Now finally a healthy Ayurvedic meal catering to the health nut. Hopefully this is a revolution in the making and we will have more of such restaurants. But until then Cholayil will have to do.
For a measly Rs. 100 you can get the "Special" Ayurvedic meal and at Rs. 90 for the "Ordinary" Ayurvedic meal, the food is a steal. The meals are served in courses and each course might have multiple items. The waiter instructs you on the order in which each part is to be consumed. So don't drink the green soup before the red, until or unless told to!!
The special meal begins with two pieces of "nedhram" (Kerala plantain) banana with bits of coconut scraping on it. The second course is a variety of juices, ranging from nut milk, date juice, pomegranate juice to even the water drained from a pot cooking rice. All juices were served in teeny weeny glasses. The waiter suggested the order of consumption and of course I followed suit finishing one juice before starting the other. The juices are followed by a vast variety of vegetable dishes, some of which were tasty and delicious. Then comes the rice. You can choose from white (the not so healthy) or the (real healthy) red rice. The rice is accompanied by a lightly spiced rasam, a raita (Yogurt sauce) and a dhal (lentil soup). The portions are big, one can eat like a king and the quantities are unlimited. The dessert is a delicious payasam made with jaggery ( sugar in its rawest form).
The meal is indeed sumptuous but catered more to one who is keen on health food and willing to experiment with subtle flavours. But for those not so adventurous Cholayil also offers non-Ayurvedic food on its menu. The place is crowded on Sunday afternoons and getting a place is next to impossible. Reservations are not permitted either, so its first come, first serve basis.
Now for the not so nice part of the experience. Being a stickler for cleanliness I need to point out the restroom facilities. The washroom needs renovation and rigorous cleaning. If hygiene is maintained this would be a great restaurant for a health freak. Also I think it would have served the place well to dwell a bit more on the concept. There is no attention to ambiance or no detail pointing to its Ayurvedic leanings. Ayurvedic teachings tell us how each person's body composition is different and how that determines the kind of treatment or food the person should have. So an in house Ayurvedic doctor who could help cater the meal to our individual composition or disposition might make it all the more "Special"!
The interesting thing is the attached massage,skin and hair care section- all Ayurvedic. I have not tried any of the massages but notice that they do have a large foreign clientele. One can head for a full body massage before the the jumbo health meal. The retail section might also have you leave with a bag full of Ayurvedic oils that promise the earth.
I do hope this sets off a trend in health food. I know I will be a regular customer.
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