Hotel Narayana - Mangalore's own Signature Restaurant for Authentic Seafood

Fish Curry rice in undivided South Kanara District is a phenomenal combo meal since ages. Traditional fish curry is cooked in earthen pots and rice is cooked in copper pots over charcoal or wooden fire.

This tradition is fast fading due to modernisation, but one man lived up to his conviction, he not only cooked and served fish curry rice the traditional way, but also started his inimitable tawa fried crumb fish in Bunder. Today, this landmark has become a signature restaurant in Mangalore for exclusive but simple fish meal!

A Malayali Billava Late Narayana started this venture as a family tradition within his home. He himself cooked the food and his family members helped him serve that. The dark and dingy kitchen with smoked walls where he started his restaurant still remains there in my memory to tell a story and take me back in time when I started visiting there in the late Eighties when I was working for a Bank in Bunder Mangalore.

Then, Narayana with his sons and his family used to cook the fish curry to perfection and piping hot brown boiled rice getting ready while thick chunks of Seer Fish, Pomfret and Mackerel used to sizzle over wood fire in a pool of coconut oil, and his young energetic sons used to serve the food at amazing speed to satiate the hunger of drivers and laborers toiling in Bunder area of Mangalore!

The old house where Narayana started his Hotel

Now that old glory is past and they shifted to a new premises annexe the old house. Narayana is no more but his sons manage the show and cooking is mostly done on gas fire. However, the recipes remain the same, coconut oil is as pure as when Narayana used to cook, and the slight tinge of peppery spicy touch within the Kerala Billava food leaves one craving for more and more!

The all new Hotel Narayana

The typical fish curry rice includes decent heap of brown rice, a fish curry with a tiny piece of fish, unlimited gravy, a vegetable thick curry that I don't mind asking for more, and a lemon or mango pickle that's spicy and tangy! This may cost little over Rs. 20/- per meal.

Typical Fish Curry Rice ready to be served

Unlimited Congi water(Boiled rice water) that they call THELI in local dialect is served along with the food in tall glasses. They also serve normal filtered water and have a stock of cold soft drinks and the tempting 'Masala Majjige' or spiced buttermilk to neutralise the effects of that deadly tawa fried crumb fish and the dry masala crumb that's served along with.

Fresh thick slices of Seer Fish ready for marination

The tawa fried fish is unique here. Rates vary according to season but the taste remains the same always! Thick heart shaped slices of Seer Fish, big mackerel, Black or white Pomfret, Mackerel or any seasonal fresh fish is marinated with a spicy tangy tongue tickling freshly ground red masala and shallow fried in a pool of pure coconut oil until crisp. Then the pieces are collected separately and the masala crumbs are heaped alongside in the tray. The fried fish is served with generous topping of masala crumbs. The sizzling hot fried fish tempts one to go for one or two pieces at a time! They neatly pack the fried fish in aluminum tray containers if you wish to carry them home.

Tawa fried fish sizzling in hot pure coconut oil

Some people like to go raving mad over that masala powder from the pan and mix that with the rice to get a unique taste and flavor. I normally settle for one slice of Seer fish and one Mackerel. I personally feel their vegetable side dish is too good!

Hot Tawa Fried Fish with dry masala powder

Do visit there with your family if you like traditional sea food. It is near Badriya College Circle on Azizuddin Road near Sriram Sanitary. You may notice many high class people from corporate sector invading that place and getting clean bowled by the exotic food that you may not find elsewhere!

Their Phone Numbers are: 2440891(Landline) and 94482555025(Cell).