It was in mid-January, 2024 that I travelled to Fort Kochi with two companions, just after the tourist traffic had subsided, and since it wasn’t an art biennale year (Fort Kochi is home to an international contemporary art biennale every alternate year, which runs for four months from December to March), there was something especially sleepy about this characteristically somnolent Southern town, the clear blue skies and balmy weather nothing short of a soothing ointment to the wounds of the harsh winter from which each one of us was fleeing.
Above: Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica, Fort Kochi
It had been my friend from London’s choice for us to reunite in Fort Kochi, a place she had been to several times and could never get enough of; I had visited only once before in 2018 during the biennale, with a somewhat frenzied bunch, including one of my many ex-fiances at what turned out to be the tail end of our inarguably volatile relationship, and hence had always dreamed of going back in more languid company, taking my mother, who is also my best friend, along with me.
We made the strangest of bedfellows, my mother, friend and myself, with vastly different characters, but somehow found ourselves in perfect harmony, and I couldn’t help but wonder if it wasn’t attributable to the tender embrace of Fort Kochi, which I imagine would make lifelong friends out of the worst of enemies.
There was only one heated argument that took place, but it was prior to the trip, pertaining to where to stay, for my friend had a special fondness for the Brunton Boatyard hotel, while I was more inclined towards the quaint Malabar house residency; Brunton, for all intents and purposes, is a proper hospitality establishment and as much as the former shipyard has been masterfully converted into a hotel, it does not have the personal & imperfectly perfect appeal of Malabar House, and thus I was only too happy to discover that there were no rooms available at Brunton, all gainfully occupied by the last leg of tourists dreading their return to the habitually dismal conditions of January in Europe.
Above: Central courtyard and pool of Malabar House, Fort Kochi
Malabar house is an 18th century Dutch colonial residence converted into boutique hotel, which in terms of interior design, manages to both tactfully and tastefully combine the traditional and contemporary; however, with respect to hospitality, it is a bit like Faulty towers, except that the charm of both the atmosphere and staff, in addition to the exceptional quality of food, serve to more than compensate for the unpolished services and inadequate bar, which be-warned, stocks only a pedestrian selection of wine and slightly less primitive range of beer.
Above: Entrance and common areas of Malabar House, depicting traditional and contemporary design
The rooms are delightfully attractive, even though (or perhaps it is intentionally so) one is unable to see the finer details, for the lighting is extremely poor to say the least; bed-time reading is reserved for those with strong eyesight, and for others who tend to use heavy makeup, do carry a portable magnifying mirror with you to take out into the courtyard, (each room has either a private courtyard or terrace) for you will certainly not manage to camouflage your creases efficiently in the dim bathrooms.
Above: A double deluxe room and adjoining private courtyard
I had foolishly booked a suite for my mother, which was not only on the first floor without a lift, its only access being a rather steep staircase, but also the suite itself was a duplex with a steep staircase of its own within; fortunately, the other room was on the ground floor, so she & I switched.
As attractive as the suite might be, it is somewhat cavernous for a single person – a gratuitous reminder of one’s celibacy is not only unpleasant but also unwelcome – and thus I would champion it only for a young and nimble couple.
Above: The Malabar suite and adjoining private terrace
It was dinner time when we finished settling in, and our first gastronomic stop was Seagull, an absolutely charming, albeit very basic waterfront eatery, which back in 2018 had served up the most fantastic coastal food, including fried soft-shell crab & butter pepper garlic calamari, each one worthy of a culinary Oscar, but I am disappointed to report that all of that was gone. No-one could tell us why, and so we were left to assume, upon the rather bitter after-taste of a poor meal, that the place had taken a beating during the pandemic, the atmosphere alone, once upon a time filled with music and laughter, now a faint shadow of its former self…but by the time you go, it might have recovered its culinary glory, so please don’t just take my word for it, and do check.
Fortunately, the next day, a late and light lunch of a spectacular Meen moilee, (a mild coconut milk base Kerala fish curry), chaperoned by what was a perfect appam, (fermented rice pancake) at Malabar House itself, restored my confidence in the local food.
Above: Meen molee and appam at Malabar House
We spent that first morning taking a tour of fort Kochi by tuk tuk, driven by a chap called Ilias who remained with us throughout aur stay, and other than the obligatory visit to the two principal churches, St Francis and Santa Cruz, was the equally obligatory stop at one of the local spice shops, before proceeding to the real treasure of the fort that is known as Jew Town.
The tuk tuk driver (incidentally, there are several who hang around outside Malabar House residency, and whichever one you ‘pick up’, so to speak, will invariably remain with you throughout your stay, becoming both your best friend and guide, whilst making vast commissions on every purchase you make), will select the store, depending on where he receives the highest commission for purchases made, but on a less cynical note, it will usually be where you find both the best quality of goods and maximum charm of experience; the Spice Garden is where we were taken, and quite frankly all three of us had the best time bargaining hard, albeit with little success, whilst tasting the various spices and sniffing the hand- made soaps, the palm leaf packaging and different bouquets of holy basil, jasmine, sandal wood etcetera, simply irresistible.
Above: Images of the Spice Garden Shop
It was a good one hour later that we left, having spent the equivalent of the GDP of a small African country, with a shopping bag full of local tamarind and cinnamon (the latter so naturally sweet, it can take the place of a dessert) many packets of a fish curry spice mix, freshly ground Kerala coffee, (which I tasted upon my return to New Delhi and it is so darn good, I have since, for the first time ever, been unfaithful to Lavazza) and lots and lots of the handmade soaps.
As much as I am not a shopper, unlike my two companions, I must confess that a travel experience is altogether incomplete without a taste of local commerce, just as it is without local food, and so off we went to the next rather exciting shopping adventure, and that was for perfume, or rather perfume oils.
Clockwise from top left: the younger of two salesmen uncorking a bottle of Chanel chance,
the jar of coffee beans that acts as a cleanser for the sense of smell between the different scents,
my mother having a cigarette break whilst chatting with the older salesman and a Swedish tourist.
When my friend Sonalee Kumar had asked me to go to a particular perfume shop called Saba, located in Jew town, and buy her a bottle of Chanel Chance, I had been quite perplexed, until a quick google search revealed that Kerala has a long standing tradition of perfumery, and of course in India we are able to copy nearly everything at a fraction of the cost, and often, most unfortunately, at a fraction of the quality too; but I am thrilled to report that is most definitely not the case with these perfume oils, the fragrance so powerful, just a tiny drop goes a very long way. I not only purchased many bottles of ‘Chanel chance’ but also ‘J’adore’ by Dior and ‘l’Eau d’Issey’ by Issey Miyake too…needless to say that on the rare occasions I venture out shopping, I tend to shop till I drop, just so I can avoid doing so for the following decade.
Above: Images of Synagogue Lane in the early morning
And finally, we come to the jewel in the crown of Jew Town, a veritable Champs Elysees or 5th avenue if you prefer, and that is the wonderfully picturesque synagogue lane, lined with a treasure trove of antique stores, café’s and a most charming and eye-opening boutique hotel that didn’t exist in 2018, at the end of which lies the 16th century Paradesi synagogue.
Clockwise from top left: entrance to Paradesi synagogue,
Interior of Paradesi Synagogue,
courtyard of Paradesi synagogue
I remember being completely mesmerized even back then, but this last time really took the cake, especially since shopping for antiques is essential to complete a Kochi experience, for which fortunately both my mother and friend have tireless appetites.
Clockwise from top left: my mother and Abraham in his store, The Classic,
The panels, some of which my mother bought, Other old artefacts
While they sat, drank tea and negotiated with a rather distinguished gentleman called Abraham, in his antique store, The Classic, where my mother ended up buying some formidable old panels, I meandered through the Postcard Mandalay hall boutique hotel, stunned by the architecture and interior décor, all at once European and Tropical modernist with elements of what is known as ‘Sri Lanka style’ thrown in…personally, I have never seen anything quite like it in India, and promised myself that I will spend a couple of nights there on my next visit.
Above: Images Of the entrance and common areas of The Postcard Hotel
I re-united with my companions to visit the synagogue – about which I will not bore you with information since I have nothing more to offer than the internet – after which we quenched our thirst with a delicious house made ginger infused lemonade at one of synagogue lane’s most popular hangouts, originally home to the Rabbis who worked at the synagogue, and that is the delightfully shabby-chic Mocha Art Café, which as its name suggests, is both café and art gallery. Do try and bag a table by the open shuttered windows overlooking the lane, and what can I say, but sink into your chair and simply let time go buy.
Clockwise from top left: The first floor shutters of Mocha art café,
the interior of Mocha arts café,
My mother sitting at one of the window tables at Mocha art Café,
the cashier counter at Mocha art Café.
It was my friend’s birthday and to make up for not staying at Brunton Boatyard, we wandered over there for dinner, her choice of restaurant being their fine dining one, called History, which specializes in fusion, or modern Kerala cooking…well, suffice to say, I wasn’t seduced, for I have tired of what was once a novelty and far prefer classical food. To keep my views brief, (since this is neither a restaurant review, nor do I wish to elaborate on anything I didn’t care for), the only thing, in my opinion, worth going to History for is the absolutely extraordinary shot of tomato rasam (this particular one, a south Indian equivalent of a consommé) served with miniature appalam i.e. lentil and rice flour poppadom…needless to say the hotel is a must see, and better gastronomic luck may be found at the other restaurants belonging to the hotel.
Clockwise from top left: Entrance of Brunton Boatyard,
One of the Corridors of the Hotel,
Shot of Tomato Rasam with mini appalam,
Table setting at History restaurant
The next day was for me the real highlight of the trip, an experience as synonymous with Kerala as eating an appam, and that is taking a backwater cruise; it is nothing short of a dream-like experience, the impact of which only really drops anchor in its wake, and then lingers for a very long time.
We had booked a four-hour houseboat cruise upon arrival at the hotel two days earlier, which began at noon and included lunch and high tea. The pick-up stop was about an hour and a half drive from Malabar house and the disembarkation at their absolutely charming sister hotel, Purity Resort, located right on Vembanad lake; our particular cruise was in fact more of a lake tour than traditional backwater cruise, the main entry point of which is Allepey and requires a minimum of a full day and night to do it justice. I will without fail partake next time, but this was what I would call a perfect palate teaser.
Above: Images of both exterior and interior of the houseboat
The thatch roof house boat, equipped with an airconditioned bedroom, proper tiled bathroom, kitchen and outdoor dining area, was every bit as charming as I had heard and expected it to be; rustic yet perfectly competent with respect to the facilities, aesthetically both soothing and pleasing, these boats somehow illustrate a tale of how life should be…the gentle speed at which they motor around the lake and through the canals, lulls one into a kind of oblivion, interrupted only by the most charming experience of docking at a general store-cum-fishmongers where one can buy fresh prawns and crab to supplement ones lunch.
Clockwise from top left: the general store at which we docked,
the prawns and crab, caught that morning.
I opted for the prawns, since we had ordered crab for dinner at Malabar house that evening, which the cook knocked up into a mouthwatering masala prawn fry for lunch an hour later, accompanied by an equally delicious fish fry made with a local fish called karimeen, a Kerala chicken curry, vegetable stew and other accompaniments…it was all utterly divine, for want of a better description.
Clockwise from top left: view as we cruised with a pre-lunch drink of coconut water,
images of the prawn fry, fish fry, dry vegetable accompaniments,
vegetable stew and chicken curry.
Eventually, it was through a floating bed of water hyacinths that we motored to arrive at Purity, a veritable oasis of such immense sophistication with respect to architectural design and interiors, in what was essentially the middle of no-where, it was stupefying…after a brief wander through the property, we grudgingly got into our car and headed back to Malabar house residency, longing to rewind the clock to the beginning of that day….
Clockwise from top left: the bed of hyacinths,
view of Purity resort from the house boat, the infinity pool of Purity resort,
inner courtyard of the resort, lobby of the resort
…or at least up until the unequivocally sensational Kerala crab roast, prepared fresh on order by Malabar Junction, the restaurant at the hotel, in consort with one of the flakiest Malabar paranthas you will ever eat, wiped out all other memories, both good and bad!
Above: Image of the Crab Roast and Below: the Malabar parantha
The only dish of which I was unable to find a version as good as I have eaten in New Delhi at my friend Deepa Sama’s home (she hails from God’s own country, as Kerala is known) was the Mutton Pepper Varattu; Malabar Junction serves up a good one, but it cannot compete with my pal’s…I had tried the ones at Brunton and Seagull too, and then again, the following day at another one of the Fort’s old favorites, Oceanos, but alas, nothing came close.
The Crab roast on the other hand, was cooked with the utmost precision, the coconut oil in which the base had been sauteed, used with such careful economy it was not overpowering as it often can be, the base cooked just enough to release all the flavors and bouquet, whilst clinging to the shell and seeping into the crabmeat…just heavenly, and the most perfect punctuation to a precious day.
Above: Images of boutiques and café’s that line Princess and Burger streets
The next day was our last, and we had reserved the morning for a stroll along what are the ‘Oxford street and High street Ken’ of Fort Kochi, known as Princess street & Burger street, the latter being the address of long-time favorite Kashi Art Café and gallery, where breakfast must be had, not only for the quality of its culinary offering, (I remember it well from 2018) but also the enveloping interior design and décor….alas this time I couldn’t get a table for breakfast, so we simply looked around…
Above: Images of Kashi Arts Cafe
…and then stopped by the very cute Kochi book store, located on Princess street, where in 2018, in the midst of a tiny exhibition dedicated to Albert Camus, I found one of his little known but most remarkable works, ‘A Happy Death’…indeed, Camus in Fort Kochi had to be seen to be believed.
Above: Kochi Book Store
I then guided my companions to what is inarguably the most tasteful little hotel in the Fort, which used to be managed by the Neemrana group but is now owner-run and as difficult to gain entry into as fort Knox, unless of course you happen to be staying there…my tactic in 2018 was to behave like the queen of England and introduce myself as Diya Kumari, which I efficiently re-enacted and thus we found ourselves in the inner sanctum of this absolutely paradisiacal property; I forcefully recommend you follow my lead, for it is worth every second of a sneak peek.
Above: Images of Le Colonial Hotel
By this point we had worked up quite an appetite, and after a quick visit to a relatively new and very striking Cafe-restaurant & Gallery called Lila Curated experiences, to which I will certainly go and have a meal when I return, for not only is the menu exciting but the cakes on display are even more intoxicating, we moved on to the wonderfully other worldly Cochin club.
Above: Images of Lila Curated experiences, Restaurant-café-gallery
A typical colonial era establishment located on the seafront, with all its old-school dilapidated elegance, unfortunately the main club premises continues to be members-only, which includes those with membership to affiliated clubs. However, on one corner of the sprawling four acre lawn, lies the most picturesque café-cum-restaurant, called French Toast, its signature dish being its namesake, French Toast, both sweet and savory, and assembled using house made brioche…we all chose one of the savory ones with bacon, lettuce and cheese, and it would be fair to say that it was as good as it can get; a crusty exterior, perfectly pan fried in just a little bit of butter that leaves it grease free, a gradually softening interior as you bite through the egg dipped brioche into smoky crisp bacon, covered with melting cheese and balanced by just the right amount of lettuce leaves, which quite astoundingly remain crunchy…who could have thought one would find such a monumentally delicious French Toast in the heart of Fort Kochi…
Clockwise from top left: exterior view of Cochin club,
interior bar area of main club, sign board pointing to French Toast Café,
Inner courtyard view from inside the café,
the divine bacon, lettuce and cheese French Toast.
…and as if that weren’t enough to satiate both our tastebuds and appetites, restaurant Oceanos for dinner that evening made certain we would leave wanting for nothing except to go back, the fried sardines and Kerala prawn biryani so stunning, they call to mind the vocabulary Hemingway used when paying a tribute to the city of Paris, and that was no less than ‘A moveable Feast’.
Clockwise from top left: the exterior of Oceanos,
the fried sardines, the Kerala Prawn Biryani
Indeed, I will go back to Fort Kochi again, and again and again, for I imagine it is one of the few remaining places in the world where time seems to stand still, a place in which, to quote Fritz Perls, you can “lose your mind and come to your senses.” … THE END