Much has been written about the natural beauty and the touristy spots of the Kodaikanal Hills. Apart from taking a boat ride in the lake or a stroll around Coaker's Walk and discovering little hideouts away from the town, there's another big reason to visit Kodai. And that's to eat, sleep and simply chill! Honestly, after a short walk up and down the undulating roads, all that you binged a while ago vanishes in no time and you feel hungry again. In the hills, you can happily eat down the shops and still float around. And that's precisely what I did on a recent weekend trip.
When I looked around each time for frequent refills, I realised the hill station leaves you spoilt for choice. From the famous Pizzeria Dominos and the multicuisine Hilltop restaurant to a number of small hotels and eateries offering a variety of food items, there’s no dearth of options. At 11.30 on a Saturday morning, Kodai is embraced in a sheet of mist and intermittent drizzle and all I can do is dream of hot stuffed paranthas. I head to Tawa, a humble place tucked in the underground of a shopping complex near the Bus stand. 'It is the go to place in Kodai for North Indian vegetarian food', a friend had recommended.
Three decades ago, when Bombay couple Herald and Suniti Mathias discovered Kodaikanal for the first time, they fell in love with the town and started Tawa. Ever since, the cramped 20x10 eatery has been sought after for fluffy phulkas, ghee-dripping chapathis and spicy subzis. “Herald had the experience of working at a restaurant in Kuwait and later at the famous Ambassador Hotel in Marine Drive Mumbai. There were hardly any shops then and we were the first exclusive North Indian restaurant to open. Later, when Kodaikanal started getting famous among tourists in the North, our business also grew,” says Suniti Mathias.
“A chunk of Tawa's customers are tourists, though there are regulars among locals, Whether it's brunch, lunch or dinner, our menu is the same,” says Joseph Koelho, manager. The bhindi fry with an unmistakable seasoning of methi, aloo and gobi paranthas with dollops of butter on them, palak paneer and mixed vegetable subzi are some of the irresistible items on the menu apart from green peas pulav, biryani and jeera rice which are staples. It's also customary for many to finish the meal with a glass of a kicky masala chaas spiked with cumin seeds, chopped green chilli and coriander leaves.
Just behind the Hilltop is another hole-in-the-wall outlet serving plates of piping hot momos. Called the Royal Tibet, the restaurant is flocked by people for takeaways. I eagerly bite into a piece of the steamed potli made of rice flour and neatly stuffed with shredded chicken, onions and cabbage with a spicy chilli dip and it's so comforting in the cool environs of a hill station, faintly reminding me of my past trips to Gangtok and Himachal.
A must-go place in Kodaikanal is the famous bakery Pastry Corner on Anna Salai Road. Opened in 1985, the bakery is known for fresh home-baked cakes and bread. “We started with baking the traditional dome-top bread which was going out of fashion then. I personally like to eat tasty bakery products and I wanted to introduce the same to the town. In 1991, We opened a little outlet selling only breads, rolls and buns,” says Prasanna Ghose, the proprietor. “We are still a small home-run bakery but our products are fresh and devoid of any colouring or flavouring agents and additives.” With a limited variety but an enriched taste, texture and flavour, the products are a hit among the customers. Dark chocolate, black forest, fruit topping and butterscotch are the varieties of pastries apart from puffs and tea cakes that are super-soft. “We also serve home-made ice cream made of fruits that are seasonally and locally available. Whole wheat brown bread and fruit preserves are the other specialities.”
Away from Kodai town, inside the quaint pocket of Vattakanal is Altaf's Cafe, a booming restaurant offering Middle-eastern and Italian cuisine. Instead of the mundane rice and dal, it's indeed refreshing to dig into a set meal of hash baked potatoes, jam and butter toast and cheese omelette. After all the sight-seeing and shopping rounds, Altaf's is a place to put your feet up, soak in the faraway hills and lazily sip on a mug of hot chocolate. “I first came to Vattakanal in 2004 with a group of Israeli backpackers. I had worked at an Israeli restaurant in Goa and was an expert in Falafel. I used to set up a shop dishing out the roll wherever I went,” says Altaf Hussain, who belongs to Shimoga in Karnataka. “In 2006, I chose Vattakanal and set up this restaurant to serve the large number of foreign tourists visiting the place from December to March every year.”
As I listen to Altaf's story, my plate of Humus with French fries, pita bread and chickpea sauce arrives and the clouds hug to mountain tops. I take in the verdant sight of the silent Pazhani hills and eat as birds fly back home.
