August 07, 2008
Moon Over Munnar
Padmanabhan, Executive Chef at Club Mahindra in Munnar, Kerala India got a workout last night. Not only did he make up some delicious Kerala dished ("medium spicy, please!"). He accompanied each serving personally as it was delivered to me. I was one of those meals that is a shame to have eaten alone: Kerala Fsh Curry with kingfish served on a specialty bread consisting of ground rice dough left to ferment over night. (His recipe uses yeast as leaven rather that the more typical toddy of fermented coconut juice for the sake of gusts who prefer no alcohol.)
It is not exactly fair to say I ate alone. Two fire dancers sent rapid-fire flares from their mouths into the sky on the terrace just beyond the restaurant. The excited response of children was visible, if not quite audible, over the pounding beat of hip hop, traditional Kerala, or techno beats depending upon their act. Unfortunately, I had come without my camera and it remained back in my room, the only fully adapted one in the Club Mahindra Lakeview Resort, and the room was up a flight of temporarily-ramped stairs connecting the second floor to the restaurant on a mezzanine level.
Nearby at East End Edassery Hotel also in Munnar I learned that there are seven tea factories operating in the area. Guests choose East End for a quieter 3-star experience and the owner of 16 years is about to renovate two rooms for guests using wheelchairs as they find increasing referrals for medical tourists supplementing the trekkers, honeymooners, and tea connoisseurs passing through. At present none are adequately accessible in this older property.
Here too the food was excellent. Homestyle fare lunch included Thoran, Sampar, Resam, and a Naranj (local) Kangari.
Posted by rollingrains at August 7, 2008 02:08 AM