History Cafe, Brunton Boatyard, Kochi; 24 Nov 10

We go on package holidays. Twenty years ago I’d have been horrified at the thought but for about 10 years now we’ve taken our holidays in the company of others who we’ve not known before hand and, in general, will probably never see again. We’ve used just 2 companies: Travel Editions, (www.traveleditions.co.uk) with which we’ve had several excellent Italian breaks plus Cuba last year, and Voyages Jules Verne (www.vjv.com) with which we’ve done Namibia, Sri Lanka and Turkey. This year it’s been Travel Editions again and they took us to southern India.

We had a full 2 weeks starting in Chennai, formerly Madras, where we were reminded just how crowded India is. Then we took a train to Mysore and suddenly we were in a different India. The pace was slower, the climate seemed less oppressive and the people didn’t always pester. We saw the splendid Maharaja’s palace and got a wonderful lesson in Hindu mythology from a guide par excellence at Somnathpur. Then we had 2 days at Otty, faded splendour and rather chilly, followed by another 2 at Kochi: like all trading cities Kochi is tolerant, diverse and full of history. After Kochi it was up in the hills again at Minnar for lessons in Indian agriculture, then a night on a houseboat on Venbanadu Lake before a final night of luxury on the shore of the same lake.

There’s always some trepidation in joining a package tour: how many people, what will they be like, will the guide be any good, what about free time etc? Well this time we were quids in: there were 7 but 2 didn’t engage, the other 3 were excellent company, the guide was first class and we had just enough free time but not too much that we’d become bored.

But if there’s always such a concern why go on a package tour? What’s changed since 20 years ago? Why do I seem like a fully paid up member of the human race these days? Fact is that it’s a division of labour. If someone else with more knowledge and time than me can do the organising of the flights and the hotels and run around and put together a cultural itinerary I can get on with making the important decisions like where do we go for lunch and dinner, what do we eat and which wine and/or (usually and) beer should we drink? And so on our second night in Kochi I hit the jackpot. Dinner at the History Cafe in the Brunton Boatyard Hotel.

The hotel is an excellent refurbishment of the Brunton Boatyard and its conversion into a hotel. It’s owned by CGH Earth Hotels and CGH has done a spendid job. CGH itself appears to have excellent environmental credentials with a number of such hotels in India all operating to high environmental standards. Actually I seem to recall staying in 2 other ‘conversions’. I’ve stayed at the Malmaison in Oxford which is a converted jail. And I’ve stayed at the Marriott at High Holborn which used to be the HQ of an insurance company. But I digress.

The History Cafe is not what we’d call a cafe today. It’s a full-blown restaurant run to the highest standards. The restaurant manager is Anthony Ibin who loves to talk, especially about Kochin and about Indian culture. And we were very well looked after by Siyeth Radhakrishnan. The Cafe itself is all dark wood and white table linen, polished glassware and shining cutlery. All backed up by a traditional 3 piece Indian combo: sitar and bongos.

We’d already had an excellent lunch so we dined lightly. Derrick and I had the First Class Railway Lamb Curry (in fact I ate some form of this just about every day). The wife had Vypeen Moilee (fish, squid and prawn cooked in coconut milk with crisp rice flour pancakes; more about these later). Marian chose Dajaj Bel Arabeya (Arabic chicken) and Yvonne ate a Dutch Man’s Hachee (pot roasted tenderloin with veg). Everyone was delighted. My choice was especially remarkable with all its spices showing through.

We also took advantage of being in Kerala and no more in Tamil Nadu (VAT rate on wine 58%) to enjoy glasses of admittedly Indian wine. The 2009 Sula Sauvignon Blanc from the Nashik Valley, said to be India’s Napa Valley was excellent but then we had to follow that with the ubiquitous Kingfisher to wash down the curry. And then, wonder of wonders, a real espresso machine to deliver real coffee to end the meal. It was to prove our only good coffee of our 2 weeks in the country.

Finally: the wife was puzzled about her pancake and asked how it was cooked. She was quickly whisked off to the kitchens, with the other 2 ladies, where she donned a white coat and hair net so see a kitchen run to the highest standards and to be shown how the pancakes are made. And then to complete the tour a recipe was printed out. Now she has no excuse. I can demand such pancakes at home.

So: it may be a little far but next time you’re thinking about popping out for a curry try the History Cafe at Brunton’s Boatyard.

Click here for a few photographs of my holiday.