Kokkam — Restaurant in Uttar Pradesh

There is a new kid on the block “Kokkam” a South Indian Veg and Non vegetarian restaurant at Shalimar Titanium, Vibhuti Khand Gomtinagar . Reviewing this while in the restaurant.

The first experience of the ambience are good. The slow Carnatic music adds to the vibe. And so does the rainy winter weather.

The table where we initially sat was shaky, really shaky, so we decided to switch to another table to the annoyance of the server as the other table was a six seater and we were only two. Sorry Server. There was a welcome drink, a rasam preparation which was pretty decent. We have ordered the food. We are having two combos, the Chicken Stew with Aapam Combo and the Malabar Chicken Curry with Malabar Paratha Combo.

Before the food we have been served with the Papad. And a set of 5 chutneys.

We are waiting for food….

Still waiting….

Waiting still….

And the Food is here. Actually it did not take a lot of time it’s just that we are really hungry.

The Malabar chicken Curry and Paratha have won the race to the table and have been served first. The Chicken Stew and Aapam have come later. The quantity is sufficient to satiate two hungry souls. I like how they have done the Malabar Chicken Curry with coconut shreds. The taste is fresh. It feels light and not too cooked or oily. The chicken is tender and like a South Indian preparation the curry is amazing. One can just have the curry broth. They could have let the chicken rest in the curry for a while, it would have tasted even better. And what was this…. a Stew filled with Vegetables?? Wasn’t there supposed to be chicken in Chicken stew? Yes! It appears there was a mistake. The staff and sever promptly brought the Chicken stew which was really good. Lucknow-wasees. Please know that the preparations are south Indian and there are unique tastes. So some of it may be a surprise to our Lucknowi Awadhi food palette, but it is a welcome surprise. So the Aapam and Chicken stew combo was nice, however a better combination would be the Malabar Chicken Curry and Aapam. The 5 chutneys I mentioned earlier are also not just to fill the table they all had their distinct flavour which is definitely complimenting the food. I have a call from home and there is something important and hence in some rush. I would have definitely tried the filter coffee and any dessert. But nevertheless. It was a brilliant experience. Will take my parents next time, they are vegetarian but they will love it here. Also, the staff, servers and manager all were really well behaved, polite and skilled and clearly understood that lucknow is a city of culture and politeness. To “Pehle Aap” Kokkam aaiye aur phir kahin aur...

NOT EVEN WORTH A SINGLE STAR IVE TO GIVE ONE IN ORDER TO POST MY REVIEW.

Terrible Experience – Rude Staff, Poor Service, and Disappointing Food

I recently dined at Kokkum, and it was easily one of the worst restaurant experiences I’ve ever had. From the moment we walked in, the service was unprofessional and downright disrespectful.

We initially chose a six-seater table with a sofa because the chairs were uncomfortable, and we were expecting four people. Unfortunately, one of our party couldn't make it, leaving us with three. Despite the restaurant being almost empty—just one other table occupied in a two-story building—the manager, Mansi, rudely asked us to move, claiming the table was reserved. We complied, despite feeling disrespected, and moved to a four-seater table on the ground floor. I even mentioned that if the table upstairs remained unoccupied by the time we finished our meal, we would never return. She insisted that the table was reserved, but we were skeptical.

The service was abysmal. It felt like they were deliberately delaying our order to make a point. It took them a ridiculous two hours to serve our food. When we finished eating around 8 PM, we asked our waiter to check if the table upstairs was indeed occupied. Unsurprisingly, the entire upstairs was empty. The restaurant had only three occupied tables in total, including ours, yet Mansi decided to treat us with such rudeness.

Even worse, when we confronted Mansi after learning the table had never been occupied, she just laughed nonchalantly with her colleagues as if our experience didn’t matter at all. Any other person in hospitality would at least feel regretful or apologetic if they were being confronted by a customer due to their mistakes. But Mansi and her entire team treated us as if we meant nothing as customers—they showed absolutely no respect or concern for our experience.

As for the food, it was just as disappointing. The dishes were overly spicy and tasteless, and the filter coffee was excessively sweet. We left the restaurant thoroughly dissatisfied and disappointed.

I would not recommend Kokkum to anyone. The staff, service, and food were all subpar, and the overall experience was the worst I’ve encountered in a restaurant. Save your time and money, and dine elsewhere. Also, they charge 5% service fee, which is...

Kokkam Onam Sadhya

This Onam, I had the wonderful opportunity to experience the Onam Sadhya at Kokkam, and I must say it was a truly delightful experience. Being my very first traditional Onam meal, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect—but Kokkam made it memorable in every sense.

The veg sadhya menu was thoughtfully curated and beautifully presented. Each item brought its own unique flavor and balance to the meal. From the crispy upperi (banana chips) and sharkara puratti (sweet banana chips) to the tangy naranga achar (lime pickle) and refreshing puli inji, everything felt authentic and carefully prepared. The richness of Kerala cuisine really came through in the variety—whether it was the comforting avial, the flavorful koottu curry, or the aromatic Malabar vegetable biryani, every dish had its place and purpose on the plate.

One highlight for me was the sheer balance of flavors across the spread. The parippu with ghee (neyy) and choru (Kerala rice) paired so well with the sambhar and rasam. While I felt that the rasam was slightly subpar compared to the other dishes, it still contributed to the overall traditional experience. The pulissery and pacha moru stood out with their subtle tang and smooth textures, and the Malabar paratha was a wonderful addition, offering a satisfying contrast to the rice dishes.

The desserts, while authentic, didn’t quite meet the high bar set by the mains. The Kerala payasam and parippu payasam, along with the kesari bath, were good but could have been more refined in flavor and texture. That being said, they still rounded off the meal with a touch of sweetness.

Apart from the food, the service deserves a mention. The staff was attentive, warm, and very helpful in explaining the dishes, which made the experience even better. Another plus point is that they serve generously, ensuring you get full value for the price they’ve set for this festive feast. l Overall, Kokkam’s Onam Sadhya is an experience worth having. For anyone new to Onam celebrations or traditional Kerala cuisine, this is a great place to start. Despite a couple of minor misses, it was a hearty, wholesome, and...