The last time I visited Frys, I was in college. I don’t remember what we ordered then but I do have memories of devouring the food and exclaiming how tasty it was. It has been almost a decade since then, and this time, when we were around MG Road, we didn’t have to think twice when we were wondering where to go for dinner.
Situated at Chittoor Road, this place is a must-visit if you are looking for authentic, homely Kerala food. They have two separate dining areas, one air-conditioned and the other non air-conditioned. We chose to sit in the A/C restaurant, although I must say, I liked the setting of the non A/C restaurant better with its sea-inspired wall art and openness. The A/C restaurant, however, was less crowded. I loved the bench type seating here and the whole place has a very native, traditional feel to it.
We placed our order for Porotta and Chicken Fry, Puttu and Kadala Curry, Chappathi and Paneer Butter Masala, along with black tea for all of us. The Chicken Fry is one of their signature dishes, where the chicken pieces are fried and sautéed along with onions, tomatoes, green chillies and curry leaves. The crispy brown onions along with the slightly roasted yet firm pieces of tomato gives the dish a unique and different taste and is a treat to the palate. The Kadala Curry could have been more flavourful and a bit more spicy, but I wouldn’t complain much, because one mouthful of the Puttu drenched in the Kadala Curry was delicious. That being said, the Kadala Curry is not too bad, it’s just that I’ve had better ones. However, the Puttu here is to die for. It is as soft as it could get, and this, along with the Kadala Curry, made my dinner worthwhile. The Paneer Butter Masala here is a must try. To me, this was the star dish that day. I loved how it had the right blend of the sweet and tangy flavour along with soft paneer pieces. It was creamy, flavourful and without a doubt, one of the best Paneer Butter Masalas that I’ve had. I could have easily finished off the gravy without sharing it with anyone! We polished off our dinner with a big refreshing glass of orange juice, which obviously took us some time to finish considering that we were full, yet, it was a tasty end to the wonderful dinner that we had.
There are also quite a few variety of dishes here, like the Chicken Kondatom and the Brain fry. While we were there, my friend also told me that the Fish Curry Meals here, available for lunch, is a must-have!
Friendly staff, value for money, and prompt service best describes this place. Parking is usually an ordeal in this area, but they earn brownie points by reimbursing your parking ticket if you park your vehicle in the opposite pay and park area.
I had high hopes considering that I was going there after a long time with fond memories of the tasty food that I had once upon a time, and it wasn’t any bit of a let down. In fact, in spite of the many restaurants that have sprung up in the recent years, Frys still remains one of the best restaurants in Cochin!
