Purportedly a cliched name, Homemade Happiness still has its allure for millennials. We witness this as we walk into this takeaway outlet at Kuzhikattumoola where a few enthusiastic youngsters are checking out farm-fresh produce ranging from milk to ghee containing caramelised shallots.
Helping ourselves to sambharam (spiced buttermilk) from an earthenware, we perch ourselves on the single couch in this sparsely-furnished room.
“After I quit my job as the assistant F&B Manager in Crowne Plaza, London, I started a dairy farm and began distributing milk products in Kochi. The onerous task took its toll and realising that Malayalis are intrigued by the concept of food-by-weight, we set up this space to serve naadan delicacies alongside our fresh produce,” informs Ajoy Chacko, who co-owns the place along with his sister Aji Mathew and father K M Chacko.
Focussed mostly on rustic dishes like their chakka ada filled with roasted coconut pieces, the menu also features a bland cold sandwich with mayo.
Nostalgic offering
Nothing describes their fluffy appam, served with the thick gravied fish molee, better than ‘homely’. “Customers can request for dishes that they want prepared and our kitchen in Kothamangalam, headed by our Mom, will be happy to serve it,” says Aji, serving us kozhi varutharachathu rife with flavours of native masalas which makes it the best combo for the rice-dumpling snack, pidi.
When here, watch out for seasonal flavours like chakku puzhukku on their ever-evolving menu. We relish the dish with sweetish-sour beef chaps with rather big chunks of well-cooked meat.
“A few bar stools to go with the high tables are being brought in,” says Ajoy as we head out with a rather hard yet unwhipped and natural pineapple ice cream in our hands.