India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (147 page)

Snack Food, Kerala-Style

Although tourists are normally advised to stay off street food, there’s one kind of street snack you can sample without a problem in Trivandrum. Banana chips are a Keralite’s favorite snack, and you’ll see thattu kadas, temporary food carts (particularly at night), with men slicing and frying bananas in coconut oil right on the street, almost all over Kerala. Buy them piping-hot and lightly salted—they’re even more scrumptious than potato chips. Good spots to buy these fresh are near the British Library, or at a small shop in Kaithamukku (about 3km/2 miles west of the central train station), where A. Kannan has been frying some of the best banana chips in Kerala for close to 15 years. Note that banana chips come in myriad flavors depending on the variety of banana used. Those made with ripe bananas are slightly sweet, but we suggest you go for the thinly sliced variety. Be warned, however: They are seriously addictive.

For more salubrious surrounds, the smart
Tiffany’s
at the Muthoot Plaza is rated by locals as the best restaurant in town (Punnen Rd.;
0471/233-7733;
daily 12:30–3pm and 7:30–10:30pm), although the smart crowd is slowly warming up to the dining offered at
The 5th Element,
an all-day venue at the Taj Residency hotel on C.V. Raman Pillai Road, Thycaud (
0471/661-2345
).

There is little reason not to head south before nightfall, but if you really must stay in the city,
Muthoot Plaza
(reviewed below) remains (in our opinion, anyway) Trivandrum’s best hotel—it’s more intimate and has a classier ambience than even the brand new
Taj Residency
(C.V. Raman Pillai Road, Thycaud;
0471/661-2345
), which has sleek modern rooms and a host of business facilities (and big halls to host weddings for the city’s biggest and brightest families). Rooms facing the large, underutilized pool cost Rs 8,500 double, but the cheaper city-facing rooms (Rs 7,500) actually give you something more interesting to stare out at. An altogether more engaging option, and within walking distance of the Muthoot (should you feel the urge to rush off for an air-conditioned meal) is
Varikatt Heritage
,
a green oasis off bustling Puynnen Road. This is the best homestay in town, filled with quality antique furniture and presided over by the welcoming Colonel Roy Kuncheria, who enjoys playing the gracious host to a handful of guests. Each of the Colonel’s three advertised rooms open onto the front veranda, so make sure you get one of these; there’s also another room facing the courtyard, which is less appealing (
0471/233-6057
or 98-9523-9055;
www.varikattheritage.com
; [email protected]; Rs 3,000 double, Rs 3,500–Rs 4,500 suite). Budget travelers just looking for a decent en-suite room for the night should head for
Ariya Nivaas Hotel
(
0471/233-0789;
www.hotelskerala.com/ariyanivaas
), an office-block-style hotel that offers good, clean air-conditioned lodging conveniently located near the Central Railway Station for under Rs 1,000. Staff is friendly and can help with travel arrangements. The hotel has a decent restaurant and a useful 24-hour checkout policy. It’s often full, so book in advance.

Muthoot Plaza
The city’s chicest little hotel looks a bit like a seven-story steel-and-glass mall, and it’s traditionally a hangout for businesspeople who come to the state capital to pay
baksheesh
to various government representatives, but once inside you discover a plush, compact oasis of tranquillity and rather good taste. Rooms are very well-appointed and extremely comfortable and despite the lack of views (and matchbox-size bathrooms), have more character than the new Taj (and it’s nearer all the more interesting built heritage, including the University). With good service (starting with the sharp, on-the-ball elegantly attired receptionist to a concierge who can put together personalized tours of the region), a convenient location, plans for a new pool (should be up and running by 2010), and very reasonable rates, this feels like the perfect small city hotel, especially after a hard day of bargain hunting.

Punnen Rd., Thiruvananthapuram 695 039.
0471/233-7733.
www.themuthootplaza.com
. 57 units. Rs 3,500–Rs 6,700 Plaza double, Rs 7,500–Rs 9,500 deluxe suite, Rs 13,000–Rs 18,000 presidential suite, Rs 1,000 extra bed. Rates include breakfast, deluxe suite rate includes lunch or dinner, presidential suite rate includes all meals; 15% tax extra. AE, DC, MC, V.
Amenities:
2 restaurants, bar; airport transfers (Rs 600); concierge; room service. In room A/C, TV, floor butler, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).