Fancy lights, open air - sea facing seating arrangement, fresh catch displayed outside, cordial staff trying their best to get the customers to visit their eat-out - these are the common sights when you stroll along the cliff at Varkala, one of the most popular beaches in the state. Deciding where to eat, thus, becomes a tough choice. We walked past a couple of shops and then decided to check out Abba Restaurant and Everest Bakery. The low lights, the sunset and the sound of the surf just beyond the cliff set the tone. Abba Restaurant offers Indian, Chinese, Tibetan and Continental cuisine. We ordered French fries and chicken nuggets for starters. The main course was prawns biriyani, beef roast, rotis, paneer masala and fried rice. While waiting for the food we wandered over to the bakery counter and were tempted to taste the chocolate truffle cake and the Tibetan sweets. The starters tasted yummy but we were in for a disappointment when it came to the main course. The biriyani looked yummy, but it tasted bland – so did the fried rice. However, we could not find fault with the paneer masala, rotis or the beef roast. We were told that the masalas had been toned down considering the fact that the clientele comprised of foreigners mainly. The chocolate truffle cake was soft and yummy and the Tibetan sweet was something new. But, Abba Restaurant was the only place where the fruit custard we ordered was served warm. If you are looking at a typical Indian dinner, Abba is not the place to be. The next visit, we are going to check out the salads and the Continental fare. Where: The Cliffs, Varkala
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