GROWING up as the youngest of 11 children, Shine Varghese, a Kochi-based entrepreneur, was keen on learning his mother’s recipes. “Even as a single parent taking care of her children and the household, she (Rosakutty) never compromised when it came to cooking,” recounts Shine, as he welcomes us into his two-week-old property, a tribute to his mother’s culinary genius. As I familiarise myself with the menu, their specials like nanthan fish fry capture my attention. “I wanted to recreate a homely experience, highlighting unique-yet-familiar recipes. Dishes like chemmeen-koorka curry are a result of that,” explains the real estate professional, who also helms the kitchen at this 40-cover eatery.
.jpg?w=640&auto=format%2Ccompress)
Foodie’s memoir
My scepticism about the 40-something’s lack of experience as a chef dissipates as I bite into the fluffy appam served with a succulent duck mappas (cooked in a coconut milk reduction for over 100 minutes). The combo leaves a sweet aftertaste but sets the stage for what comes next. Chedathi’s special beef fry—a stellar item on the menu comprising of crispy deep fried meat freckled with chilli flakes—is best when paired with kappa puttu, a rather sticky albeit delicious steamed cake made of dried tapioca. Seafood fanatics are advised to sample the kokum-flavoured pomfret curry as a substitute when trying the kappa puttu.“We are offering a minimum of 25 seafood and meat delicacies for lunch as well as dinner,” informs Shine. Lack of dessert is probably the only fault here, which we supplemented with a couple of banana fritters from their evening snacks section.
Meal for two `500
Details: 8921570627