Kairali Palace Restaurant — Restaurant in Muscat

We heard about Kairali Palace located in MBD through one of our Malayali foodie friends and decided to give it a try yesterday for lunch. On arrival, they checked our temperature and then welcomed us inside. The first impression of the interiors gives you a traditional yet comfortable bamboo styled café feel. I noticed that certain seating area was sealed, keeping in mind the spaced social distancing protocols. Also a handheld sanitizing spray was kept ready for use for tables and surfaces after each customer left.

Abdul Nasser, our server, sat us at our table and offered us hand sanitizers to use. Bottled mineral water with plastic cups were given to us along with the menu. I could not sit without getting a proper look at their homely modest interiors. Indoor plants spread around beautifully just added to its rustic touch!

Their menu was extensive offering traditional breakfast like dosas, appams, idiyappams, parottas, puttu aripathiris and curries. For lunch they offer Kerela meals, pothi choru, chatti perakku, famed Thalassery biryanis and on Fridays the Kunji Kozhi Biryani. The place also serves Indo Chinese food, soups, starters, salads, Malabari delicacies and street food in choices of vegetarian, chicken, mutton, beef, quail, egg, duck and seafood! The menu also listed north Indian rice and pulavs and dhaba styled masalas and gravies!

But of course, I believe when one has so much of local traditional offerings from “Gods own country”, one should not divert. So we went straight in for the chicken and sea food pothi choru each. What is a Pothi Choru? It literally means “Packed Rice”. Priced at only 1.700 OR, this toasted banana leaf packed meal was simply fulfilling. While unwrapping it, the excitement just grew stronger. Being a south Indian myself, I always admired the occasionally eaten meals served in banana leaves. So nostalgia took over at this point.

It consisted of 13 delicacies in total. Choice of Matta or White rice. (Do keep in mind, the quantity of rice served is a lot. So if you feel you may not be able to finish it, ask them to serve a little separately in a bowl). Kappa: a comforting dish made out of boiled tapioca. Omlette: fried masala omlette perfectly spiced. Cheera Thoran: red spinach stir fried with coconut. Vellari Pachadi: cucumber raita made in a Malabari style. Always my favourite and very refreshing. Pulissery: an authentic blend of subtle flavors, this yummy traditional style drink is made out of mainly buttermilk and cucumber. Pappadums : crisp fryums. Chamanthi: coconut chutney. Sambar: a lentil based vegetable stew. Lemon pickle A piece of fried Salmon A bowl of red spicy Salmon curry And finally, the most delicious Payasam, I had to ask for a second serving.

On our exit, while paying for our very happy and satisfying meal, we noticed the counter displayed very cute mini chalk boards with colorful writings of what they offered, a small part dedicated for sweets like lollipops, jellies, candies, a huge glass jar selling salted and vinegary pickled gooseberries and packets of boti chips or ring fryums as they are locally known.

They have an Instgram and Facebook page to follow updates. Do visit them this long holiday to enjoy this rare experience. They also welcome...

One of the best dine-in restuarent I have come across in Muscat. I have been to many restuarents here over the years but Kairali stands out from all of them. I have been to this restuarent couple of times from the time it opened here in Muscat and every time the food was awesome. Good part is that the quality is still maintained unlike other restarents which initially serve good food but then with time quality deteriorates. Ambience is nice & the food served here is fresh, tasty and always up to the standard. Never dissapointed with the quality of food. Their service is also good & staff is friendly. Sometimes there might be a bit delay in service, thats becos of the preparation time they need to get some dishes ready or may be when its too crowded. I think thats acceptable & we shuld'nt fuss about it. Patience is the key to good food :) Have to mention that the pothi biryani thats served only in the afternoon is just awesome. A must try in the list. I have tried pothi biryani in other restuarents but never got this quality. Everyone's taste buds are different so opinions will vary. But everyone to whom I recommended it liked it. I wish & hope that they keep up to this standard moving...

I recently visited this restaurant and was impressed beautifully maintained, with a cozy ambience that immediately sets a welcoming tone. Every corner reflects neatness and careful attention to detail, making it a delightful spot for a relaxed meal.

The food, true to its Kerala roots, was flavorful and well-spiced. I tried 3 Kerala dishes that promised an authentic taste . One of them particularly stood out for its robust spices and perfect balance of flavors. Ilaneer kanthari chicken . The service was equally commendable—attentive, friendly, and efficient throughout the meal.

However, I did encounter one drawback. Although the quantity of the food was excellent, there was an unwelcome insistence from the staff to order additional items. This led to us having a significant amount of leftover food, which we ended up packing to take away. Had the staff not pushed us to order more than we needed, the experience could have been even better.

Overall, the restaurant is a gem in terms of ambience, cleanliness, and service, with authentic, spicy Kerala dishes. Just a little more flexibility in ordering would elevate the overall experience...