Around My Kochi!: 24hrs

Sunday, 20 September 2015

Olivia @ Olive Downtown, Kochi

Olivia @ Olive Downtown, Kochi

Review & Photographs By Lt Col D Purushothaman Pillay (Retd)

Great Buffet Choices At The Newest All Day Diner In Kochi.

Kochi has a brand new entrant in the ‘All Day Dining” space that too located right in the heart of town at Kadavanthra. I would like to share a wonderful new food-discovery experience in “Olivia” at the recently opened Olive Downtown Hotel.

We as a family were pleasantly surprised by the multi-element food spread that we stumbled upon during a Sunday lunch we enjoyed at the Olivia Restaurant. A buffet for me personally is a remarkable way to explore different cuisines and discover new tastes. At this lunch we were privileged to sample a mix of Thai, Mexican, Kerala, Bengali, Punjabi, Creole, Continental and Chinese dishes in the elaborate spread of soups, salads, proteins, vegetables, starch, carbohydrates and desserts selected by the knowledgeable Executive Chef Faisal Basheer, for the day.

As a result when the guests line up to choose their food from one serving station to another, they are spoilt for choice, given the variety paraded for consumption. I had also noticed very subtle little things that had been kept in mind in the layout of food on the easy access central food island. Like for instance, the multiple plate and bowl stacks placed intermittently, that also got attentively replenished as and when they depleted, then the first stop in the food line housed the cold cuts and as one meandered to the last few stations adjacent to the seating area, one found hot foods in covered food warmers thereby ensuring that one walks to the dining seat with a plate full of appetizingly warm food.

I shall now touch upon the menu in some detail. For soups there were two options the delicately flavoured Chinese Talumein Vegetable Soup and the Mexican Hot Pot. For Salads the wide selection included Spicy Carrot Salad, Mexican Coleslaw, Creole Green Bean Salad and the basic Raw Vegetable Salad. Non-vegetarian salads had Thai Beef Salad, Chicken Noodle Salad and Tomato & Egg Salad.

The main course had exciting meat options like the Kottayam Chemmeen Curry (Prawns), Erachi Ularthiyathu (Beef), Adivasi Kaada Chuttathu (Quail), Laal Maas (Lamb) and Schezwan Chilli Fish. The vegetarians had some wonderful dishes in Bengali Dal Tadka, Paneer Kurchan, Aloo Mutter Curry, Khajur Ki Tikki, Achinga Mezhukkupuratti, Kadhari Vegetables, Terrano Belando, Baked Vegetables In Mustard Sauce and Crispy Fried Vegetables.

The Rice/Pasta/Breads included Steamed Basmati Rice, Shandong Vegetable Noodles, Penne Arabiatta, Kashmiri Pulao, Roti, Naan, Kerala Porotta and Appam.

Finally the Desserts section had Walnut Chocolate Brownie, Kiwi Cream Flan, Burnt Sugar Custard, Blueberry Cheesecake, Vanilla Gateaux, Assorted Parfait, Sugar-Free Apple Trifle, Parippu Payasam, Semiya Payasam, Milk Peda, Gulab Jamun and Shahi Tukda. The food was delicious and stood out for its freshness and distinct flavours.

In addition to the breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets, the restaurant also has an elaborate selection on offer in the á la carte menu. They even have an exclusive children’s buffet spread. The restaurant imbues an elegant ambience and one is also impressed by the impeccable and attentive service provided by the smart waiting staff. This value for money buffet is a great bargain priced at just Rs 599 excluding taxes. That variety of food at that cost in such an aesthetic setting is a really good deal.

The tall, polite and well-spoken F & B Manager Sankar V Nair and the very experienced and confident Executive Sous Chef Faisal Basheer, who jointly lead the efficient Olive Culinary Team are the brains behind this Olivia experiment and richly deserve our compliments and encouragement. I firmly believe that if Olive can maintain this price point for the delectable fare they offer at Olivia’s multi-cuisine buffet, that is an eclectic assortment of diverse food styles, then it will soon gain the reputation of being the best buffet restaurant in town. We are looking forward with excitement to their soon to be opened specialty restaurant called "Afghan" which would be serving Middle Eastern delicacies. On the basis of what this super food-team is already providing, that would definitely be one menu worth exploring.

Here I am reminded of a wise idiom I had learnt in school which says “Well begun is half done”. “Great Job” Team Olive. I wish this new enterprise that has been launched with a promising start, the very best for a successful and prosperous future.

Hotel Olive Downtown

28/286, KP Vallon Road,

Kadavanthra Junction,

Kadavanthra,

Ernakulam – 682020

Kerala

Website : http://www.olivehotels.com/olive-down-town

Facebook Page : https://www.facebook.com/olivedowntown?fref=ts

Reservations Call – 0484-4222333

Friday, 26 December 2014

Kochi Marriott Hotel

Marriott, Kochi

Lt Col D Purushothaman Pillay (Retd)

Kochi now boasts of the newest-born Marriott on the planet.

This modern 5 star asset is a majestic, tall, elegant brown structure in contemporary design, adjacent to the centrally located Lulu Mall at Edapally. It is just 30 minutes away from the Airport and houses 274 luxurious rooms including 27 stately suites, pandering to the discerning tastes of both the business and leisure traveler. The facilities include an attractive swimming pool, a lavish Quan spa and an ultra-modern fitness centre. The 21st floor houses the ‘Marriott Executive Lounge’ which offers breathtaking views of the Kochi geography. It also serves as a perfect setting to host social events and corporate meetings, having multiple choices of halls, each equipped with state-of-the-art audio visual gear along with excellent catering options.

In this blog, I am presenting a quick glimpse of their plush and expansive entry area which imbued the joyous spirit of Yuletide to the hilt with the imposing presence of that central Christmas tree and all other tasteful Noel embellishments that were handpicked to create the Yule environment. There are also a few snaps that offer a quick peek into the sumptuous Breakfast offering at their elegant lobby-level All Day Diner "Kochi Kitchen," that we all so enjoyed on Christmas morning.

The suave and scholarly GM Vineet Mishra, with his sharp intellect and power of observation seems to have demystified what the present-day hospitality is in need of locally. Over the protracted evolution of this gem of a hotel that he has carefully conceived, constructed and presented to us, he has developed a profound understanding of the local milieu and what makes both Kerala and the intrepid exploratory Malayali who inhabits it, tick. This charismatic leader has also ensured that each and every member on his team serves from their heart, I therefore sense a palpable happy soul residing in this marvelous place that was painstakingly created by him, with his utmost devotion.

This advent of an opulent Marriott has induced just the right fillip to the flagging spirits of the local tourism sector. It is a very welcome and exciting addition, indeed, to the vibrant Kerala hospitality scene, which had become stagnant lately due to political paralysis and policy uncertainties and therefore was starved of any fresh luxurious offerings off late.

Sunday, 21 December 2014 will henceforth be remembered as a day Kerala redefined hospitality. Thanks to the visionary entrepreneur Shri M A Yousuf Ali and his ever expanding EMKE Lulu Group, Kochi now boasts of Kerala's first signature Marriott Hotel. It will now rank as the "Grandest" 5 star hotel in the state.

In the days to come, I am positive Marriott will become an integral part of innumerable happy memories and heartwarming celebrations that many will delightfully create in their care. Wishing each and every member of the new Team Marriott A Merry Christmas & A Very Happy New Year!!!