Okay, I know reviewing a restaurant in India is ridiculous, but I can’t help myself. It was amazing. And what if someone who reads this blog happens to end up in Chennai looking for somewhere to eat. I would kick myself for not having mentioned it.
The restaurant is called Kokom. It is located in the MRC neighborhood in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. They serve food from the southern coastline of India. The basic idea is you have some sort of base, a sopping up material. It’s like a bread but very different. I think many of them are rice based. Let’s go ahead and admit now that I’m an idiot. I don’t know what anything was called. I don’t know what was in it. But I do know it was awesome. So, you usually order the base (the dipper) and also a few of the gravies. One of the best was a chicken stew. But it wasn’t even my favorite, just the one I remember the name of.
Anyway, everyone there was friendly. The place was beautiful. And most importantly, the food was incredible. I might have to go back to India just to eat there again. Okay, that’s not true. But it was really good. I’ll check in with some of my new friends that ate with us that night and see if anyone knows the name of anything that we had. Because otherwise, you’ve read this whole thing and have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about.
But at least I’ve done my job and passed along the news. So just in case you’re ever in Chennai, India. Remember the name… Kokum.
TIll our next meal,
Todd
Todd the restaurant was KOKUM. It is in Anna nagar, Chennai. The rice ‘dipper’ that we had was ‘Aapam’. The young people have been touched by your ministry. ‘Grace like rain’ on 30th had many in tears. Praise God. God is at work. He is on the throne
Todd,
I am sure as life gets back to normal that “little things” from the trip will continue to come to mind. I hope you will continue to share and I look forward to hearing more about sharing with the ministry in India.
In Him!
Denise Carter
I was stuck in Chennai for a day during the Mumbai floods of 2005. I for one am appreciative of the review and should the occasion arise again, will take my happy hiney out of the airport and to the restaurant.
If Southern Indian food isas similar to Northern Indian food, I think I would love the resturant you mentioned!
One of my friends from Northern India took me on a tour of an Asian Grocery store here in AR. She suggested frozen food and meals, and so far everything I have tried I have loved! She said that usually she prepares a flatbread, sometimes it is plain, sometimes it is stuffed. They are easy to cook when you buy the frozen kind. (I am not sure if that is what you called the rice base, but think it might be.) I bet you could get some at an Asian Grocery store in Austin if you would want see if it is similar to what you had and if it is, you could make it. She suggested Fulka Roti and Paneer. The cooking directions are on the package. Neha said that she always makes a type of a curry to eat with the bread. So far I have tried a couple different kinds, including Malai Kofta, which I especially liked.
Another tasty frozen meal I tried was Chhole Bhature, which was similar in looks to a hot pocket.
My friend said I HAD to try a package of Maggi Masala noodles, which I thought was just a package of Ramen noodles. The noodles themselves might be the same type of noodles as Ramen noodles, but the flavor is amazing! You might want to try them.
Everything I have tried so far has had strong, rich flavor! My friend said that most of the meals she makes requires many different spices, and if you forget just one type of spice it completely changes the taste!
I am sure fresh food from the resturant you mentioned would be better than frozen food, but if you want to have a taste of India here, in the US, those were just some suggestions.
I hope you do get to go back to Kokom and that you get to try some more dishes! It’d be great if your whole family could go with you sometime!