadam, banana and jackfruit chips placed in wooden bowls on the table can give french-fries a run for their money any day. After seating ourselves, the waiter hands us a specially designed menu for the occasion the Kerala food fest named Kerala Konnections, to give this city a taste of Kerala food. But do be ready to have coconut in every food item and not fret over your cholesterol levels busting. Surprisingly, the natives of the state don't complain much.



Try the Curry Leaf Grilled Scampi, which is piquant and tender a seafood aficionado's delight. We fork out this backwater lobster species, which is grilled with a special spicy Kerala masala and a blend of curry leaves. Get ready to remove the hard shell, which is quite a task, before devouring them. Their signature dish is the Karimeen Pollichathu, that is served with an Appam. A complete meal by itself, the fish is succulent, but very high on spices.

Boiled tapioca served with chilli and onion dip is good for those who don't mind the bland taste. And if your tummy can take more, like ours did, sample the typical Kerala fish curry alongwith red boiled rice, with mango chutney on the side and you have a great tasting meal on your plate, or should we say,u00a0 banana leaf. For variety, try the Idiappam with the curry.
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The elaneer payasam, made of coconut with reduced milk and the kozhukkatta, a white ball filled with jaggery is a great way to end your meal.

At: The Paul, 139/28 Off Intermediate Ring Rd, Domlur.
On till: October 15 for both lunch and dinner.
Wallet factor: Rs 800 for an a la carte meal for two.