Cafe Malabar: What's the hype
Indian food isn’t exactly a rarity in Canada’s metropolises, but much of what’s popularized is northern Indian cuisine, and doesn’t showcase the dishes and flavours of the south.
Raised in Southern India, where they developed a deep love and appreciation for the local cuisine, head chefs Kiran Kolathodan and Karma Tenpa spent decades cutting their teeth in luxury kitchens across their home country and Canada before settling down and opening Cafe Malabar in Victoria, B.C. The island town is a fitting location for a restaurant that pays homage to Kerala’s Malabar Coast and its seafood-laden cuisine.
Since opening as a food stall in 2023, Cafe Malabar has been racking up accolades for the quality of the dishes and drinks, as well as the warmth of the service, which honours the sacred tradition of inviting someone into your home in Kerala.
Cafe Malabar: What's on the menu
As a key region in the global spice trade, Kerala’s cuisine has been influenced by Portuguese, Dutch and Persian traders. Cafe Malabar respects the state’s rich culinary history, while incorporating innovative techniques and utilizing fresh, sustainable and local ingredients for a menu that’s brimming with flavourful seafood, along with meat, vegetarian and vegan dishes.
When I visit for lunch, the sulaimani tea is so soothing, I could drink three more cups; the earthy Kerala fried mushrooms are addictively crunchy with a hit of zesty lemon; and the Chemeen Chatty Fry (fried shrimp) are loaded with spices. But my favourite part is ripping off pieces of the super fluffy idli (rice cakes) and using it to shovel scoops of the warm and creamy Kochi Kochi (slow-cooked tapioca in coconut milk) into my mouth. It’s all incredibly flavourful food that sticks to your ribs.
Cafe Malabar: What's on the drink menu
Cafe Malabar’s signature cocktail collection is the dark horse I didn’t see coming. Chai is paired with whisky, tangy tamarind dances with gin, a whisky sour is infused with smoky cardamom, and wild blackberries balance curry leaf. The unexpected flavours (to my Canadian palate) in each cocktail are enough to steal the whole show, but somehow blend perfectly with the meal.
The large, simple but slick space with a patio right on Victoria’s waterfront could draw guests with its location alone, but whether you’re expecting it or not, a visit to Cafe Malabar is going to be a soul-soothing experience full of flavourful dishes and cocktails that are served with warmth and made with love and care.
