[Rated: 4.0/5]
Kolhapur may look like a well-to-do sleepy small town, but its food is not at all so. The most famous part of the Kolhapuri cuisine are red meat preparations called Tambada Rassa (Red Curry), Pandhara Rassa (White Curry), and Sukaa Mutton (Dry Meat), along with the wonderful Mutton rassa thali.
I am at a humble looking eatery called Kolhapur Dining. It has two small dingy rooms with a handful of tables. I get in and order the special mutton rassa thali (Rs 140). Soon, the thali arrives with mutton rassa, tambra rassa, pandhra rassa, egg curry, some onions and some chutney, and a giant sized roti, along with the sukka mutton (Rs 75) that I order extra. This is the only choice available on the menu, so in case you happen to be a vegetarian, you will have to make do with giant chapattis and chutney!
The time being 3 pm (just as the restaurant is closing), the serving temperature of some of the dishes is not as hot as I would have preferred. This however does not keep me from enjoying the beautiful tastes of Kolhapur. The star of the thali is the pandhra rassa, a soup like white curry of water used to boil the “Mutton” along with spices such as coriander, ginger & garlic etc, and the addition of coconut milk. This is a very tasty pre-food item. Apart from taste it has certain medicinal use as well. This “rassa” apparently is recommended for cough and throat related ailments. Its partner tambra rassa is fiery and hot, completing the yin and yang balance.
The mutton curry is exciting to say the least. Surprisingly, it tastes significantly less fiery than it looks, and has a well rounded feel to it. The taste works at various levels, and satisfies me like very few dishes have so far. The egg curry is totally eclipsed by the meaty dishes. The unlimited supply of the rassas is another custom in this region. The tambra rassa, especially when mixed with boiled rice and consumed with my fingers, hits the spot makes the heart sing ‘hadippa’!
A meal in Kolhapur is well worth a visit here.
Rating out of 5
Food: 4.5 | Ambience: 3.0 | Service: 4.0 | Overall: 4.0
Meal for two: Rs. 450| Alcohol: No | Credit Card: No | Timings: 11:30 AM to 3 PM; 6 PM to 10:00 PM
Address: Rajarampuri, 9 Gali, Kolhapur| Telephone: No telephone
Due to a camera malfunction, the pics of the restaurant food were destroyed. The above pictures are not from restaurant and borrowed from the net, though I can assure you the food looked better than what the readers get to see from these indicative photos.
Great.. Excellent post ..