Kerala’s iconic restaurant Paragon to open in Bengaluru

It’s all happening in Bengaluru.

Kerala’s famed restaurant Paragon, known for its array of signature dishes, is finally entering Bengaluru, a city which is fast emerging as the food capital of India.

Paragon, founded in 1939, has managed to find a slot on the bustling Church Street and, if all goes well, the Kozhikode-based eatery will open by New Year.

If Kozhikode is a culinary melting pot, then Paragon is its torchbearer. So, when the group enters Bengaluru, a city teeming with multi-cuisine restaurants, it promises authentic Malabar cuisine, albeit with a local twist.

“Work is going on in full swing and, hopefully, we can start by the New Year,” Paragon’s owner Sumesh Govind told The Federal. “Yes, we are quite lucky to have found a spot on Church Street itself, which I believe is a big plus. Not just in Bengaluru, it is one of the finest locales in the country itself. The vibe, the buoyancy it oozes is simply amazing.

“And then, we have sealed an excellent spot where Sobha Group has come up with an amazing property. So in a way, everything fell in place, and we look forward to the Bengaluru experience,” he added.

Having opened its first restaurant in the then Calicut, Bengaluru will be Paragon’s first foray outside Kerala in the country. It has multiple branches in Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Dubai.

Can the Malabar taste be replicated?

Church Street’s assured verve aside, Sumesh knows it is not going to be an easy ride, with sky-high expectations, especially among the Malayalee diaspora.

For food lovers seeking a slice of Malabar/north Kerala platter, Paragon will rustle up some of its legendary dishes —  tamarind sauce fish curry, fish mango curry (raw mango slices soaked in coconut milk), appam and mutton stew and the ever-popular chicken biryani (its largest-selling dish).

So what makes Paragon biriyani click? Eyes lit, Sumesh says it’s a product painstakingly created over five years.

“Actually, it did not happen overnight. Our chef (Vijayan Pillai) and I had worked for over five years to fix what we had finally arrived at. There were multiple interactions, sessions and tweaks till we were really happy with the product. In fact, it worked in no time, and there was no looking back. We use Kaima rice (sourced from Wayanad) and white leghorn chicken (not broiler),” he said.

There is a lot at stake for the group when it crosses the border from Kozhikode/Wayanad though Bengaluru is just a seven-hour drive away from the north Kerala city.

“Business is not easy, especially the F&B (food and beverages) sector. We will have our signature dishes served here as well. Of course, we will tweak a few dishes catering to the largely cosmopolitan crowd, but mostly we will stay true to our classic dishes,” said Sumesh.

Would it not be tough to replicate the Malabar taste/flavour and experience in a non-coastal city like Bengaluru?

“Forget Bengaluru, I am finding it tough to match the same flavour even in Kochi (just a four-hour ride away) or Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital. Honestly, Calicut is a part of my heart, and that would obviously reflect in whatever we do and serve. I tell you, even place/location matters big time. You realise it only when you pluck something out of somewhere. The relationship between the city and its wonderful people is quite symbiotic. To expect that to happen elsewhere is something that I am not sure of,” he said.

“That aside, we are going all out to make the Paragon experience unique in Bengaluru. We have some fascinating stuff lined up for the city, besides our most favourite dishes,” said Sumesh during a long conversation with The Federal.

What does Paragon offer for vegetarians in Bengaluru? “Of course, we have some exclusive dishes and we might churn out some special stuff with local flavour. Talking about vegetarian dishes, I must say we have some high-profile visitors coming in often. Nitin Gadkari (Union Home Minister for Road Transport and Highways) is fond of our dishes and he makes it a point to visit Paragon whenever he visits Kerala. We serve him potato kombathu and gobi in tamarind sauce. There are many more vegetarian surprises in store,” said Sumesh.

“I know that in Bengaluru, we cannot play the same copybook shot as in Kerala, so our R&D team is at it to have some tailor-made items for the city. But the core idea of ‘staying classic’ would remain because that is why people come to us again and again. In Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, too, we have had overwhelming response. I am sure Bengaluru, too, would roll out the red carpet for us,” said Sumesh.

Thiruvananthapuram has indeed rolled out the carpet, with serpentine queues being a regular affair at the outlet in Kesavadasapuram.

“Oh, it has been an amazing experience so far in the Kerala capital. It has been a four-year ride, and the response has far exceeded our expectations. In fact, we are struggling to cope with the swelling crowd most days. That is the beauty of this business. You never know from where your rewards come,” said Sumesh.

With the Kochi outlets (particularly in Lulu Mall) doing brisk business and Thiruvananthapuram taking off with a bang, Sumesh said he will soon launch outlets in Angamaly, Kannur and Thrissur.

Paragon now has three outlets in Kochi [Lulu, Info Park and Aster Medcity] and one in Thiruvananthapuram. Besides, Paragon’s sister concern Salkara has around 12 branches in Kerala and Dubai. The group also runs M-Grill, a multi-cuisine fine dining restaurant in Kozhikode, which offers Thai, Japanese, Italian and Malabar experience, besides a few outlets of a cafe brand called Browntown.

“We (Paragon) will soon open a branch in Angamaly [on NH]. Kannur has been on my mind for long. Thrissur, too, will happen. Thiruvananthapuram’s second outlet [at Lulu] will be launched soon. Outside of Kerala, I am getting enquiries from Mumbai and Chennai. As I have said, we are in no hurry to start new branches anywhere,” said Sumesh.

Is he worried about competition in Bengaluru, where every other day, a new restaurant gets launched? The answer comes in a flash.

“If you are in this business, then never get scared of competition. Competition happens when the market is big. Bigger the market, the bigger the opportunities. Frankly, I have never been worried about competition or other players in the market. It is also fun when you run with new players. Just believe in your product and what you serve,” said Sumesh.

The knives are being sharpened, quite literally.