Monsoon Pizza Festival @ The Trident, Cochin

THE PLACE FOR GOURMET PIZZAS - PIZZERIA @ THE PATIO

@ Travancore, Trident Hotel, Willingdon Island, Kochi

By Lt Col (Retd) D Purushothaman Pillay

The most popular, baked Italian gift to our planet, is the ubiquitous 'Pizza'. Which was born as a humble Neapolitan round, oven-baked, flatbread customarily topped, with a pureed coulis of tomato, a generous sprinkle of cheeses and a crowning garnish of an infinite choice of toppings. No wonder, it has a permanent place, in the top 5 most popular foods in the world.

Popular legend reckons that in 1889, Neapolitan pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito created the first Pizza Margherita, when the Royal Palace of Capodimonte commissioned him to create a pizza in honor of the visiting Queen Margherita. Now, 124 years later, The Trident Cochin, is hosting a 'Monsoon Special Gourmet Pizza Festival' at its Travancore Restaurant christened the "pizzeria' @ the patio" in honor of this universal gastronomical super hit. 

A study of the menu, offers one an interesting, very different and an eminently creative selection of choices. Representing different geographies, each one is a gustatory treat, for the discerning palate. There is the classic mozzarella cheese Italian, feta cheese Greek, blue cheese Danish, caper berries rich Mediterranean, Cajun spiced, corn rich American, Schezwan flavored Oriental and even an Indian mint chutney Nawabi option.

Since I love pizzas and like writing about them, I shall indulge in a bit of shop talk. The key to a nice pizza is its crust, which should ideally have a crumbly brittle crunch, yet if required, be softly foldable in half.  A ‘Thin Crust’ to my mind, does not permit a carb overload, therefore allows one to relish the subtle nuances of the toppings, the best.  This festival is served on thin crust and one has three base options, the regular dough, multigrain dough and another base infused with mashed potatoes. There are eleven pizza choices on the menu, divided into five vegetarian and six non-vegetarian options. They are as follows:-

Vegetarian Pizzas

1. CLASSIC MARGHERITA with tomato, basil and Italian mozzarella.

2. GREEK CONNECTION with toasted pimentos, basil, tomatoes, air dried aubergine, feta cheese on a multigrain base.

3. NOT JUST ORIENTAL Schezwan chili paneer, peppers and chili flakes.

4. PIZZA BIANCO with spiced roasted potato, bell peppers, olives, buffalo mozzarella and olive oil.

5. CLASSIC BLUE CHEESE with ranch Parmesan sauce, wild mushroom, spinach, home dried tomatoes, black olives and blue cheese.

Non-Vegetarian Pizzas

1. FRUTTI DI MARRE with shrimps, calamari, tuna, fresh basil and garlic confit.

2. AMERICAN CAJUN with cajun spiced chicken, American corns, bell peppers, gherkins and scallions.

3. NAWABI TRAITS with lamb keema, mint chutney, laacha onions and tomatoes.

4. CLASSIC PEPPERONI with Italian pork pepperoni seasoned with black pepper.

5. SALUMI with classic pepperoni, ham, sausages, streaky bacon, mushroom and pounded meat.

6. SMOKE HOUSE STEAK CAPRICCIOSA with rosemary crusted tenderloin, red wine glazed onions, cream cheese, BBQ sauce and egg sunny side up.

There is always something warm, welcoming and intimate about the ambience of Travancore. Must be its impeccable setting, warm illumination, choice of cuisine for food festivals, all of which is always accompanied with that legendary 'Oberoi' service. Every visit ends with the promise, of a return to savor this faultless excellence, yet again.

This time, another reason, our experience was enhanced was due to the genial presence of the recently arrived, tall, knowledgeable, soft-spoken and scholarly Chef Mohit Bagaitkar. He played the perfect host, by greeting the guests on arrival, once seated, as one peruses the menu, he explains the theme and palate this festival is exploring, and offers helpful suggestions to make a prudent choice. He thoughtfully tries to appreciate what each one would desire, in order to ensure, he does the best he can, to make the experience as memorable as possible. He is indeed a welcome addition that will enrich the culinary scene of Kochi. Something tells me that he has 'the hand that feeds from the heart' therefore he is a legend in the making. I hope to enjoy many an inventive meal created by this new 'promising craftsman of comestibles', in the future.

All of us, thoroughly enjoyed the mix we were served, hot from the oven. My elder son enjoyed the meat feast carousel called Salumi, personally I loved the Blue Cheese Pizza, my wife indulged in the feta rich Greek Pizza with that crispy aubergine sitting on top, my little son loved his Margherita with that green drizzle of basil and mint.

This six week pizza extravaganza had started on the 5th of July and continues until the 10th of August 2013, from 11 in the morning to 11 at night. These delicious pizzas are priced at a steal, between Rs 395 and Rs 575 and comes with a complimentary pint of Budweiser beer. For all those pizza lovers, who want to indulge their taste buds in some genuine Italian flatbread luxury, this is one experience, at their doorstep, they just cannot afford to miss. So all those who haven’t been to the festival yet, there are just another 10 days that are remaining, so hurry up!

Trident Hotel, Cochin

F & B Manager V K Karthi: Mob +91 99460 00755

Executive Chef Mohit Bagaitkar: Mob +91 95391 82900
Phone: 0484-3081000
Email: reservations.ttcoh@tridenthotels.com
Website: www.tridenthotels.com

Cofi Club - Kakkanad

Cofi Club

The New 24 Hour Snack Joint In Kochi

By Lt Col (Retd) D Purushothaman Pillay

The recurrent school rain holiday notifications, that has been beeping on our mobiles late nights, this past week, ensured our foursome, proceeded on a celebratory drive, in the pelting monsoon rains. It has become a customary ritual for our family now, whenever a rain holiday is declared. With a spate of holidays, these trips have slowly evolved into an exciting exploration, focusing on unearthing newer dessert places, in our neighborhood. The last such midnight foray, led us to this surprise discovery.

In a cosmopolitan Kochi, which is still starved for 24 hour eateries, outside of luxury hotels, and the exception of Chillax on the Bypass, the "24 Hours Cofi Club" neon sign, adjacent to a Bharat Petroleum Gas Station, on the Seaport-Airport Road opposite Bharata Mata College, Thrikkakara, startled us. We trooped in enthusiastically, to check it out. We weren't disappointed. We entered into a warm, welcoming, brightly lit, neat environment, having comfortable seating, facing pleasing pastel, striped walls. A study of the menu, told us the place stocks up on a variety of beverages, cakes, small eats, desserts and sweet treats.

The beverage selection affords a choice from the usual teas- Black, Milk, Lemon, Iced teas priced between Rs 20-50, and two unusual ones Cucumber & Pomegranate teas, priced at Rs 69. I would love to check out the last two, when I am in a more experimental mind frame. Then there were the coffees- Espresso, Cappuccino, Latte, Mocha Latte, Cold Coffee, Irish Coffee and even some Hot Chocolate all priced between Rs 55-80, the Cold Coffee Crunchy was priciest at Rs 90. In addition, one could also choose from a variety of juices like, mango, orange, mausambi, papaya, pineapple, watermelon, carrot and the universal favorite fresh lime, all priced between Rs 25-60.

The snack options on offer included, Vegetable and Chicken Rolls, Burgers, Pouches and Pizzas, Banana Fudge and Puffs, Sweet Naan, an assortment of Sandwiches, Doughnuts, Croissants, Pies and Tarts, a choice of Cookies, Brownies and my personal favorite viennoiserie pastry Danish, all priced between Rs 20-45. The Chicken Burger is the costliest snack, coming in at Rs 50.

This Spartan cafe, with functional interiors and a somewhat basic menu, offers seating options in couples or foursomes, with a total seating for 20 odd customers. It must definitely come as a boon, for a lot many people like, the late night clubbers, car passengers transiting town, international passengers arriving or departing the city, IT office folk of the nearby IT park, students and obviously night crawlers like us.

The affordable pricing and pleasant service should make this place, quite a hit, among the college crowd, in the daytime, and the IT professional, by night. A seat behind those glass walls, gives you a wonderful perch, to watch the raindrops falling from heaven, by day, and see the cars whiz past, at night. The enterprising brother-sister duo of Shinoj Chandran & Devi Priya, have a winner on their hands, and need to be complimented, for locating their first joint, at a most ideal spot. This venture, though yet a three week old newborn, seems destined for great times. The co-located, Smart City and DLF Township, are sure to catalyse an impending influx of professionals, my gut feel tells me, we are witnessing the birth of a potent new brand in the cafe space. I am positive, that startling, "24 Hours Cofi Club" neon signs, would proliferate our cityscape and mushroom around the state, in the coming years.

We loved the pastries, especially the novel, firm, drier, dense-based Caramel Custard variant pictured above, it was a delectable delight, we were forced to stop at two. That rainy night Hot Chocolate, proved the perfect pre-snooze drink. In one word, we all are "Delighted" to have this new place to go to, for that, anytime snack, or more importantly our midnight dessert. We are certainly going there, again & again & .....for sure. Definitely worth a check out!

Cofi Club

Opposite Bharata Mata College,

Seaport-Airport Road,

Thrikkakara, Kakkanad

Kochi – 682030

Contact Person – Shinoj Chandran - 9809372780

Phone 0484-6404040

Fresh Seafood Stall At Lulu Hypermarket, Kochi

Seafood Stall - Lulu Hypermarket, Kochi

A Grand Selection of Seafood!

By - Lt Col (Retd) D Purushothaman Pillay

The Lulu Hypermarket, Kochi, nestles within its inner recesses - almost like a secret treasure trove - an exclusive Seafood Stall. Here on display, is a great medley of native and peregrine varietals of the edible aquatic species. This Seafood extravaganza, is adjoining the Butchery section, that I had reviewed earlier. It is a sprawling exhibition, with a wide array of selection. For once, I can safely say, one is really spoilt for choice. I love the color coding 'Red' for meats and 'Blue' for the fish. One gets to choose from a wide and exotic variety of fish here. I have seen some of the best and freshest cuts of fish, which could drive even an ardent ichthyomaniac, crazy. 

Blue Scampi.

Jesh Rs 250/-

Kilimeen

White Snapper, Little Tuna, Udupuri & Red Snapper.

There were all manner of fish, saltwater and freshwater, wild and farmed, finfish and shellfish, fresh and frozen. We have a great variety of finfish starting from the famous Pelagic Scombridae or (Mackerel family) Seer Fish locally called the 'Neymeen/Aiykoora', Golden Threadfin Bream-'Kilimeen', Cartilaginous Sharks-'Shraavu', Pearl Spot-'Kari Meen',  Pomfret-'Avoli', Mackerel-'Ayela', Anchovies-'Netholi', Yellowfin Tuna-'Choora', Predatory Barracuda, Clupeidae like Sardines & Hilsa, Cods, Red Snapper  etc.  Then comes the Shellfish like the Cephalopods - Squids & Octopus; Molluscs - Clams, Scallops, Mussels & Oysters and Crustaceans - Crabs, Lobsters, Prawns & Shrimp.

King Fish.

Neymeen.

Barracuda.

Sea & Mud Crab, Squid and Prawns.

Mullan, Squid and Prawns.

Green Mussel in Shell and Crabs.

There is freshness stamped all over them. These fish are sold in an assortment of types; like 'uncut' whole fish, 'drawn' fish from which the internal organs are removed, 'dressed' or pan-dressed, fillets, steaks, frozen sticks, chunks, 'fish cakes' that are prepared with potatoes and coated with batter, 'marinated' with Indian fish masala, 'breaded' ready to cook 'party snacks' and 'dried'.

Shark and Tuna.

Cut Yellowfin Tuna.

  

Cut Shark peices.

Clam Meat, Mussel Meat & Tiny Prawns.

The rates are seasonal, and like that of other commodities, keep fluctuating on a daily basis, dependent on the demand and supply. It would be wise to note that, close to major festivals the prices generally tend to abnormally rise, to cash in on the rush. The rates of the opening weekend are mentioned in this review.

There were some inaugural offers on Black Pomfret at Rs 450, Pearl Spot -Rs 300, Kingfish Small -Rs 380 & Blue Scampi for Rs 500. The rates for the other fish were, White Snapper -Rs 281.25, Red Snapper -Rs 300,  Dolphin -Rs 168.75, Reef Cod -Rs 375, Shark -Rs 280, Barracuda -Rs 200, Milk Fish -Rs 225, Emperor Fish -Rs 250, Yellowfin Tuna -Rs 200, Little Tuna -Rs 187.50, Jesh -Rs 250, Rohu Rs 200, Kilimeen -Rs 187, Nathel -Rs 137.50, Udupori -Rs 150, Mullan Medium -Rs 112.50, Mullan Small -Rs 100,  Sea Crab -Rs 225, Mud Crab -Rs 375, White Squid Whole -Rs 325, Baby Octopus -Rs 100, White Prawns -Rs 437.50, Black Tiger Prawns Big -Rs 650, Black Tiger Prawns Medium -Rs 625, Green Mussel with Shell -Rs 62.50 and Mussel Meat -Rs 218.75.   

Black Pomfret & White Snapper.

Waiting to be cut.

Fresh Fish.

Black Tiger Prawns.

The freezers also have abundant stock of drawn & cleaned, pre-packaged Clam Meat, Mussel Meat, White Fish, Sole Fish, Needle Fish, Smoked Salmon Fillets @ Rs 625, King Fish Steak Large @ Rs 110 etc.

Seer Fish Steaks.

Sole Fish.

Clam Meat.

Mussel Meat.

There were some marinated Shrimps, King Fish, White and Black Pomfrets, Karimeen etc, which just needs to be pan fried to consume.

Marinated Shrimps & Seer Fish.

Marinated Seer Fish Steaks, Salmon Fillets & Marinated Karimeen.

Marinated Black Pomfret.

Dried fish mainly Mackerel and Headless-Prawns among others, were also seen in the lower levels of the freezers.

Dried Ayela.

Dried Fish.

There were some amazing ready to cook, party snacks from the Kochi-based IFL's Sumeru brand of -Fish Finger packets @ Rs 110 for 10 nos & Breaded Fish Fillets packets of 6 Nos. The Ratnagiri-based, Surimi-analogue products from Gadre Marine Exports -Seafood Samosas, 'Jus-Like Crab' -Crab Claws & Crab Sticks @ Rs 135 for 250 gms or Rs 540/Kg and 'Jus-Like Lobster' Bites @ Rs 135 for 300 gms or Rs 450/Kg.

Sumeru Fish Fingers & Breaded Fish Fillets.

Gadre - Jus-Like Crab.

Gadre - Jus-Like Lobster & Seafood Samosa.

A wall was dedicated to a range of frozen products like Sumeru's -Small, Medium and Large Prawns, Raw Fish Fillet, Prime and Jumbo Steaks of Seer Fish. There are also a lot of frozen goodies from another Kochi-based Seafood Giant, the Amalgam Group's -Keya brand, like Small, Medium, Large, Jumbo & Super Jumbo Prawns, Raw and Breaded Fish Fillets. A token Malaysian presence in the form of the Sea Sparkle's -Frozen White Pomfrets was also seen.

Assorted Sumeru & Keya - Frozen Prawns & Fish Fillets.

Keya - Medium & Large Prawns.

Keya Super Jumbo Prawns.

Sumeru fillets with some Sea Sparkle White Pomfret.

Last but not the least, I did find some skinless, boneless, Premium Smoked Salmon from Denmark priced reasonably at Rs 2250/Kg. Smoked Salmon Frittata anyone?

Smoked Salmon from Denmark.

Easter is coming, other festivals are following soon, in this continuing festive season, this time of the year also witnesses an influx of vacationers from abroad, especially the Gulf, who descend upon their homeland, on account of holidays, it is therefore a time for incessant celebrations, in God's Own Country, and time to savour the choicest nadan delicacies in the company of friends and relatives. Fortunately, one now has a world-class, convenient, one-stop-shop for both the meat and fish needs. Lately, the word has spread like wildfire and the seafood section, Lulu Mall, Edapally, Kochi, has been attracting zealous fish-raiders in droves.

Snapper & Udupuri.

Freshhhhhh Fish!!!

We Are Waiting For You!

Now that you all have a fair idea of the selection that is being made available, just go by and have a look for yourself. It can't get any better than this. We in Kochi really owe a debt of gratitude to Mr M A Yusuffali's wonderful Emke Group, for getting us such a marvelous "Seafood Wonderland" in Kochi.

Thank you Lulu!