Kerala is likely to become the next Goa as far as finding it’s way into the major tour operators brochures. As yet it is only covered by a few smaller operators and therefore relatively unspoilt and uncommercialised with few large hotels or smart restaurants. Nevertheless, Kovalam - principal beach resort and where we stayed - had more tourists and was more commercialised than I had anticipated. Many appeared to be German so the German tour operators have clearly got their towels on the beach first! I imagine it won’t be too long before the palm groves along the beach are decimated to provide hotels and holiday complexes. I hope not, for it will be a shame.

I was surprised by the number of restaurants in Kovalam - mainly along the beach - and this reflects the growing tourist trade. Indeed, the main beach could be described as having wall to wall restaurants, although none are very sophisticated being a basic kitchen area with tables and chairs set out in the sand in front. This is (as far as I could see) the only beach resort in Kerala with such a selection of restaurants.

Being right in the south of India the food in Kerala is predominantly vegetarian, although in Kovalam there is plenty of fish to be had. Most beach restaurants lay out what fish is on offer in front and one can chose and haggle over a price. Some try and cater for the European trade by offering chicken dishes and their menu descriptions of these are frequently amusing if unilluminating. Amongst the dishes I saw listed were ‘Chicken Cripes’, ‘Paltry Delight’, ‘Bum Chicken’ and the even less appetising (if that is possible) ‘Chicken Manure’! What they were meant to be Lord only knows as I didn’t attempt to find out.

Don’t be disappointed if you can’t find any beer on the menu. This is because Kerala is a ‘dry’ state and therefore alcohol is not officially sold (except in a few specially licensed places). However, India is a country where baksheesh and the greasing of palms (no, not the trees) usually overcomes these minor official inconveniences so most beach restaurants in Kovalam serve beer, despite it not being listed on any of their menus. Some restaurants serve it discretely, either wrapping the bottle in paper or placing it in the sand under the table (I did hear tell of one where the beer was poured into a teapot first!), but others quite openly put it on the table in full view. However, on the bill it will be shown as something innocuous, like ‘pop’.

I found the food in the beach restaurants slightly disappointing, being only average. The clientele is exclusively tourist (you won’t find any locals eating there) and the cooking facilities relatively basic with kitchen staff under pressure to cope with the orders. Fish, particularly tandoori style, is often overcooked as are fried items such as bhajias or pakoras. The vegetable curries, particularly biryani or pullau, are the best bet for Indian food although not as good as can be found away from the beach.

It is difficult to pick out any which were oustandingly good from the many along Kovalam beach - they are all similar in style and no doubt vary depending on the pressure in the kitchen and the men in it on any particular day. However, although not outstanding we found The Sea Fish to be best - three meals there were all good; it provided the best vegetable curries and our fish and tiger prawn dishes were tastily prepared.

Of the others we tried The Garzia (slightly disappointing as we had heard a couple of good reports on it, but found the vegetable curries very average); Coral Reef (OK except for the tandoori fish which, although we didn’t try any, looked and smelled burned); Santana Restaurant (good for fish - always a wide selection - but vegetable curries average. Pakoras very much over cooked and not much spicing. Vegetable Biryani and Vegetable Pullau good); Hawah Beach Restaurant (OK - fairly average); The German Bakery (put off by the name for a meal, but said to do good cakes and pastries for a mid morning snack); The Black Cat (by far the worst we tried. Tandoori fish very overdone with no significant tandoori flavour and the Vegetable Pullau was just greasy fried rice with a few vegetables and not a patch on the pullau’s eaten elsewhere, which were generally good). We also tried The Rockholm, a restaurant in a hotel on a smaller and quieter adjoining beach. This was quite good, although nothing special, but it did provide excellent views from the verandah.

Prices are cheap by our standards, although relatively dear by Indian standards. Vegetable curries were between 45p to 65p while a large Kingfisher beer was about £1.10p. Fish is priced according to weight, availability and a certain amount of haggling. Service is always friendly but don’t expect a fast service in any - a wait of an hour, or even two, for your meal is quite likely as each meal is individually prepared and the kitchen cannot cope with the amount of customers for which they have to provide. Nevertheless, sitting sipping a drink and looking out over the Arabian Sea is a very pleasant and relaxing way of passing the time.

Away from the beach is better for food, although without the sea view. Restaurants attached to hotels are probably better able to cope in the kitchen, and of these The Trident was good although if you like your food spicy you have to ask. Of those not attached to hotels by far the best is The Lonely Planet, set behind the coconut groves and overlooking the paddy fields. It is strictly vegetarian and serves no alcohol, nor does it permit you to bring your own, but the food is absolutely wonderful. A very wide range of vegetarian dishes, including real southern Indian dishes such as Dosa, Uppuma, Idlis and Uthappams, which you won’t find in any of the beach restaurants. It’s a real gem and I found it hard to drag myself away from this one to sample others. The cost of a typical lunch for two (two freshly made fruit juices, four different vegetable dishes, a vegetable pullau and a Kashmiri Paratha) was 163 Rs (£2.60 at the rate applicable at the time).

There are also a number of smaller, cheaper and far more basic shacks serving authentic Indian food (one has the name Fast Eddys roughly painted on the side, and serves Dosa etc. It is small and usually filled with local taxi drivers but if you feel adventurous and have a hardy stomach it is well worth it for the food and local colour).

The State capital of Trivandrum is more typically Indian - crowded, bustling, noisy, hot and dusty but with a wonderful vibrancy about it that I love. Roadside stalls selling various food snacks abound and there are a number of small restaurants - many called ‘hotel’ although without any visible sign of being a hotel as we might recognise it. Mainly vegetarian, no alcohol and expect to eat with your fingers but all good stuff and more like India than the beach restaurants of Kovalam.

Malcolm Wilkins - March 1998