Coastal cuisine takes on a spicy, hot avatar at Vembanad, the restaurant serving coastal cuisine bang in the midst of the IT belt

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Coastal cuisine takes on a spicy, hot avatar at Vembanad, the restaurant serving coastal cuisine bang in the midst of the IT belt

In a quiet bylane in Domlur opposite the Embassy Golf Links that houses some of the city's big IT forms, stands a hotel hidden from view from the main road. If you happen to spy The Paul you might just pass it off as another hotel catering to the nearby business hubs along this stretch.

Vembanad
Food: good
Service: attentive
Ambience: pretty

But once you enter you will be pleasantly surprised with a coffee shop located in a spacious courtyard inside the hotel and Vembanad, a restaurant serving coastal cuisine from Kerala and Mangalore up on the second floor. The restaurant is done up in traditional Kerala style with typical wooden tiles on the ceiling, dimly lit with lamps and candles, spacious seating and an outside view of well, other buildings.

We started our meal in this welcoming setting with cocktails: Panchamrithu (Rs 550) and a Kokum Daiquiri (Rs 350). The Panchamrithu was a spicy concoction of vodka, tonic water, spiked up with whole cinnamon, green chilli and grated ginger. The drink was unusual but lacked a punch, which a bit of fresh lime could have provided.

The Kokum Daiquiri was tangy and fruity with the right hint of alcohol to punch it up. We also kept nibbling on papad and banana chips with some fine tuna fish pickle, dry shrimp coconut powder and mango pickle.

The Meen Nirachathu (Rs 325) came in the form of Seer fish fillet stuffed with crushed raw mango and Crab Erachi Ularthio (Rs275), a minced crab meat dish cooked with caramelised onions, green chillies, coconut and fried till it literally turned charred. The fish was subtle in taste with the tangy filling coming together beautifully with the tender flesh. But the crab was a clear winner for us with its sharp, spicy flavours and we felt we could finish an entire bowl of rice only with it.

The Meen Pollichathu (Rs 355) was recommend as the highlight of the meal to us by the executive chef at Vembanad, but when the pomfret came slathered with a marinade of shallots and tamarind with spices and cooked in a banana leaf, we found the masala really hot for our palate.

Our tongues were on fire literally even though we tried to mope some of it with appams. We wish the fish came with a little less spice and heat. The Allepy Prawn Curry (Rs 375) served with rice, however was a lovely tangy gravy full of goodness from caramelised onions and raw mango tempered with curry leaves, green chilli and mustard.

To soothe our tongues singed with so much chilli we were offered a Passion Fruit and Tender Coconut Mousse (Rs 255) and Pazham Nirachathu (Rs255), a coconut and jaggery stuffed banana drizzled with honey. The tender coconut mousse was smooth and it didn't need a passion fruit compote to dress it up. The banana dessert was warm and fleshy with the edges just a bit grilled.

While we loved the food and the innovative uses of typical coastal cuisine ingredients, we would love it if Vembanad toned down the heat factor, just a wee bit.