Tandoori chicken and camaraderie; a heady combo of ‘60s Cochin

Nearly half a century ago, in 1961, the marketing office of National Tyre & Rubber Co. of India Ltd, where I was working, shifted to Willingdon Island, Cochin. We were temporarily accommodated in E Shed near the wharfs since the construction of our new office building was not yet complete.

I was staying in the Ernakulam part of Cochin, 10 kms away from the office. I used to drive home for lunch every day. That turned out to be quite a strain. Then somebody told me about Casino which was a short distance from our office. Mr. Nair, the manager, welcomed me as though he had known me for long. It was the beginning of an association that lasted decades. National Tyres’ new office building was even closer to Casino than E Shed. Lunch and dinner with friends at Casino became a pattern. It soon became the place to meet and develop bonds.

A popular dish at Casino in those days was the Tandoori Chicken. It used to be served on a bed of ‘masala’ that included a generous quantity of cashew nuts, mashed eggs and other things that went well with the chicken. It was unlike any other tandoori chicken I had ever had. So tasty too, served with Ceylon parota. It became a top favourite even among the skeptical.

Casino was silent witness to an event which was important in the industrial history of Kerala. I was with Apollo Tyres then. We had located suitable land for the plant near Chalakudi. It was at Casino that the major landowner of the block we had earmarked agreed that we could acquire the land. That saved a great deal of time in implementing the project.

The staff at Casino was always pleasant and efficient. Some of the names that I still remember are Augustine, Vincent and John. And of course Verghese who was the Steward. He had such a wonderful smile while dealing with guests. It was so genuine that it made one feel happy to be there. I don’t stay in Cochin anymore, but it is so gratifying to see how beautifully Casino has grown over the years.