[reignofchaos]

At fort kochi, I had lunch at Old Harbour Hotel. The food was stunning and the presentation was one of the prettiest I have had the pleasure of seeing. Beautiful garden ambience too. Highly recommended!

[Gannu_1]

Finally, we went to Paragon at Calicut last month and had dinner from there. Unfortunately, I am not a big fan of biryani but my wife enjoyed it. She used to be a regular here during her graduation days but I was dining here for the first time. Great ambience, plenty of space (luckily we didn’t have to wait outside despite being a Friday evening!), excellent food - a delight for non-vegetarians.

I had appam, chicken stew, chicken fry and wheat porottas. The elaneer payasam (tender coconut pudding) tasted damn nice! Had a second serving of that.

Shall try out Sagar next time.

[autotranny]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Finally, we went to Paragon at Calicut last month and had dinner from there. Unfortunately, I am not a big fan of biryani

Shall try out Sagar next time.

Sagar has lost some of its glory. You definitely have to visit Paragon again since you have not tasted some of their famous dishes, Fish Mango curry (even Rahul Gandhi was floored by it), Prawns Moilee etc.

Also would like to tell you that there is much more to Calicut than Paragon or Sagar, you should try Zains, Bombay Hotel and even Ammas Mess for lunch. I'm already looking forward to my next trip to Calicut.

[Gannu_1]

Just a heads-up - not sure if this has been mentioned here before. KFC is coming up in Palakkad. The location must be familiar - bypass at Chandranagar.



Also noticed an Albaik at Calicut at Thondayad Junction. Is this the much talked about Albaik?

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Just a heads-up - not sure if this has been mentioned here before. KFC is coming up in Palakkad. The location must be familiar - bypass at Chandranagar.

Wow! Changing face of Kerala... They even have the names written in Malayalam

[ajaypjayaraj]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Also noticed an Albaik at Calicut at Thondayad Junction. Is this the much talked about Albaik?

Yep that's the original and "talked about" Albaik branch unlike the earlier one which has been renamed I guess, after this one opened up recently.

[TKMCE]

Just back from Kochi and naturally visited all my favourite joints and some news ones also.

First of all a favourite which I have mentioned earlier but couldnt get the name right till now. The place is called "Hotel Your Choice" at Palarivattom , just before the junction when you aproach from Mamangalam(very near Mayyazhi). It is one of those honest straight forward places you come accross in Kerala catering to the office crowd. Excellent meals with a choice of fish gravy or sambhar priced at 50 Rs and they are glad to give you a refill of rice if you ask. I love the "Kozhuva" (Anchovy) fry which is priced at 35 Rs. Bigger fish like "ayila" as well beef and chicken are also there. The side dishes of vegetables are miniscule in quantity including the smallest serving of curd I have come across but they will give second helpings of the veggies and who cares anyway as people mostly frequent the place for the non veg stuff.

Saw "Kappa Biriyani" advertised as well this time but my standard order remains the same -- Meals with Meen Charu and Kozhuva. Unbeatable value, friendly serving staff and the quality has not dropped over the year or so I have frequented the place. Highly recommemded.

Went to a newish place called Ojeen just before Lulu Mall coming from the Toll Junction (on the same side as Lulu). Average biriyanis priced around 150Rs. Not worth making a trip to eat here and you get better options at Lulu.

Tried Kobe Sizzlers for the first time at Lulu Food Court. Had the grilled beef steak with szechwan sauce and price was just 260. Very tasty, order (self service) was ready in 15 minutes as promised. The remarkable thing is the very same order at the Kobe outlets in Chennai or Bangalore will set you back arounf 500 Rs. Fanstastic value for money at their current pricing and I am looking forward to trying out their other options.

My kiddos favourte is the Chicken Tikka Biriyani at "Nagas" in the same Lulu food court.Good quantitity, very tasy and Valiue for Money at 230 Rs. Nagas is an Andhra place, so food is spicy but my kid loves this one since his other favorite Chak De does not have an outlet at Lulu.


Had a cold coffee with ice cream at Bread World counter in the same food court. A little expensive at 110 Rs but otherwise okay. Subway counter sells Coke Zero cans at 30 Rs but Diet coke sells at double that! They didnt make a fuzz though when I wanted to change to the lower priced item despte the billing being over. You can buy soft drinks separately and need not buy the sandwiches to get these pricing.

Too short a trip to try out more options. But one comment I have to make is that many outlets at Lulu food court are very competitively priced.

[Gannu_1]

Forgot to mention - there’s a new bakery opened at Shornur Road, Chakkanthara, Palakkad (approx. location - Google Maps) that serves shawarmas. Saw the machine outside. The name’s Arabian Wave if my memory serves me right. It is located opposite to Car Tech. For folks residing in this part of Palakkad, there’s no need to go all the way to Royal Treat now.

Also noticed a KFC outlet in a mall (not opened yet) at Kodungallur. It is located on the main road that leads to the temple.

[theexperthand]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Also noticed a KFC outlet in a mall (not opened yet) at Kodungallur. It is located on the main road that leads to the temple.

OT: This is coming up were the old Mughal \ Mini-Mughal theater duo used to be.

--Anoop

[TKMCE]

Last month ended up at Kothamangalam on an unplanned trip during lunch hours. Asked at one of the shops for recommendations for a good hotel and was directed to Hotel Lakshmi, a small cramped place just off the main road (NH 49).

Good tasty food. Had a Chicken Biriyani. Really yummy. Rice quantity was a little less but an extra plate of biriyani rice did the trick. Total damage - 120 Rs. Will definitely go again.

Go for the food, not the ambience or service - it is an "eat your fill and clear out" place but the food is worth it .

Finally made it to the much talked about Paragon at Lulu Mall, Ernakulam. Was crowded as expected on Saturday lunch time. Had to leave your name at the desk and wait. But was able to get a table in about 15 minutes.

Had a non veg (fish curry) meals, a prawn curry , a red fish curry (one of them had Kavalam and another Kumarakam affixed to their names - forgot which was which) and also butter chicken along with some fried rice and also steamed rice among the five of us .Food quantity was more than sufficient and prices reasonable for the ambience. Bill came to around 1500 fincluding one dessert. When we requested to pack the remaining stuff they did it without a murmur.

Service is a little rushed because of the crowd but the waiters are really helpful and food came fairly quickly. Since so many of the dishes have fancy names , better clarify with the waiters what exactly you require . The fish curry we got was a very spicy red curry which was fine with us - infact one of the best we have had at a hotel, but the same may catch some people unawares.

Definitely worth the price you pay. Will go again.

[foby.sebastian]

MCD is now open in NH47 Byepass , Nadattara - Thrissur

[Holyghost]

Friends from Trivandrum: I am searching for a specific thattukada between Kovalam - Vizhinjam road. A small shop, run by 2 old ladies (one of them very old). My friend took me there few years ago and we were served a variety of fried fishes. Now I'm unable to locate that place, neither could I reach that friend who took me there. Infact I had even saved the GPS location, but cant find that too. :( The only thing I still remember is the taste of the food. It is on the right side of the road when you go from Kovalam.

Does any one know that place? My friend had mentioned that these ladies and their thattukada were featured in some TV shows too.

[swiftnfurious]

Guys, I'll be in Cochin over the weekend. Wanna try Paragon's Biriyani in Lulu mall. Is it worth? Anything else worth trying in and around Cochin / Nedumbasserri??

[johannskaria]

Originally Posted by trrk

Hi,

Anybody tried chicken biriyani in Alai / Halai's near South Police Station, Alleppey?

They have been consistently good for the past few years, until the last time, where they have changed the rice from the usual long ones.

Just tried it out last month when i was in Alleppey, it was one of the best Mutton Biriyani I've had recently!

Originally Posted by foby.sebastian

Also visited Puttu kada at karunagappally,Kollam, The beef masala and chicken masala were too spicy and tasty and it is economical too.

Puttu kada, karunagappally has been my regular place to eat on my night drives from Trivandrum to thrissur. The Fish masala + Puttu combo is the yummiest there and not very spicy too.

Originally Posted by mithunkb

Thrissur :

Hotel Sapphire : Near Railway station. Good biriyani there. supposedly the best in thrissur.

And my heart breaks to say Hotel Sapphire has started to loose its charm.
Their yummy tasting Biriyani's are now just above average. Hope they realise it and rectify the same.

Had a visit to Central hotel, Museum Rd, thrissur.
Even though its an old and established one it was my first visit here.
The food was excellent and a good place to eat if with your family.


Meanwhile if you are in Trivandrum city you can try out :-
1. Thakkaram, behind Shantha Paint house, Pulimoodu
Good mix of chinese and traditional foods, but found it very rushy and little expensive for my taste though.

2. Ajwa, Venpalavattom Junction, Venpalavattom, Near Volkswagen Showroom
Loved the Biriyani over here!

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Guys, I'll be in Cochin over the weekend. Wanna try Paragon's Biriyani in Lulu mall. Is it worth? Anything else worth trying in and around Cochin / Nedumbasserri??

Last month I also tried out the various take away Biriyani's available at the Lulu Hypermarket.
They were surprisingly good. You can try them out.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Guys, I'll be in Cochin over the weekend. Wanna try Paragon's Biriyani in Lulu mall. Is it worth? Anything else worth trying in and around Cochin / Nedumbasserri??

I really liked Paragon's Biriyani. Also worth trying is their Fish Mango curry