This 50-year-old-eatery in Thiruvananthapuram serves four varieties of gruel

Sree Guruvayoorappan Hotel in Thiruvananthapuram offers traditional kanji and unique snacks, attracting prestigious customers and luminaries.

A symphony of temple bells and nadaswaram rang out briefly as I stepped into Sree Guruvayoorappan Hotel at Gandhari Amman Kovil Junction, near Pulimoodu in Thiruvananthapuram. Fairy lights adorned the eatery’s signboard, with a few cascading down the orange walls of the restaurant, which was established in 1976.

Inside, the gentle clatter of steel spoons scooping up steaming bowls of kanji in varying shades echoed through the space as they struck metal plates. The restaurant serves an array of gruels made with chamba rice, wheat, millets, and black rice sourced from Odisha, each accompanied by cherupayar (green gram) thoran, pickle, toasted pappadam (chutta pappadam), and coconut chutney. Crispy fried fish can also be spotted on some tables.

“When achan (father) started the hotel, there weren’t many places in this area that served kanji. We wanted to offer something homely, and that’s how kanji became part of our menu,” says Rajeev Parameswaran Nair, who now runs the restaurant alongside his father, Parameswaran Nair.

Chamba rice kanji was introduced first. “We have a secret preparation for the thoran and chutney,” says Rajeev.

Around two years ago, the kanji varieties with black rice, millet and wheat were introduced. “The trend today is entirely different to what it used to be when we opened. The customers dictate what must be served at a restaurant,” he says.

The eatery serves around 200 portions of kanji every day from 6 pm to 10 pm. Chamba, the popular variety, costs ₹60 per plate, while the others are priced ₹80 for a plate. The kanjis are available on food delivery apps as well.

“Usually, it is the health-conscious who opt for kanji, but we also see parents bringing their children here just to experience it. They seem to enjoy it as well, especially since we offer varieties that are not typically made at home,” says Rajeev.