Coorg Cuisine

Kachampuli, Spice, and Everything Kodava

By the time you get to Coorg Cuisine, you’ve probably heard a dozen people tell you it’s the place for Kodava food - and they’re not wrong. The space has that lived-in charm of an old favourite that never felt the need to modernise. You’ll find families digging into plates of pork curry, travellers nursing pepper fry, and servers darting between tables with the kind of confidence that only comes from doing this for years. The walls are lined with photographs and memorabilia that tell the story of the region, while the faint aroma of roasted spices lingers in the air, teasing your appetite even before the first dish arrives.

There’s an effortless rhythm here: the clinking of plates, the chatter of regulars sharing their favourite dishes, and the occasional burst of laughter that makes it feel less like a restaurant and more like a community gathering spot for anyone who appreciates hearty, authentic Coorgi cooking.

Here's What I Had

Pandhi Barthad (Pork Dry Fry) - Rs 180

Coorgi Pork Dry Fry Is A Slightly Spicy Dish With Dark Hues, Which Come From A Usage Of Kachampuli, A Souring Agent That’s Beat Described As A Jungle Cousin Of Kokum. The Meat Is Dry Fried/Roast With The Onion, Chillies And Other Spices Till Caramelisation. The Red Meat Which Holds Its Own Moisture, Is Nearly Dehydrated In This Process, While The Gelatinous Fat Contributes To The Texture And Ease Of Eating. This Is Best Paired With Kadambuttu (Round Rice Dumplings) And Overall, A Bomb To Enjoy In The Cool Altitudes.

Pandhi Beev Barthad (Pork Chops) - Rs 180

Pandhi Beev Barthad Or Pork Chops Uses A Similar Browned Cooking Method, But With Meaty Ribs Rather Than Fatty-Muscular Chunks. The Juicy Pork Chops Are Laced With A Lining Of Fat That Assimilates Into The Delicate Red Meat, Rather Than Standing Out By Itself. Picking The Long Bones Clean Was Never More Welcome!

Pandhi Curry (Pork Curry) - Rs 170

The Iconic Kodava Pork Curry Uses A Similar Spice List And Has A Flavour Profile Pretty Similar To Their Dry Fry That I Tried Earlier But Has A Generous Curry Dominated By The Deeply Tangy Kachampuli, The Whole Affair Of Eating This Ending Up Being Insidiously Spicy. Pair This With ANYTHING, Trust Me.

Chicken Wings - Rs 190

Chicken Wings Are A Popular Snack World-Wide, And These Guys Have Taken To It, With Their Own Twist. The Spice Level On This Left Us Sweltering And Yet Wanting More, So Much So That We Ended Up Ordering Another Round, Just To Get At That Spiced Meat In Between The Nooks And Crannies Of The Slender Bones. Parcel 2 Of This Home, And Enjoy Them With A Cold Budweiser. Heck, Even Put Your Feet Up On The Couch And Watch Some Hockey.

Kodava Koli Barthad (Chicken Fry) - Rs 200

The Kodava Koli Barthad Uses The Same Ingredients Again, But The White Meat Of Poultry Takes Slightly Different To The Spice Mix. This Is A Perfect Sample Of Coorgi Culinary Culture To Those Who Don’t Go The Whole “Hog”.

Byne Ennekai (Baby Brinjal Fry) - Rs 140

Byne Ennekai Or Baby Brinjal Curry Wasn’t Really Something I Was Personally Looking Forward To, Because As You All Probably Know, I’m No Fan Of Dem Veggies. These Small Eggplants Though, Was Slit And Caramelised With The Spices So Well, That I Didn’t Begrudge The Time I Spent Chowing This Down. Kudos!