Where is the best seafood in Thiruvananthapuram?
Are you a seafood lover?
If yes, then Vizhinjam is a must visit for you in Thiruvananthapuram.
It all started 25 years ago with Ustad Hotel’s signature ‘Vizhinjam’ fried fish
Now, restaurants on Vizhinjam Harbor Road are making waves for serving the best seafood in the city.
These seafood restaurants are filled with customers from all walks of life, most of whom have traveled to the city and beyond to dine on the best seafood, fresh off the boats.
The restaurant owners say they only serve fresh fish caught from Vizhinjam port or Poonthura, Kannanthura, Adimalathura and other nearby ports.
Each restaurant has a storeroom full of seafood, prepackaged and ready to go
Why are these restaurants in Vizhinjam unique?
Most of these restaurants are family-run businesses and many of the owners have returned from the Gulf, belonging to the same fishing village.
The restaurants usually open till around 2 in the evening, while some open for lunch as well.
Almost all the restaurants have almost the same menu.
It is fried or grilled fish marinated in a spicy paste of chilli powder, turmeric and salt.
The stand out ingredient is the fried topping – the famous ‘Vizhinjam style’ seasoning of tomatoes, red chilli flakes, shallots, curry leaves, ginger, garlic, cumin and fennel etc., all of which together pack a delectable punch.
There is also fish curry, either a simple curry or a coconut-based one, as well as various accompaniments such as appam, idiyappam, porota and pathiri.
There are some variations like some restaurants have increased the heat of the spice whereas in others it is very mild.
Some people downplay more pungent ingredients like anise.
But in almost all restaurants, customers can customize the marinade to their liking.
Reporting: Nithya Satyendran
Video: Sreejith R Kumar
Voiceover: Abhinay Sriram
Production: Renu Cyriac