Soaking in the inspiring art all around you at the KMB {and the fact that there is beauty to be absorbed across 12 venues, not all close by} can make the meekest of eaters fairly ravenous, so here’s our lowdown on where, and what to eat between curated walks and artsy talks.
Heading To Kochi Muziris Biennale Art Exhibition? Here's Where To Eat
The Grand Hotel
The Grand lives up to its name and dishes out the jazziest thalis, with all the frills we love. Go for the Fish Thali, which comes with a fleshy seer fish coconut curry that is just spiced right, and a fantastic Pumpkin Erisheri that is pure comfort in every bite. Pair your gluttony with the famed Karimeen Pollichathu — the local pearl spot fish that is marinated in local spices, wrapped in a banana leaf and grilled.
Fusion Bay
A relatively new kid on the block, Fusion Bay has quickly racked up a stream of loyalists. A very expansive menu of the freshest catch makes this a top choice for those on a seafood diet, and we send back little love notes to the Squid Pepper Roast {creamy, peppery and hot with whole garlic pods} and the famed Prawn in Green Mango Curry, a fiery red treat that is loaded with plump beauties and needs the local matta rice to balance the heat.
Pair your meal with a cooling Ginger Soda, and work off the overeating with a brisk jaunt to the Aspinwall House, a 10-minute walk away, and a primary venue for the Biennale.
The Kashi Art Café
Vivacious and verdant, The Kashi Art Café allows you to combine both agendas in one go, and feast on fresh salads and delicious sandwiches while you browse through contemporary art and inspiring installations. Always buzzing with a young and hip audience, this one is more for a quick tide me over, or a hearty breakfast before you hit the art trail.
The French Toast comes highly recommended, as does the Chicken Salad Sandwich, the perfectly cheesy Spinach Mushroom Omelette and the freshly squeezed lemonade sweetened with herbal Narunandi. A venue for the Biennale itself, the café is also a quick walk away from both David Hall and Pepper House — quaint heritage properties playing host for the festival.
BTH Harbour Bay
An old haunt that locals swear by, Bharat Tourist Home or BTH as it is more famously known as has been dishing out Sadhya-style meals for half a century now, and this should be your pit stop when you want a break from the rich spice and meat laden diet you’re probably inflicting on your system.
Traditional vegetarian comfort food with very mild flavours is the USP of the daily lunch buffet, so pick a place and savour rice, veggie laden sambhar, soothing rasam, a sprightly thoran and a tart pachadi. Wash everything down with buttermilk or mor, and end your gluttony with a portion of the payasam.
The Biennale is on till Mar 29, 2017.
Find out more here.