Vembanad — Restaurant in Bengaluru

Update:

I’m changing my rating from 5 stars to 2 stars after my recent visit in September 2024. The food was pathetic. It was a complete shocker to see that in the span of a year a restaurant can drop in quality so badly. The Kerala parotta which was fantastic during my first visit, turned out to be the worst parrota I’ve had. The king fish fry was bland and not fresh at all. Utterly disappointing and given the price, I don’t find any value there. I won’t recommend the place to anyone.

The service was poor. We were the only ones at the restaurants at the time and they took 30 mins to bring our food. Worst part was we had to ask the waiter to serve us, which should have been a spontaneous thing.

We had a lunch reservation here for my father’s birthday.

I’ve heard good things about Vembanad and was excited for our visit.

It’s certainly a fine dine experience. The ambiance was pleasant with subtle classical instrument music in the background.

We loved the food. The Parotta was delicious and when combined with the best vegetable stew we’ve had, it was pure bliss.

The Biryani was good, it was an explosion of flavours. A proper Malabar styled Biryani. It’s not everyone’s thing, especially if you’re a fan of Hyderabadi or Lucknowi Biryani, the Malabar style will surprise you.

The meat was tender in the Biryani. We also tried some pepper chicken which again was brilliant. We also ordered some naadan aadu curry(goat), which was a unique dish. It was loaded with onions which I presume gives it the amazing taste. We also ordered a Karimeen (Pearl Spot) which was so well done. The fish was fresh with the right blend of spice.

We had some ghee rice too which was decent.

To wrap it up, we had some Ada Pradhaman and coconut soufflé for dessert. Words can’t describe how delicious they were.

The hospitality was top notch. Jobin was the gentleman who waited on us and explained everything to us with patience.

Yes it is on the slightly expensive side. You will end up shelling anywhere between 1200 to 2000 per person depending on what you order.

But I wouldn’t attribute the cost to the food alone. The whole place gives you a very nostalgic Tharavadu vibe. It’s neat, hygienic, fresh and positive.

Remember, this is a 5 star restaurant and is priced accordingly.

So please consider this before you go.

I’d certainly recommend it for anyone looking to try some authentic...

Hmmm. Vembanad restaurant at The Paul. Where the architecture steals the show and the food...well, let’s just say it exists to make you appreciate drinks more. Yes, the Kerala style woodwork is stunning, but alas, you can’t eat the carpentry.

Now to the food. Oh, the food. Clearly, the goal here is to ensure you order more alcohol. Take the pot chicken biryani, for instance. Aromatic rice swimming in enough oil to give an oil rig a run for its money. Then came the lobster, a dish that promised subtle peppery elegance but instead showed up as a rubbery, over-masala’d mess. Coastal charm? More like coastal calamity. And the mussels? Correction. Itty-bitty clams drenched in enough fiery chilli to power Elon Musk’s next launch. It’s less about savoring and more about survival.

As for service, "defensive" is the best compliment. When politely (read: desperately) pointing out the culinary disasters, the waitstaff doubled down, insisting it was the chef’s special. Special indeed. Special enough to keep you far away next time. And let’s not forget the ambiance. A single song looping for 90 minutes, creating an experience that felt as endless as the wait for edible food.

To sum up. Skip Vembanad unless your sole ambition is to drink, drown out your day, and pretend the food doesn’t matter. Bon appétit! Or not.

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Authentic Kallu Shaap experience!

Street food is good. Toddy shop food is better. Kallu Shaap (Toddy house) food packaged as fine dining is the best. #Vembanad - #ThePaul have a Kallu Shaap festival going on. And we decided to dig in. The ambience of the Paul is magnificent. They have transformed the restaurant into a real Toddy shop with tatched coconut leavesand film posters of yesteryears. They have some very interesting sign boards in Malayalam. Please ask the servers to translate; it is as funny as it is appropriate. The servers, dressed in Kerala mundu (dhoti), are very prompt and professional. They have a good knowledge of the menu and are happy to explain each dish. We started with Netholi (Anchovies)Meen Peera, Koonthal ( Squid) Porichathu. I haven't had Meen Peera in ages and this dish brought back so much nostalgia. They also served freshly made Mango pickle and Fish pickle. The side fries platter was spot on with Kerala papadam, Kappa chips and Pavakka (bitter gourd) fry. For main course, we had have Kappa. We tried the Kappa Udachaytho with Kallu Shaap Meen Curry. The fish curry was simply divine. I think finished almost entire dish. I just couldn't stop to share! We also ordered Appam and Kerala red rice with Kallu Shaap Beef Curry and Chemmeen ( Prawns) Vattichathu. I loved every minute in Vembanad relishing the best Kallu shaap taste. For dessert had the tender coconut payasam. This has been a wonderful trip from my taste buds. My first 5*...