An old man dressed in a lungi and shirt holds out a large yellow-shelled crab. His pose is languid — smoking a cigarette, standing amid a lily pond. With this one image, artist Sachin Samson — who has created this mural on one of the walls of the newly-opened Port Muziris: A Tribute Portfolio Hotel near the airport — captures the soul of the city. The hotel displays over 70 works by 12 artists on its property, all of which have the city at their heart.
“We are weaving a narrative around Kochi’s past and its culture. Being an airport hotel, we look at it as a gateway to the city,” says Harish Gopalakrishnan, the general manager.
Everything from décor to food harks back to Kerala’s chequered history. Drawing on the ubiquitous teashops, the tea lounge ‘Kettle’ offers over 23 varieties of tea and six varieties of coffee with an entire ceremony built around the beverages. The welcome drink — Cohen’s Apple Coffee — has its roots in traditional Jewish cuisine popular in and around Fort Kochi. A delicious combination of coffee and apple juice, the chilled drink has a slice of dehydrated apple added for dramatic effect.
Stephy, an attendant, arrives with a large tray laden with teapots. First, she offers a swig of a translucent, teal-coloured tea. This, she says, is made from Kerala’s own Shanghupushpam flower, dried and powdered. Though it has no distinctive flavour, it is known for its medicinal properties. “We have built this ritual around beverages to encourage people to start conversations,” says Harish. The tea lounge extends to a large, light-filled, glass-ceilinged area for those who want to gaze out of the windows.
Largely minimalist in design, the boutique hotel has 54 rooms and three executive suites. No bathtubs anywhere to avoid wasting water. The hotel has a banquet hall, a rooftop pool, spa and a fitness centre.
Dining also has a dash of history. Chef Ashok Eapen has recreated recipes from ancient Malayali kitchens for Lila’s Kitchen, the all-day dining outlet. The red rice-fish curry combo is a staple, along with modern additions such as soups and crab cakes. The full thali includes avial, sambar, pappadam, pahchadi, pavakka kondattam, pickle, sambharam and special fish, chicken and mutton as fried, curried and masala dishes.
Ashok gets help from Maria, a home cook-turned-chef from Ernakulam who is an expert in naadan cooking styles. Her Chicken Kanthari, made with bird’s-eye chilli, sets the taste buds on fire but leaves you asking for more.
Ashok sources many of his ingredients locally and , whips up soups with pineapple and naattumanga and shrimp and green pepper corns. Explaining the name behind “Poornachandran njandu kurmulaku curry”, he says, “It is on Poorachandran (full moon) days that fishermen get out to catch crabs. We source a lot of our food from the fields of Kadamakkudy.”
Another recommended dish is the “Njeradippizhinja Chemmeen,” which is an explosion of flavours, since the masala is completely hand-blended. “Our cuisine was heavily influenced by Portuguese, Chinese, Arab and Jewish traders. Did you know that even garlic, an integral part of Kerala cuisine now, was brought here by the Chinese?”
