Well, Mel Gibson and me both had fun. We were both satiated, and delighted with our performance. We thanked our hosts profusely and appreciated the lovely time we had - he with himself, and me, with my wife and kid! If you are still wondering what went on, read on!
Sunday evenings are the best eat-out days in Kerala. People simbly love to indulge for lunch and stick on at home in the evenings. So, when confronted with the option of such an evening (the time being 8 pm), when all the rest of Cochin was at home, and a new restaurant 1 km from home to be yet checked out, I went weak in the knees. Before we (wife, kiddo and me - in increasing order of appetites!) could say "Where", we were on Marine Drive (the poorer cousin of the more famous sibling at Mumbai) - standing below "The Attic". It says "Continental Cafe for Steaks", in small red lettering, outside a longish window displaying a quiet, warmly and dimly lit interior, a floor above the road, at the Taj end of Marine Drive.
Opening the glass doors leading the stairs up to the restaurant (could be classified as a cafe, going strictly by the capacity - of 40) filled our noses with the wafting aroma of warm and freshly baked bread, with the scent of steaks, sans the smoke! A quick walk up (part due to curiosity and rest due to hunger building up) saw us in a homely, warm (the feeling, not temperature; unless you call 23 degrees warm), lit-but-not-bright joint with high backed wrought iron chairs and thick glass tables of shapes as varied as square, rectangle and triangular (must appreciate their sense of utilising the space, by resorting to such shaping). Most tables looked out on the quiet night outside, with the new concrete malls of Cochin on the other side of the road lit up on account of the festival of Onam. One Captain and one waiter were all we spotted at the place, but both with million-rupee smiles and, genuine! The best part was that we were assured of a quiet dinner, with just one other family being around.
Picking tables has always been the daughter's right, so we ended up on one directly below the AC! When it got really too much, we got it switched off when she was busy checking out the cleanliness of the glass windows!
Without much ado, we went through the comparatively small menu (about 40 dishes in all, including sea food, chicken, meats, mocktails and dessert). For once, the decisions were made faster than the pace of gobbling down grub!
Shrimp cocktails and a Khus mocktail (it had a name sounding like a Goan lady, with no offence to both!) to start with. The mocktail was a green affair with khus, lemon, Sprite and ice cubes, with a mini umbrella thrown in for company! The shrimp cocktail was like a liquidy salad with mayo and orange the colour of the thingy. But after that, all conversation stopped. The three of us devoured the dish in less than 4 minutes. The best appetiser I have had, for sure. Yummy, tangy and great - that is all I will say. To the veggies, I will only say "You really dont know what you are missing".
We ordered Arabian Chicken (chicken wings looking really spicy, but hardly so, in warm and delicious garlic sauce, served with 4 slices of warm garlic bread) and Meat Pepper Steak (with all the jing bang of mashed potatoes, french fries, cabbage, carrot, beans..the works). When I tell you both were among the best I have had (my other favourites being Sundance at Churchgate and Taj ManSingh at Delhi, and another joint at CP, for steaks), don't think I got carried away by taste. Of course I did, but they were Rrealll Gggood (much better than Godrej's frozen chicken by the same name)!
Hold your keyboards till I get to the bill!
Shop Talk: The Captain was quite thrilled with our collective sighs of appreciation, arising at regular intervals. This, and anticipation of a healthy performance-linked-incentive brought him closer, with a Visitor's Book. Placing the book before me, he deferentially whispered as I thumbed the previous pages "Sir, Mel Gibson was here too." And, if books don't lie (actors may!), he had a whale of a time too. I saw a Mr and Mrs C Eastwood, but then can't swear it was the famous one (anyway, does he have a Mrs?). There was some smattering of Chinese and Arabic too, on some pages! Seeing me write almost a 7500 limit review in there, he knew he would earn a raise.
"Sir, where do you work?". With my best accent, I said "The Navy". "Oh Sir, you should have told us. We offer a discount of 10%".
I didn't quite understand, and said as much. "Bills are made in the end, so you can well do your thing still!", I offered, financial prudence rearing its old head for the first time this evening.
"Sure, sir", ...he disappeared.
The Cost Factor: Including the VAT, ST and the works, the bill came to Rs. 315!If you aren't feeling delighted enough (Oh I forget it was I who ate it all, and you are just drooling!), check the quantum and variety again! I would have gladly paid 500 bucks without second thoughts for the evening's affair. After all, bhai, we had eaten where Gibson Shibson also ate, no?!
Aakhir Yeh Sub Kyon?:Good question! A restaurant in the middle of Cochin (though you forget that, once inside The Attic), and where you don't work/stay. Well, folks, Gods Own Country is fast making it to the top of the charts in Tourist circles. And, no trip to Kerala goes without a trip to Cochin. So, the next time you are here on business or pleasure, or, when your friend visits for a (or, is it more politically correct to say "THE") Honeymoon, don't ever miss this place. This is Cochin's best fine dining restaurant (as fine as it gets), for the rates, the food and the decor.
And if you are saying "In Cochin we will eat only South Indian, no?", wait a couple of days, until I bring you to date on the Best and Cheapest in that genre too! Hum Hai Na!
Until you get to taste this aspect of Cochin, Happy Drooling, and you can spew all that jealousy and anger in the comments section! Bon Appetit!!
