Coastal capers!

Bringing the authentic flavours of the southern coastline to menu cards of Pune's food circles, Kokum, the newest restaurant in the city proffers a mouth watering invite to all foodies with a penchant for south Indian cuisine.

Kokum, the new fine dining restaurant in town offers gourmet coastal cuisine with a wide spread of authentic dishes

Bringing the authentic flavours of the southern coastline to menu cards of Pune8217;s food circles, Kokum, the newest restaurant in the city proffers a mouth watering invite to all foodies with a penchant for south Indian cuisine. Kokum, by Oriental Cuisine, takes you on a delightful journey through south India not just in terms of the food being served but with the ambience as well. Located at Viman Nagar, the joint lets you savour good food, while listening to some traditional south Indian music and adding on to the magic of southern coastal food with its seating area amidst palm trees.

8220;Our team of experts went to around 14 villages along the southern coastline to know more about the traditional recipes of local dishes. Based on their feedback and research, we have tried to keep our food as authentic as possible,8221; says Vishwadeep Kuila, CEO, Oriental Cuisine.

From Goanese prawns to Mangalorean chicken curry and vegetable stews, the range of delicacies is wide and contains both vegetarian and non-vegetarian savouries. 8220;We will be serving dishes suited for all kinds of palettes, ranging from highly spicy to medium and even some bland ones,8221; says executive chef Babu Abdullah.

Interestingly a small corner of the restaurant also flaunts an open mini kitchen where a lady from Kerala will be preparing appams and other typical south Indian specialties to lend an exclusive homely ambience to the restaurant. Best suited for a family lunch or elaborate dinner, the restaurant can accommodate up to 110 diners at one go. And if you are an amateur foodie, when it comes to appreciating south Indian cuisine, a luncheon or supper at Kokum will be an enlightening experience. It helps put many things into perspective, whether it is enjoying the right combination of dishes or getting familiar with the typically nomenclatured varieties. Also, the restaurant staff seems quite cooperative and efficient at their job.

Interestingly, Pune is the first city in the country where Kokum has opened shop. From the cultural capital of Maharashtra, the owners plan to take it to Chennai. 8220;We picked Pune as our first stop because eating out is an in thing here and food outlets have always done well in this city.8221; While crispy appams and delicious coconut chutneys lure you to the family restaurant, the price rates are such that you are not left grumbling after relishing the southern coastal delicacies. So, the next time you have a craving for some authentic, delectable coastal food, you know where to head to. And rest assured that for once, coastal cuisine would imply more than just fish curry and chicken vindaloo.