South Indian restaurant Rice Boat opened on Newnham Road in 2005 and has become a Cambridge institution. Owned by lovely couple Jacob (head chef) and Rita (front of house manager) Abraham, they serve traditional Kerala cuisine. This place has been on my must-try list for far too many years and I’m sorry it took me so long to visit. I’ll definitely be making repeat visits from now on.

When Paulo and I arrived for our 6pm (opening time) reservation, we could already take in the fragrant aromas emanating from the kitchen. We were warmly welcomed and service was attentive. The co-owner Rita came to thank us for our custom at the end of the meal and have a little chat – so nice!

I’ve only ever tried Kerala cuisine once before – several years ago in Leeds. Rice Boat’s menu describes the flavours, consistencies (dry vs saucy) and spice levels of the dishes, which really helped us decide. They cook everything from scratch. The staple foods of Kerala include aromatic spices such as black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and nutmeg, as well as coconut and rice, which we enjoyed in the dishes we ordered.

Continue reading →