Restaurants

Forgive the kitsch interior of this upmarket Keralite seafood restaurant, its pink walls decorated with saris and wooden sculptures. You might also, on occasion, have to pardon the service, which during our visit was gruff and a little grumpy. Ask for a table by the window or on the first floor, for more gentle surroundings, and indulge in the tempting menu. Though there’s a long list of Rasa’s vegetarian dishes, seafood is the obvious choice here, as evidenced by our enjoyable starter, crab thoran: a light stir-fry of crab meat, chunks of coconut and mustard seeds. Unfortunately, a main course of konju manga curry (king prawns cooked with turmeric, chillies, green mango and coconut) didn’t live up to its elaborate description; it seemed watered down. In contrast, varutharacha meen curry was evocative of houseboat meals on the backwaters of Kerala: delicate tilapia steeped in a thick, buttery sauce of coconut, tomatoes, tamarind and chillies. As the menu recommends, team this dish with lemon rice, or try an appam (a bowl-shaped pancake made from fermented rice flour). We’ve had great meals here in the past, but there were too many shortcomings this time.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009