Ifthar Restaurants: Let the Feast Begin!

Ifthar Restaurant Review

Muslims have incredible culinary skills and make some rather well known dishes characteristic of South India and Kerala. Their dishes constitute an important part of the traditional Kerala cuisine and have great variety too. Although the best 'Moplah' dishes may be served in their own houses, there are a few restaurants that do serve their cuisine. Ifthar is one such chain. On to the review now!

There are numerous branches of Ifthar all over Kochi. The one we visited was at Thoppumpady, after a trip to the Kochi Muziris Biennalle. It was a regular looking place with  moderate seating arrangements. Located at a busy junction, it had a good crowd. The ambiance is pretty average at best, being well lit but otherwise just ordinary.

The glass counter showcased all the items, which truly lived upto its name. There was a variety of traditional Muslim delicacies, making it difficult to limit our choice! After some deliberation, we settled for the following items: layered meat 'pathiri', kabsa, killikoodu, fried pathiri etc.

Chatti Pathiri [Steamed Savoury Rice and Chicken Cake]

The chatti pathiri is like a type of savoury cake which consists of rice pancakes layered with spiced meat filling which are then steamed together. This is then cut into wedges to be served, much like a pastry. The preparation is somewhat similar to lasagna except that it uses different ingredients and does not have cheese, nor is it baked. 'Chatti' actually means pot.

It is steamed and thus, has a soft texture throughout. The meat is not particularly noticeable as it is finely shredded but the flavour is there.

Killikoodu [Scotch Egg]

The Killikoodu, which means 'bird's nest' comes with a spiced chicken mince outer covering that encompasses a quail egg. This whole thing is dipped in beaten egg and rolled in vermicelli.

This is then fried till the vermicelli is crisp and brown, making it look like a weaver bird's nest. It is slightly spicy and is a textural treat with the crunchy vermicelli and soft egg and meat providing wonderful levels of contrast.

Fried Pathiri [Fried Flatbread]

The fried pathiri came garnished with a slice of carrot stuck onto it using a toothpick.

Fried pathiri is made with rice dough rolled out rather thick and fried. This one was well made; with a crisp light brown layer on the outside and was soft on the inside.

Kabsa [Rice Dish with Chicken]

The kabsa however, was rather disappointing as some of us tried it for the first time and had a lot of expectations. It tasted like an overcooked pulao at best, with chicken pieces. My dad had tried it from a few other places and could confirm that the one served to us was really not up to the mark.

There were plenty of other snacks like puffs, beef, chicken or mutton fried items, rolls etc. A juice counter was also there with plenty of fresh juices on offer. They also had biryani, porotta, curries and other dishes. Prices were reasonable, targeting the normal population. Great place for experiencing local Muslim cuisine with good quality snacks and great variety.

Type of Cuisine: South Indian Muslim/Moplah Dishes
Location(s)

Opposite Chennatt Electricals, Thoppumbady.

Near Airtel Store, Edappally Toll, Edappally.

Parking: Few cars in front, should be sufficient.

Ambience: Average, adequate spacing between tables, well lit. Reasonably clean

Service: Good.

What we liked/Recommended for:

• Well made Muslim delicacies. 
• Good selection of items. 
• Edappally branch open late into the night. 
• Decent pricing.

Potential Shortcomings: 
Kabsa was disappointing that day. Unsure about cleanliness: Will update after next visit. 

Taxes: Included in price, no fat tax applicable.
Phone Number: +91 85898 71451 [Edappally Branch]
Timings: Edappally: 08:00 - 02:00 [Not a typo, 2:00AM the next day!], Thoppumbady: 08:00 - 23:00

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Have you had a feast at Ifthar? How was your experience? Tell us in the comments below!

Ceylon Bake House: Affordable Yet Delicious South Indian Non-Veg Food!

Ceylon Bake House Review

Located at MG Road, Ceylon Bake House or CBH is a great place to go to if you would like to savor some great South Indian non veg food in a good, family-friendly environment. The range is quite extensive: fish, prawns, chicken etc. are available as curries and also fried dishes. They are known for their authentic, super-fine idiyappam (steamed string hoppers), easily the best in town. Their pricing ensures good value for money too, especially for the quantity and taste. As a result, the turnover is rather immense: we went there to grab some lunch the other day and had to wait a minute to get seats, and even that was probably because they know us. Even after that, there were people coming in and waiting throughout our meal. 

[EDIT: You are reading an updated review with more dishes and even better photos!]
Ceylon bake house has been around for a very long time. It used to be the go-to place for good South Indian food until some new options came in to add variety. They did suffer a few hiccups now and again but seem to have gotten around it and are back in action. They revamped the whole place a little while ago so it is brighter than ever before. The interiors are bright and airy with a reasonably modern feel to it.

Now lets talk about the food.


Suggested Reading: Not familiar with  South Indian food? We have just the right article to get you up to speed: South Indian Dishes!

Kerala Porotta

This layered flatbread made with refined wheat flour or maida is a popular item in the South, and CBH makes it well. 

It goes really well with almost any curry and can also be had with dry dishes too. The ones made here are incredibly flaky too, as you can see in this crop:

Wheat Porotta

While not one of the first restaurants to offer this variant, CBH has recently introduced this item to the menu. Like the normal porotta, this too has a nice and fluffy texture like a refined flour porotta but made with wheat instead, so it is marketed as a healthier alternative. They both taste a bit different though.

Idiyappam

Known to the western world as string hoppers, this is a typical Kerala dish that involves dough made of fine rice flour extruded through a special implement to create extremely fine strings made into a circular cake. It is a bit like noodle but thin as a string of cloth or vermicelli. This is then steamed and served hot. 

Being a steamed dish, it is very healthy. It is neutral in taste and goes well with the spicier curries they offer. This place easily offers the best string hoppers in town as they are very fine in texture.

Vellayappam [Crisp-crepe-soft-pancake hybrid...!]

Vellayappam is an extremely unique dish; there is nothing it can be compared to. It is sort of like a combination of two things: an outer lace akin to a crisp crepe and a centre that is thick and soft like a (very thick) Pancake. Here is a photo to give you a clearer idea:

It has a very unique flavor owing to being fermented. The ones served here are made using yeast for fermentation and they come out beautifully well, with the aforementioned soft middle and crisp outer lace as is visible in the photo. It goes well with the curries they offer and stews alike. 

Prawn Fry

The prawn fry here is really good. We asked them if they had fresh prawns and they said the catch had just come in. The result was testable in the final product: a plate full of delectably succulent, perfectly spiced prawns tossed with onion, curry leaves green chillies and spices like turmeric. I do not like frozen prawns much as they taste significantly different and can get fishy sometimes. This did not even have a hint of being fishy, going to show just how fresh they were. Quick tip: when you order, always ask the waiter whether the catch is fresh. More often than not, it will be. Don’t take my word for it, see for yourself below!

As usual, I took the photo after we started eating, so what you see here is after we took some out of it. Almost the whole plate was covered in prawns.

Karimeen (Pearl Spot Fish) Fry

This is one of the most characteristic coastal dishes of Kerala. It is made by marinating fish with spices like chilli powder, turmeric powder etc. and is wrapped in a banana leaf and fried. It is very reasonably priced here too, unlike in bigger restaurants.

Chicken/Fish curries

The curries here are tasty and great value since they offer good quantity for the price. Most are South Indian items like chicken varutharachathu [referring to the spices used which are roasted and ground], butter chicken, chilly chicken, chicken 65 and other traditional local curries.

One of the most characteristic curries we tried here is the Ceylon Bake House Special. This is prepared not unlike a chicken tikka masala in that it has fried pieces of chicken which are then added to slightly creamy, thick gravy. The taste is completely different from the North Indian Chicken Tikka masala in that it does not have a Tandoori flavour. It has a slightly sweet taste from the tomato and also has an assortment of spices that you would not taste anywhere else. It has shredded boiled egg on top too, which adds another dimension to the entire dish! For the record, the dish is boneless.

Prawn Biryani

This is one of the few places that serve prawn biryani, and it is really good too. It is made with fresh prawns, and is a great option for a filling lunch. Of course, chicken biryani is also available.

If you are touring the city and are in search of some authentic traditional non-vegetarian dishes, then this place is pretty much a must-visit. They value for money factor is good and the food is great, being one of the few places we recommend for non-veg food. 

Type of Cuisine: South Indian vegetarian and non-vegetarian
Location

Opposite SRV High School, Woodlands Junction, MG Road.

Parking: Few cars in front + dedicated parking lot. No problems here.

Ambience: Good. Adequate spacing between tables. Decent Lighting.

Service: Good.

What we liked/Recommended for:

• Good non-vegetarian dishes. 
• Excellent Idiyappam: likely the best in town. 
• Value for money fish dishes like Karimeen Fry [pearl spot fish].

Potential Shortcomings: 
No problems after renovation.

Taxes: Included in price, no fat tax applicable.
Phone Number: +91 484 2376081, 2377125

Timings: 08:00 - 23:00

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Have you eaten from Ceylon Bake House? Tell us your opinion in the comments below!

Abhirami: the Simple and Economical Veg Restaurant

Abhirami Veg. Restaurant Review

Don’t let the modest exterior of this pure vegetarian food joint fool you; this is one place where you can get some good food at great prices. Located almost opposite the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at Kaloor, it is hard to miss this South Indian restaurant. 

Hotel Abhirami is at the left, with the ongoing Kochi Metro construction also visible. 

It’s one of our most favourite breakfast joints whenever we come back to town after a holiday. Service is always fast and the place has a good turnover. The name 'Hotel Abhirami' is displayed in red block capital letters against a yellow background, so its difficult to miss it. Worth mentioning is the guard who assists you in parking your car as you arrive. His sheer enthusiasm and sense of duty is something to be seen to be believed. Give him a tip and he will express his gratitude by blessing you! Seriously, he really earns his buck.
Depending on what you order, the most ordered items get delivered very quickly. That makes this the perfect place to have a quick meal when you are in a hurry.

Now back to the food.

Suggested Reading: Not familiar with  South Indian food? We have just the right article to get you up to speed: South Indian Breakfasts!

Frankly, all the South Indian food here is good. The dosas are served nice, hot and crisp. As with any vegetarian restaurant, they have plain, ghee roast and masala dosas. The idlis are soft and vadas are crisp. These three dishes are served with sambar and coconut chutney. They also serve good chappatis, puri masala (or colloquially, ‘puri set’!), chhole batura. They also serve very good, napalm-hot coffee and tea. The place has a lot of staff from Tamil Nadu and the food is largely that style with the exception of the dosas, which are the Kerala type: thin, crisp and golden and not the Tamil Nadu or Mysore style thick, crisp and brown ones. They are good though. Curries worth mentioning include mushroom and paneer curries, both taste good and have a good amount of pieces. They can go well with chapattis. Of note are the urad (uzhunnu in Malayalam) vadas, which are crisp and fresh most of the time. They run out of it fast so if you are late, you may not get it on time. You may want to avoid the noodles and other non-Indian menu items unless you really want to be adventurous and taste something different!

You can’t go wrong if you grab a bite here. Good food, great prices and fast service make this a great place to come and eat.

If you do wish to be a bit more indulgent, you can also go to Bharat Tourist Home which is a short distance away on the opposite side of the road. They have slightly better tasting sambar so this is the place to go to if that matters a lot to you. Full write up coming soon!
[Edit: the aforementioned BTH has closed down due to metro work]

Type of Cuisine: South Indian Vegetarian
Location

Opposite Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Banerji Road, Kaloor.

Parking: 
Few cars in front, may be a problem when the place is at peak hour. Generally easy to find parking nearby though metro work has made it more difficult as of 2017.

Ambience: 
Average, can get crowded during peak hours but not too bad. Cleanliness could be better. 

Service: Usually good.

What we liked/Recommended for: 

• Good South Indian vegetarian food at great prices 
• Normally quick service 
• Great option for those in a hurry. 

Potential Shortcomings: 
Could improve on cleanliness. Just another vegetarian restaurant with standard fare. 'Chinese' items best avoided unless you are keen on experimenting!

Taxes: Included in price, no fat tax applicable.
Phone Number: 0484 3114731
Timings: 07:00 - 22:00

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Have you been to Abhirami? What did you order? Tell us what you think about the food in the comments below!