Best Bakery: True to its name?

Best Bakery Review

Best Bakery has been around as long as I can remember [which admittedly is not too long!].  In the typical ‘kid in a candy store’ fashion, I remember going to their Kaloor branch and looking at the various pastries, sweetmeats and cakes at eye level as the counter was about as tall as I was at the time! They also had several other things included branded biscuits and chocolates. The main point of interest however, has always been their range of biscuits. Our favourites were the Salt biscuit and the spicy ‘Masala biscuit’ which I initially was not too fond of when my young taste buds could not take the mild but persistent heat although that eventually outgrew everything else to become my favourite.

Having several branches across the city is a strong point, making their products easily accessible. The Edappally branch even featured a restaurant [now closed] with decent food and possibly the best porottas I have tried. Over the years, they have grown and so have I, to the point that I have to look down at the glass display at the pastries and cakes; in some areas, metaphorically too: the pastries at least no longer inspire the same sense of delight I used to feel. Especially after our taste buds have tasted the remarkable quality of offerings that came first from Breadline at MG Road in the early 2000s [which has since closed down, wonder whether anyone actually remembers that place!] and shortly afterwards: Bread World, which still sticks around. [We are focusing on Kochi and not counting back to really great cakes we have had outside of Kerala years before those popped up too.]

Now after years of refraining from buying any pastries from them, we finally decided to give those another chance and see whether things have changed over the years, and [somewhat inadvertently!] also sample a few new additions. Who am I kidding, the main purpose if you have been paying attention to this point was: to get ourselves some of that delightful masala biscuit! On to the food we go!

Masala Biscuit

The masala biscuit is a real treat for the taste buds assuming you can tolerate a little bit of spice. The biscuit itself is rather perfectly round and has a light but lovely glaze on top. 

It has bits of lovely caramelised onion, black sesame seeds, black pepper, bits of curry leaves and a hint of ginger. Bits of cashew only add to the incredible richness of the biscuit while providing a bit of crunch too. The biscuit itself has an amber-brown colour and a remarkably powdery yet firm texture that breaks nicely. If you can handle a little bit of heat and there is just one thing you must try from here, it has to be this one. If you cannot take any hint of spice, move onto the next item.

Butter Salt Biscuits

Danish Cookies have nothing on this one! The biscuit is not very sweet as most bakery biscuits tend to be and that is where it works: the mild flavour of the biscuit works great with the wonderful grains of saltiness. 

The real highlight is the texture: it is incredibly soft and really powdery. It holds its shape but does not snap clean; it simply crumbles. Other bakeries have tried to match its success but nothing we have tried from anywhere else has even managed to come close. The others ones are either too sweet or the texture is just wrong: usually ending up too crisp. The ones here are the best we have had, anywhere. For the record, this one is free of egg too so it is vegetarian. Use of butter means it has lactose however.

Carrot Cake Loaf

This is a rather new addition that was not there a few decades ago. We tried it only recently however. The exterior looked promising with a mild dampness to the touch and a dark, dark colour on top with noticeable flecks of carrot, dried fruit and nuts distributed in the body of the cake. It had a lovely slightly sweet aroma with a few notes of spice.

When we took a bite, we were pleasantly surprised that it was rather moist, perfect sweetness. This was reminiscent of fresh homemade cakes. The cake was perfectly sweet aided by the dates and the nuts improved the overall texture. This was a definitely a purchase we were happy with and is very economical considering the quality and weight. It has a disclaimer you can see on the box, which states that it contains egg.

Black Forest Pastry

Just out of curiosity, we tried out their Black Forest pastry which used to be the go-to cake for most people for almost any occasion.

AND IT WAS… Still pretty much the same. Bummer. 

The overall mind numbing sweetness of the cake seemed to have generally reduced thankfully but the cream was still rather cheap feeling and the overall combination left a lot to be desired as the cake itself hardly had its own flavour. It still has not caught up with the other bakeries on this front. Other buttercream cakes may work fine as long as they are coined as ‘old-fashioned’ cakes but a black forest should still be a lot better than this in order to bear the name. Sure, even the ones sold in more expensive bakeries are pretty far from the real thing which should have sour cherries and Kirsch. Bloomsbury had one that was close but it was too long back for us to accurately review. I guess you will likely need a German Visa to experience an authentic ‘Schwarzwalder torte’!

To sum it all up:

Biscuits are as great as ever, they remain our all-time favourites

Most pastries still leave room for improvement

They have adapted slightly: the new cakes are well executed

Could improve quality of certain cakes: especially Black Forest.

They are doing well and it would be in their best interests to keep up the quality of their biscuits and savouries high as always.

Best Bakery, true to its name still has the best ‘bakery biscuits’ in the city. Their savoury items are also good enough quality even if it may not be the absolute best available. They remain one of the most iconic bakeries of Kochi and have some unique and delicious offerings that you will not find anywhere else, daresay: in the world. 

Type of Cuisine: Bakery, Desserts, Cakes, Savouries, Snacks
Location

Near Axis Bank, Manimala Road, Edappally.

Parking: Most branches have space for a few cars in front, should not be a problem.

Ambience: Average

Service: Quick, Pack 'n Go!

What we liked/Recommended for:

• Delightfully rustic biscuits. 
• Old-fashioned butter cream cakes. 
• Good quality snacks and savories; much to choose from. 
• Value for money. 

Potential Shortcomings:
Some items still stuck in the past [details above]. Stiff competition. 

Taxes: Included in price, no fat tax applicable.

Phone Number: +91 484 255 5957

Timings: 08:30 - 21:30

Website: https://www.bestbakers.in/

On Zomato:

     

Bombay Kulfi: Kochi's Kulfi Destination!

Bombay Kulfi Review

As we were driving down Kaloor-Kadavanthara road, this sign managed to catch our attention. Being kulfi [explained in the next paragraph] lovers and not having a dedicated joint in Kochi to this point, we were excited to check out what this place had to offer.

In case you do not know what a kulfi is, it is effectively the Indian version of Ice Cream, albeit slightly denser as it incorporates less or no air, more like Italian gelato in a way. It is most traditionally served in small clay pots called 'matka' but sticks are also available and more common. Traditional flavours include pistachio, saffron, 'malai' which is cream etc. Fruit based ones are also not uncommon, possibly being based on both dry and/or fresh fruits.

In case you were wondering, kulfi in general and Bombay Kulfi's products specifically are stated to be completely vegetarian. However the use of milk means vegans will have to look elsewhere.  

Bombay Kulfi is situated on Kaloor-Kadavanthra Road, next to Cake Hut. The walls were painted in bright colours and we noticed some old-school Bollywood Hindi movie posters hung up but the ambiance was not that great. It is a really small shop, with a few stools to sit on. There was a counter displaying the various flavors available with a blackboard listing the flavours available. The flavors on offer included: Malai [cream], mango, kesar-pista [saffron-pistachio], butterscotch and a few unconventional ones like chai masala [spicy tea!] and so on.

After some deliberation, we decided to try out their kesar-pista  and butterscotch flavors. One point to note is that the kulfis were absolutely frozen solid and took a while to soften. Both turned out to be very good choices and provided some much needed relief from the blistering Kochi summer heat. Once softened, they had a nice creamy texture and good flavour, especially the kesar-pista one.

The staff recommended the kulfi pot or 'Matka Kulfi', but we opted for the sticks as they seemed bigger and we wanted to eat outside where it would be way more comfortable.

They were pretty price friendly too, the butterscotch being slightly more expensive.

I guess you could put it this way: we found that the perfect choice for the Kerala summer was (the?!) Bombay Kulfi! They may not have the best seating arrangements in place but the quality of the product is what matters most and on that aspect, they deliver pretty well.

Type of Cuisine: Frozen Desserts, 'Kulfi'

Location

Next to Cake Hut, Kaloor Kadavanthra Road, Kathrikadavu, Kaloor.

Parking: Few cars in front.

Ambience: Bright but very cramped, extremely limited seating.

Service: Good, quick.

What we liked/Recommended for:

Generally decent quality Kulfi, refreshing.

Potential Shortcomings: 
Cramped.

Taxes: Included in price

Phone Number: +91 484 430 2010

Timings: 11:30 - 23:00 

Restaurant Website: bombaykulfi.com

On Zomato:
     

Have you tried anything from Bombay Kulfi? Tell us down in the comments below!

Udupi Bhavan

Udupi Bhavan Review

Searching for the elusive Mysore masala dosa which is our favourite and a must-have on every visit to Bangalore, we came across Udupi Bhavan; which is a restaurant on Kaloor-Kadavanthara road. It is a two storey building and claims to have typical South Indian fare like dosas, idlis, puris etc, to North Indian & Chinese(!) dishes too. We were most interested to see whether they could serve a mean Mysore masala dosa and stand up to its name, so did it? Read on to find out!

A flight of stairs leads up to a sweets counter & the entrance is to the right. The restaurant has good seating capacity & in spite of that, the tables were full, which of course is always a good sign. The place is neat, with attentive service.
We were hoping to get our favorite Mysore Masala Dosa and were thrilled to find that it was listed on the menu! so we wasted no time ordering it. 


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

Mysore Masala Dosa

The traditional Mysore masala dosa is easily recognized by its thickness yet crisp and soft textures at the bottom and top respectively. The most defining characteristic is that a red chutney of red chili, chickpea and garlic must be spread on the suface of the dosa before adding the quintessential potato masala. That gives it a distinct taste which no other Kerala style masala dosa has. Now onto the dish served to us.

The Mysore masala dosa turned up, with a twist however. They added mint chutney instead of the typical red chutney which traditionally accompanies the Mysore masala dosa. It was not brown & crisp like it should be. We were slightly disappointed that we still had not found a place to enjoy an authentic Mysore Masala dosa but decided to give it a chance anyway. 
What a good decision that was.
The dosa itself was nothing particularly remarkable but the chutney inside was actually very tasty and even the spiced potato inside was perfectly cooked and well seasoned. We would say it is more akin to 'Mysore-style masala dosa' but who cares: on the whole, it tasted great and we look forward to trying this one again. This dosa is recommended if you have had masala dosas from every other restaurant in the city and wish to taste something slightly different from the rest. 

Uzhunu Vada

The uzhunu vadas [savoury donut] here were superb, being crisp and light as they should be. They are easily among the best we have had at any restaurant in the city. Worth mentioning is that their chutneys tasted great, being thick and tasty rather than watery in many restaurants.

We confronted (read: spoke to!) the person in charge there about the inaccuracies in the Mysore masala dosa, he knew exactly what we were talking about and admitted that it should use the red chutney as is traditional. We told him the food was otherwise good. 
Udupi Bhavan is good South Indian joint serving up delicious Udupi food and pretty budget friendly too, highly recommended. We hope to go back soon. 

Type of Cuisine: South Indian vegetarian, Udupi 

Location

Kadikkal Buildings, Kumaranashan Junction, Kaloor-Kadavanthra Road.

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

Ambience: Good, even for families unlike most similar restaurants. Well lit.

Service: Good

What we liked/Recommended for:

• Good, tasty Udupi/vegetarian food. 
• Quality chutneys unlike many veg restaurants in the city. 
• Decent ambiance for a veg. restaurant. 
• Parking area. 
• Cleanliness.

Potential Shortcomings: 
Our quest for an authentic Mysore Masala dosa continues! The one here [though tasty] is not the way it is supposed to be. Will update this section after another visit. 

Taxes: Included in price, no fat tax applicable.
Phone Number: +91 94959 98199
Timings: 07:00 - 23:00

Have you been to Udupi Bhavan? Share your experience in the comments below!

WOW! Momo: More than just Momos!

WOW! Momo Review

Having various branches across the city, WOW! Momo as the name suggests, have a good selection of momos and also offer other things like soup, sizzlers, a burger with a predictable twist: it uses a momo instead of a patty and even chocolate filled momos for dessert! 

Steamed Momos

Starting out authentic, the steamed momos are available in chicken (three varieties), fish, prawn, mushroom, paneer and some other veg options. We like to keep it simple so we tend to go with plain chicken momos.

These deliver well in terms of flavor. It comes with spicy red chili and green mint sauces for those who need it. This serves as a base for the other preparations of momos that follow. 

Pan Fried Momos

This is a twist on fried dimsum, it uses the standard momo base with the same choice of fillings as before but they are fried gently till the coating is slightly crisp and then slathered with a sauce. You can select between two different types of sauces, and we have tried both so that we can tell you about them.

 
The Schezwan sauce is as expected, spicy with bits of red chili seed etc. to please Indian taste buds. This is Indo-Chinese leaning closer to the Indian side! If you love and live for spice, this is a no-brainer. We found it a bit too Indianized however.
The tomato garlic sauce seen in the photo is what we usually order, this comes with a light tomato sauce reminiscent of ketchup and a good hint of garlic. It is garnished with a little bit of chopped spring onion. This is a bit sweet, so you may want to choose this wearily; whenever we order the staff tend to tell us that it is meant for kids! This is how we ended up trying the Schezwan sauce in the first place. 
The choice of sauces is a bit unbalanced as one is pretty spicy and the other is pretty much sweet.

Sizzler

As the name suggests, the sizzler comes on a sizzler plate with a portion of noodle topped with momos prepared to your choice. The noodle is actually pretty good just like real Hakka noodle should be, and the momos as described above. It would make a decent meal thanks to the addition of the noodle, making it one of the few dishes you can actually order for a meal instead of an appetizer or snack. Of course, it looks interesting when it is served to you, all steamy and sizzling! It is reasonably filling too we should say. 

This is a nice place to have a light snack in a decent food court/restaurant setting and their momos are pretty good. We come here every once in a while. The steamed ones have decent flavour and can be considered a healthy option. The Pan fried ones may be a little too Indianized and the sauces are on two ends of the scale but altogether, a worthwhile place if you like momos and want to sample different types; of which they have a commendable variety. Not horrifically overpriced for the non veg options, though I can't say the same about the veg ones but then again, you get a restaurant setting [unless you are in LuLu] so the poor value for money is to be expected. Recommended for those who like momos, or are adventurous about trying new foods, or of course: both!!!


Type of Cuisine: Momos, Chinese [Indo-Chinese]
Locations

Food Court on Third Floor, LuLu Mall, Edappally.

Emir Plaza, Kaloor Kadavanthra Road.

Food Court, Centre Square Mall, MG Road.

Parking: Mall parking at LuLu (chargeable) is fine except on very busy days and weekends. Other outlets have some parking space in front. 

Ambience: Typical mall ambience, love it or hate it! The restaurant ones are quieter.

Service: Good.

What we liked/Recommended for:

Plenty of variety of momos. Have alternate dishes too.

Potential Shortcomings: 

• Sauces for pan fried momos are unbalanced. 
• Momos tend to be expensive for the quantity provided even considering the restaurant setting. 
• Taste is average to good. 

Taxes: Included in price, no fat tax applicable.
Phone Number: +91 484 4064888
On Zomato:
     

Have you been to WOW momos? What did you have? Please share your experience in the comments below!

Cafe 17: Super Sweet 17!

Cafe 17 Review
Located at Kaloor Kadavantra Road, Café 17 is tucked into the Unisquare building, right next to Bakers Walk and on the opposite side of French Toast and Sreedhareeyam Eye Hospital. There is adequate parking outside. They offer all sorts of foods like steaks, salads, wraps, burgers and so on. They also have a dessert counter which has a decent selection of eats.

The interiors are nice and contemporary with some books arranged on one of the walls, and chairs and tables spaced widely enough. One of the walls had chalk drawings to look at. It is clearly a place designed for the young at heart, and is not as crowded as other restaurants. That makes it a great place to hang out. The owner Mr Praveen is especially genial and is happy to engage in conversation.

Jus-C Lucy Burger

As soon as we walked in and read the menu, this one caught my eye. We had heard about the rather famous Jucy Lucy from Minnesota in which molten cheese is enveloped at the centre of a burger patty and oozes out when you take a bite. Being a foodie and waiting to try something we have never tried before, we immediately decided to give it a shot. While priced a teeny bit more than the run of the mill places like KFC and ChicKing, it is worth noting that the burger itself is heavier and it is a complete meal with fries and salad with each one. For the record, the one shown here is a chicken burger though they also have beef burgers too, if you are so inclined. Here it is:

As you can see, the cheese was on top of the patty instead of being hidden inside it but it had melted well and draped the patty anyways. The ground meat patty was also nice and juicy and was lightly spiced with chilli flakes. All this was enclosed in a delightful sesame bun. The fries were exceptionally nice and crisp too. It was quite a nice meal, and was good enough to satisfy our hunger.

Chicken Fillet in Mushroom Sauce

On our much anticipated second visit to the place, we tried out this dish. As expected, it was a nice and juicy chicken fillet topped with barbecue mushroom sauce. We somehow expected it to be mushrooms in white sauce but this combination works just as well. This was accompanied by mashed potatoes and vegetables like broccoli and carrot. The photo above should make things crystal clear.

Pastries and Desserts

They also had a selection of pastries on display. We tried the Mango Mousse Cake which was rather pale in color but had good flavor and a nice and light, airy texture.

 

We also tried the Chocolate Truffle cake which was nice, albeit just like any other place.

 

We look forward to going back and trying something more. As always, we will update this review once we do. 

Type of Cuisine: Cafe, Continental, Fast Food, Burgers
Location

Kaloor Kadavathra Road, Kathrikadavu.

Parking: Few cars in front, that should be sufficient however.

Ambience: Very comfy [except if near the bathroom]. There are books etc. to read. All in all, a great place to really sit down and relax unlike other restaurants. Good spot to hang out with friends too.

Service: Good.

What we liked/Recommended for:

• Great ambiance 
• Really good food 
• Good place to hang out: can relax and read some books etc.

Potential Shortcomings: 
Pastries were nothing exceptional. 

Taxes: Included in price
Phone Number: +91 484 402 7067
Timings: 11:00 - 23:00
On Zomato:
      

Have you eaten at Cafe 17? Share your experience, please leave your comments below!

A Touch of Garam Masala!

Garam Masala Restaurant Review

As the name suggests, Garam Masala is a restaurant that offers different types of North Indian food ranging from rotis and jeera rice to veg and non-veg curries. It is located right behind Chopstix at Palarivattom. It is worth noting that the some menu items from Chopstix are also available here. Maybe you could even try some fusion of North Indian and Chinese! While the quantity of the curries could have been better for the price they charge, the quality is very good and the food tastes authentic enough. Each curry is enough for two moderate eaters or maybe even one really hungry person. I know I could eat a whole curry with a few rotis all by myself if I wanted to! While they do not have every single imaginable North Indian curry like the rather delectable Rara Chicken which I have had while in the north, they do offer most of the other well-known dishes.

Naan:

The classic plain naan was excellent; it was crisp rather than being chewy like other restaurants tend to make it. Since there is no butter, it is best had hot immediately after serving and we only recommend having it if you dine in. If you are ordering for home delivery, go for butter naans instead as they hold better.

Tandoori Roti:

They have typical rotis made of wheat flour in the tandoor. Very tasty, especially when had hot and fresh.

Cheese Garlic Naan:

A naan that had butter and garlic bits scattered here and there with a strong garlic aroma. Those who love garlic will enjoy this. It had a more chewy texture than the normal naan. We failed to find any trace of cheese: they probably meant butter instead.

Missi Roti

This roti is made using gram flour or Besan and is coated with some butter. It is unlike any other roti as it snaps easily, has a powdery texture and is great to scoop up thick gravies. We recommend having it with slightly spicier gravy dishes.

Romali Roti

As with most places, romali rotis are incredibly thin and light but huge. They bring it folded over. It has no oil and is very tasty, goes well with almost any kind of dry or gravy dish. We suggest unfolding and attacking it immediately as it will become stretchy and chewy in no time, more so than plain naan etc.

Chicken Bartha

A boneless chicken dish with rich gravy that has cream, cashew paste finely chopped onion and select spices and herbs like coriander and so on. This is the dish to order if you are looking for a mild but rich and flavourful curry.

Chicken Tikka Masala

This is a medium spicy gravy dish that has pieces of boneless chicken tikka, green chillies, garlic and other spices in a tomato and onion gravy. It is a nice curry for those who like something a bit spicy, though we liked the chicken bartha much better as an all-round dish.

All in all, this restaurant offers authentic North Indian food with good variety in both veg and non-veg dishes. While the portions of the curry could have been better for the price they ask, the taste makes up for it.


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

Old Road, Sonia Nagar, Palarivattom.

Parking: Few cars in front, may be a problem when the place is at peak hours. 
Ambience: Good, slightly dark lighting.

Service: Good.

Taxes: Included in price, no fat tax applicable.
Restaurant Website: http://www.garammasalakochi.com/

More items coming up soon! We haven’t been there recently enough to review some dishes we had ordered, so we will be updating those as and when we try them. So be sure to check back later for new reviews!

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

On Zomato:
      

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

Spread your Wangs to Inchino! [EDIT: Now Closed]

EDIT
We recently found out that Inchino has closed down for business and is to be replaced by a multi cuisine restaurant. The likely cause for this move is undoubtedly due to the construction of the Metro going on right in front of the building, making it hard get there. The review is still kept here for those who wish to read on about it anyway.

Inchino/Wangs Review

Ever since Wang’s opened its doors above Spencer’s MG Road, we have been savouring the taste of their food. When Spencer’s shut down, Wang’s packed their bags too but only to shift to the Indian Express/KFC Tower* near Kaloor Bus Stand, close enough that they now deliver even to our house which is almost 6km away.

*(no, not Kentucky Fried Chicken, it’s actually the Kochi Financial Corporation Tower, not joking! Imagine saying Wang’s has shifted to KFC!!!XD).

Now they have decided to make a new name for themselves: Inchino. While there is such a word, meaning to bow and show respect, it comes from Italian! They probably had something else in mind, like ‘In China’. You won’t win any prizes for guessing that this isn’t an absolutely authentic Chinese joint. It is one of the Indo-Chinese varieties, but leans much closer to the Chinese side, thankfully. Unlike other Chinese restaurants which have the usual dim red Chinese lanterns and painted dragons, Inchino employs a more contemporary look to its interiors, with warm lighting and subtle paintings. There is ample seating room too.

Sesame fried Chicken

Thin strips of chicken are tossed with spices, soy sauce, vegetables like onion and sesame seeds. It is a great melody with the tang of the spices and the bite of sesame seeds. The interesting part is that it comes with crispy fried spinach too, which is really fun to eat. This is one of the dishes we order almost every time we visit. This is how it looks like:

Spring Rolls

They have very good chicken spring rolls. It is served very hot, so you must wait for a while or else the little remaining oil can burn you pretty badly. It has happened to us so many times! There are two long spring rolls cut into three pieces. It is served with a nice, sweet and tangy orange color sauce too.

Wangs noodle

It is still known as ‘Wangs Noodle’ despite the change in the restaurant name. This has a nice flavor, with the soft noodles and a good amount of chicken and vegetables. Quantity was good the last time we ordered.

Pan Fried Chicken noodles

This is a pretty good dish thanks to the various textures at play here. The noodles are slightly crisp at the bottom, which contrasts with the soft noodle on top and all this is covered in thick gravy with adequate pieces of chicken. It is slightly spicy but is just enough for the flavor. The portions were good.

Fried Ice Cream

This is a dessert that has ice cream coated in batter and fried quickly, so you get a golden slightly crunchy outer layer and the cold ice cream filling. Best popped whole in the mouth. The one served here had coconut as part of the coating, so we did not like it. We are reasonably sure the Chinese do not normally buy coconuts and add them to their desserts. You may just like it, though.

More items coming up soon! We haven’t been there recently enough to describe some dishes we had ordered, so we will be updating those as and when we try them. So be sure to check back later for new reviews! 

Type of Cuisine: Chinese [Indo-Chinese]
Parking: Few cars in front and lots more in the parking lot behind the building, never been a problem.

Ambience: Always good, adequate space between tables so not a problem even when slightly busy.

Service: Good

Taxes: Included in price

Have you been [to!] 'Inchino'? What did you order? Tell us what you think about the food in the comments below!