Mamala Toddy Shappu — Restaurant in Kerala

Despite the lack of air conditioning, which I was willing to overlook for the sake of good food, the prices were hard to justify. On multiple visits, I noticed a consistent decline in the taste and authenticity of the dishes. The flavours seemed off, lacking the originality and depth I had previously enjoyed. The quality of the fish in their fish moli dish, Kari meen was particularly disappointing; it seemed far from fresh and lacked the delicate taste that makes this dish so special.

While I will admit that some of the gravies were still tasty, the meat used in them was noticeably subpar. It left me questioning the sourcing and overall quality control of the ingredients used in their kitchen.

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect was the biryani, a dish I usually look forward to with great anticipation. However, what was served to me was far from satisfactory; the flavours were bland, and the overall texture lacked the richness and complexity that define a good biryani.

Overall, I can't help but feel let down. With high prices and a noticeable decline in the quality of their offerings, it's hard to justify returning for another meal. I hope they can address these issues and regain the reputation they once held for serving delicious,...

The Good

Signature Curries:

Pork Curry: Rich, tender, and deeply spiced - a standout when properly prepared.

Fish Curry: Tangy, coconut-infused, and authentically Kerala-style.

Extensive Menu: Wide variety of traditional "toddy shop" dishes (seafood, beef, appam, tapioca).

The Bad

Crippling Inconsistency:

Dishes vary wildly day-to-day - one visit's perfect pork curry becomes bland or overcooked the next.

Fish freshness fluctuates; occasionally rubbery or stale. Unprofessional Service:

• Staff are indifferent, slow, and often rude. Orders mixed up frequently.

No accountability for mistakes (e.g., wrong dishes, overcharging).

Hygiene Neglect:

Sticky tables, uncleaned floors, and questionable kitchen cleanliness.

Reused cutlery/food storage observed.

Health Note

Multiple reports of mild food poisoning (stomach discomfort post-meal).

Final Verdict

"A culinary gamble: glorious curries hidden in a dump of neglect." Visit only if:

You're a risk-tolerant foodie chasing occasionally brilliant pork/fish curry.

Can tolerate chaotic service and...

Too much of oil in almost every dishes. Got a heart burn, for a guy at my age (23), by nightfall due to the amount of oil in it. 😑

But, that put aside, most of the dishes were good - especially the fish curry and chicken curry. 😀 One problem I found with the chicken curry was that, there was not much to eat from it - in the sense there were no good pieces of chicken. All of the 'em were bone with li'l amount of flesh on it. 😒 Even then, the chicken gravy was amazingly tasteful 😋

Parotta was pretty good, but it won't match the parotta I had from Bashir'ikka's hotel (back in Kottayam). 😜

Kappa was too good. And you don't need to teach a Keralaite about how good the Kappa-fish curry combination is. 😂

Still yet to taste more of the dishes over there. I might go there once more, to finish trying the other dishes.

Then would be my...