Meow to my readers of Cats of Kochi! I, Alleppey, have come to show you new and exciting culinary experiences in Fort Kochi! (Aside from the yummy fish at the beach.)
Fort Kochi is widely known for its culinary diversity. The palate of a traveler will not only be just traditional Kerala cuisine but a fusion of various other food cultures. Each and every dish that is served in the restaurants and cafes has its own story to tell. Every street reveals a new cooking genius. Trust me, I have firsthand experience sneaking into their kitchens. I am in talks with one of the owners to set up a cafe that serves only cat treats. We have decided on a name as well – Alleppey’s Trick and Treats.
One such story I have encountered while strolling along the streets of Fort Kochi is the food of Tibet. How did the Taste of Tibet reach a coastal town like Fort Kochi?
Tasting Tibet at Fort Kochi
I had gone to watch the Kathakali performance with my friend Ginger when I came across a board which said Tibetan Chef’s Restaurant. It was very close to the famous Santa Cruz Basilica in the KB Jacob Road.
As a feline with an impeccable love for the kitchens (wink wink, you know what I mean), I ended up there instead of going to seating area. Although for hoomans, the space is comfy and cozy. Some of the tables are styled in a low height fashion with cushions for sitting. There is an additional space for customers is on the terrace, so the scenery is quite homely as it is surrounded by other residential houses. The perimeter is adorned by Tibetan prayer flags which are prominent cultural symbols of people from the Himalayas.
The space of Tibetan Chef's Restaurant
However, there are some seating spaces on the ground floor – please do call and check in to enquire about accessibility. The restaurant opens at 2 PM in the afternoon.
Beginning my culinary investigations, I figured out that the people managing the restaurant are not Tibetans – the staff is a mix of people from Lucknow, Nepal, and Kochi. The titular chef of the restaurant has learnt to make Tibetan dishes from their master, who was previously the Head Cook. He was a Tibetan and knew the authentic methods of cooking the dishes which he passed down to the current cooks. Although, because of his absence, they are currently not serving dishes such as Shabaley and Tibetan bread which require his personal expertise.
I asked them what the best food for a cat’s palate was, and they served me delicious handmade noodles in soup called Thenthuk. To my disappointment or to the appreciation of hooman, there was a generous amount of carrots, beans, onions and coriander! It is served with a mouthwatering spicy chilli oil sauce that amps up the flavour of the dish!
Chicken Thenthuk
After licking my paws clean, I went to the beautiful Santa Cruz basilica for some peace and quiet. I had a small chat with the resident church cat about new discoveries and I shared anecdotes of my identical brother Ginger. Stepping out and getting ready to walk back to my residence at Cats of Kochi, something else suddenly caught my eye.
Another Tibetan restaurant? This one is called Tibet Kitchen.
I licked my lips once again. I’m getting fed well this fine day! There was still a lot of space to go in my feline tummy.
Tibet Kitchen was a small place, not as spacious compared to the previous restaurant I visited. But it was very cozy – surrounded by posters made of cloth and paintings. The most attractive feature for me was the shiny, shiny artefacts inside the small but abundantly stocked shop full of Tibetan goods. They have all kinds of fun things from keychains, earrings, bracelets, showpieces, bags, wooden creations and many more. You can also buy the Tibetan prayer flags! The cafe opens at 12:30 PM in the afternoon.
The interior designs of Tibet Kitchen
The staff seemed to take a liking at me! He gave me pets and let me check out and play with all the fascinating objects. I told him I was hungry and he showed me an extensive menu filled with so many Tibetan, Nepali and Bhutanese food options. Meowww.
I put my paw on the yellow looking roll thingy because it caught my eye first. And turns out, it’s called Laphing! Made of mungbean starch and flour… it is spicy, filled with chili oil and wai wai noodles. It was delicious and I sent my compliments to the Chef. The staff told me that the Chef is originally from Tibet but escaped a long time ago because of the Chinese occupation. He had been living and Ladakh and now came to Kochi to earn a living. So far away from home! But as a traveller at heart, all the places sounded very paw-some.
The staff member is a Tibetan but calls himself Indian because it has been a long time since he has been to Tibet and will not be able to go back any time soon. His family had settled in West Bengal. When I asked about the success of Tibetan cuisine with the culinary audience of Fort Kochi, he told me that most of the tourists who visit the shop have already experienced the cuisine in places like Delhi or Bangalore, where there are a large number of Tibetan settlements. The population in Kerala is very small but the culinary enterprise has a lot of potential. I assured him of full support from the feline food enthusiasts!
Hopefully one day, I will get to meet the Tibetan cat community and share a meal with them!
Put your paws on the buttons below for Google Map link to the location!