There is a joke that if you throw a stone upwards at any part of the world, seven out of ten times it would land on the head of a Malayali. The joke came about from the idea that Keralites have reached 'everywhere'! In the past few decades, there has been a huge flow of immigrants from Kerala to countries across the world. And wherever Keralites went, they took a piece of the culture, love for their homeland and its cuisine along. This is exactly what made this Melbourne eatery a hotspot for Kerala food lovers.
This traditional toddy bar at Collingwood in Melbourne, Australia has become a rage not just among the Keralites here but also among the emigrants from other countries. Chef Misha Trope deserves the credit for introducing the dishes that are typically served in a local toddy bar or shaap curries in Australia. Spicy beef curry, pork pepper roast, prawns, freshwater fish and squid dishes are some of the popular items here.
Keralites in Australia often visit eateries like these to enjoy the traditional flavours of their homeland. The bar, which is ‘officially’ called “Marthandante Kallu Shaap” (Marthandan's Toddy Shop), is committed to serving the authentic flavours of Kerala. The owner of the toddy shop who had been to Kerala was not there when the writer visited the toddy shop. Interestingly, the cooks are from Perth and Ireland. The toddy tastes refreshing! The writer couldn’t help but enquire about the source of the delicious beverage. According to the chefs, the toddy being served there is sourced from Sri Lanka.
The bar that is painted in a light pink hue resembles the toddy shops that are seen in the countryside of Alappuzha. The dishes, especially the fish and beef items, tasted authentic and you would be wondering whether you have reached a local toddy shop with a thatched roof and wooden benches somewhere around the backwaters of Kerala.
(Reported by Sreejith Sreekumar, a Malayalee vlogger in Melbourne, who visited the toddy shaap for Manorama Life)