Forget what you know about South Indian cuisine—Kochi is here to surprise you. During my recent travels, I discovered that Kerala’s food scene goes beyond the familiar idlis and dosas. Welcomed by the lush greenery of the city and refreshing weather, the culinary adventure begins when I see the sea from the ride to the hotel. What follows is an exploration of the flavors that truly define Kerala. The beauty of Kochi, combined with the traditional cuisine of Kerala, will make you never want to leave this city.
Day 1
After a quick check-in at the Old Harbor Hotel, I went for a special cooking demonstration and lunch hosted by Mahima Simon, a familiar name and face in the Malayalee household through participation in the popular cooking reality show.
1. Mahima Simon’s Regional Cooking Demo and lunch
We attended a traditional Kerala cooking class by Mahima Simon at her home. Once the cooking starts, the air is filled with the aroma of coconut oil, curry leaves, spices, and other wonderful ingredients. The cooking tutorial is all simplified and smooth, the only thing spilled in this session are some secrets of the cooking experts. We learned four wonderful dishes from Kerala cuisine — Paalappam (Coconut Appam), Ayam Mappas (Traditional Kerala Chicken Curry Made With Coconut Milk), Fish Mango Curry, and Vegetable Stew. The food is delicious, comforting, and healthy.
2. Immersive Journey Through Banana Plantation and Culinary at ‘The Place’
Our next stop is at ‘The Place’ in Kanjiramattam for a one-of-a-kind experience nestled in lush, green banana plantations. Founded by social entrepreneur Lakshmi Menon, ‘The Place’ is like a safe haven, away from all the noise and chaos of the world. However, calling it an escape is a mistake. The activities planned at the cultural event ‘Vazha Thoughts’ are interesting, insightful and full of bananas. We like some delicacies prepared using different parts of the banana plant such as flowers and even white florets inside the flower. Many dishes are also beautifully served wrapped in banana skins or placed in large flower petals. We also have some craft activities that include parts of the banana plant, such as making crabs from different items or necklaces using small flowers. Lakshmi Menon makes us think about the wonderful possibilities and versatility of the original banana, and rethink the Western-influenced obsession with avocados.
3. Dinner and Stay at Old Harbour
After a long and healthy day, we returned to the hotel for 3-course sitting and dinner. For starters, I chose the ‘Beetroot Carpaccio with grilled mushrooms’. It’s good given the mushrooms, bursting with flavor, and thin slices of beetroot add color and balance to the dish. For the main course, I ordered the ‘Crab Trilogy’, which featured three types of crab — Masala, Thai Green, and Au gratin. The flavors were fantastic and the crab was cooked perfectly. Portion sizes are also good. I finished the meal with Cardamom Panna cotta with basil syrup. The basil syrup was a little too strong for the dessert, which was generally delicious. The texture is good.
About The Old Harbor Hotel
Old Harbor is a 300-year-old Dutch heritage hotel, close to Kochi Fort. The staff and hospitality are on point and the place has an organic vibe and openness connected with nature, so you don’t feel closed in the building. The interior of the hotel is very much connected to the exterior. The room I stayed in is beautiful and has an antique-meets-modern charm, with some delicate and interesting artefacts adorning the comfortable room.
Day 2
4. Visit the Beach and See Marvel from Cheena Vala
In the morning, I walked along the beach and saw a Cheena Vala, a Chinese fishing net made in the 14th century. It is a “shore-operated lifting net” that is lowered together in the water using a mechanical device, helping to catch many fish. at one time. This method of fishing is unusual in India and almost unique to the region. We also saw some individual fishermen in action, trying to catch fish with their nets.
5. Breakfast at Legendary Kashi Art Cafe
When in Kochi, this is a must-visit cafe for its delightful fusion of art and cuisine. In this cafe, I feel like I’m sitting in an art gallery, where every nook and cranny has a unique aesthetic quality (or is worthy of a picture), and you can feel surprised and peaceful at the same time. I tried the famous ‘John Abraham Omelette’, a healthy and delicious recipe prepared for the star himself. Ever since John Abraham’s visit, omelets have carved out a star spot on the cafe’s menu. I also ordered Cold Coffee with Coconut Milk and Jaggery. I was a bit skeptical about trying this coffee, but the combination of coconut milk and coffee tastes amazing!
6. Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple and Lunch
After breakfast, we headed to Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple, a Hindu temple located in Tripunithura. This temple is considered to be one of the largest temples in Kerala, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, worshiped in the form of Santhanagopala Murthy. Lord Vishnu is seen here in a sitting posture, a unique pose, unlike other Vishnu temples where the Lord is usually found in a standing posture. The temple is famous for its annual utsavam or festival. This temple is the first of the eight royal temples of the former Kingdom of Cochin, and we went on a fascinating guided tour by the grandson of the titular Elaya King of Cochin.
Next, we have lunch at Kalikotta Kottaram, learn about the culinary heritage of the Cochin Royal family and enjoy a unique banana leaf Sadya that showcases a variety of royal dishes that delight in color, taste, and texture. Each dish danced on my tongue with a delightful taste, but the payasam with poppadom combo stole my heart.
Food trail Kochi experience with Dr Chef Avin, Co-founder of Lavonne Cafe/Academy, as part of Xplore Travel Series by HOGR, the popular food discovery app. Talking about Kerala cuisine, HOGR Founder and CEO Jugul Thachery said, “I am from Cochin myself, but I realized during this trip that there is a variety of food here even with just a 2 km food walk. It was an eye opener.”
