A group of friends and foodies in the city decided to take the spice route in a bid to bring authentic flavours of their favourite cuisines to their city. So it was apt that they baptised the boutique restaurant as The Cinnamon Route. It pays homage to those unknown traders who braved the seas to reach the Malabar coast to trade in spices and also those unsung culinary masters and mistresses of spices who infused nature’s taste makers into their cuisine.
The Cinnamon Route, done up in white, burnished gold and wood colours, is located on bustling Kuravankonam-Marappalam road. It has an interesting selection of Awadhi and Continental food on the menu in addition to some interesting dishes selected from different places.
The décor incorporates separate tables, a long table and one that resembles a bar counter. One of the walls has a painting that depicts the history of the spice trade that was closely linked to the sea routes and brought in the early merchants from across the seas much before Vasco da Gama reached the shores of Kerala. Another wall, again in shades of burnished gold, showcases the leaves of different plants in Kerala. The works are by Lakshmanan Komathmanalath.
While you play a guessing game to identify the leaves, the soups are served. The cream of carrot soup is creamy and you can actually taste the butter, cream and carrots. But it is disappointingly lukewarm and does not perk up the taste buds. While we sip the soup, the starters arrive on the table: hot fish fingers with tartar sauce and chicken kebabs. The fat fish fingers are finger-licking good and so is the tartar sauce while the kebabs are well-marinated pieces of chicken that melt in the mouth. The starters make up for the tepid soup. As we ponder on what to choose from the main course, we ordered mocktails to sip while we decided on the food.
In the meantime, Abhayakumar N. S., an architect with many interests and one of the directors of The Cinnamon Route, explains how the restaurant took root from their frequent discussions on food. The idea, he says, is to keep adding specials to the menu to give something new to customers. Recently they had had a pasta and sizzler promotion that had families trooping in for dinner. But instead of an exhaustive menu that is usually found in eateries and which includes everything from “so-called Chinese to Continental and North-Indian, we would like to keep the menu limited but serve good food,” he says.
By then we decide on pasta with chicken, olives and broccoli in white sauce and a Mahi sizzler. Abhay persuades us to try the fiery-looking Ceylon chicken that he says is his own take on the island nation’s popular chicken dish.
Pasta Photo: Saraswathy Nagarajan
Without much ado, the pasta is on our table while the sizzler makes a dramatic entry with a lot of hissing and smoke. Thankfully, the fish is sear and not the boring basa. The chunks of fish with a delicate lemon butter sauce is a welcome change from the robust flavours of our fish fry. Although the veggies accompanying the fish could be a little less sizzled, the sizzler is a good choice. So is the piping hot pasta with chicken.
We also place an order for strawberry cooler and a piquantly named chai blossom. Although it takes some time to make an entry, we fall in love with the chai blossom. The amber coloured drink with ice, cinnamon and aniseed makes a pretty picture and is meant to be sipped and savoured as the mix of delicate ingredients tease the taste buds.
Chai Blossom Photo: Saraswathy Nagarajan
The moods of the mocktail keep changing as the ice melts or if you stir it a little vigorously! The Ceylon chicken curry lives up to its look and is pungent and spicy, setting aflame the palate as you attempt to mollify it with a bit of soft phulka.
Ceylon chicken curry
There was a regal Sulthani chicken biriyani and other vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. But then there is only so much one can have and so we regretfully decide to move on.
The pink strawberry cooler, reminding one of frozen cotton candy, is sweet and thick with ice and strawberry crush.
Finally, it is time for the piece de resistance. Desserts! We unanimously choose the sizzler brownie with ice cream. And what a choice….The brownie comes on a hot plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Every spoonful is a delight and we feast on it with due respect.
Sizzler brownie with ice cream
The menu in The Cinnamon Route, says Abhay, is still work in progress. “We are looking for feedback from customers to get an idea of what makes their ideal food options. Our plan is to standardise the items on the menu so that the food tastes the same on every occasion. In addition, we hope to come up with interesting promotions,” says Abhay.
As we are about to leave, he adds that they have a special offer for those who enjoy pickles. If you let them know what is the pickle that you are yearning, for they will make it and you can pick it up in a snazzy little ceramic jar when it is done.
The Cinnamon Route certainly has taken an interesting path to reach out to foodies....
