Does it need to be authentic to taste good?

16 April,2012 07:17 AM IST |   |  Aviva Dharmaraj

If it weren't for a colleague's recommendation, I would have easily skipped stopping by Spice Tree.


It's easy to overlook, given that it's next to a more popular restaurant specialising in sizzlers and steak-bun sandwiches. A foodie friend recently assured me that the ‘Kerala' food served here is far from ‘authentic'. He's probably right. Having said that, however, I am not afraid to admit that the nuances of the debate around the ‘authenticity' of a particular cuisine are lost on me.


Coconut milk and kokum are the main ingredients in the Sol Kadi. Pic/ Sayed Sameer Abedi

In this respect, my approach to food is typically that of a Neanderthal. Think Tarzan. You like? Mmmm. Food. Good. Me like. My primary concern is usually whether the food tastes good. It's often my only concern. Speaking of which, I like the coconut and kokum-based Sol Kadi that they offer here, which comes spiked with fresh green chillies, cumin and curry leaves.

If you're looking to make an evening of this, they do some decent Indian food. They've recently also introduced ‘Chinese' on the menu as well. Spice Tree is divided into three sections, each named after spices: Cinnamon, Cardamom and Clove, which is their open-air section, and gauging by the last time I dropped in, is probably also their ‘most fun' section.

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