A steakhouse in dosa-land. Review on The Attic, Marine Drive, Kochi

The Attic, Cochin This must surely be the bravest restaurant in the world. To take a menu featuring only continental food and set it loose in Cochin, where people swear by their appam and chicken stew. Not to put down my citymates, who are adventurous with everything but their palates. To illustrate, I went to The Attic first with a gang of workmates. Now, The Attic is situated above a typical south Indian food joint. After a sumptuous (so I thought) round of steaks, one of the guys burped and said, “Now let’s go down and have a Masala Dosa!” I pray that The Attic doesn’t shut down. I love it because of its beautiful ochre décor and its huge reproductions of Van Gogh paintings. I also love the food, of course. Being a vegetarian, initially I had very few choices – between something dubiously titled “Vegetable Steak” and a few wonderfully creamy bakes – but these dishes were so well made that the lack of choice was not an issue. But now they have expanded the menu to include a lot of pastas and European desserts. The Garlic Bread is crisp and aromatic. Helpings are quite generous and tastefully presented. Chili lovers might find the food a tad bland, though. My carnivorous husband wolfed down his steak in contentment. Like in all restaurants in Cochin, the non-vegetarian menu is far more comprehensive than the vegetarian one.

The Attic is a cosy little restaurant in Marine Drive. Though it is not right on the waterfront, it does command a good view of the Cochin backwaters. It’s best visited at night, when the harbour and surrounding areas are lit. Prices are on the higher side by Cochin standards. A dinner for two could set you back by Rs.400/-, and I am speaking for my husband and I, who are notorious for our bird-like appetites. The Attic is intimate rather than popular. It caters to a niche market, though one might argue that a Malayalee would be content with Beef in any form! Most of the crowd is made up of foreign tourists. I would urge all Cochinites and visitors to drop in here and bite into a juicy steak.