Villa Maya: A new fusion restaurant in Trivandrum

 Fifteen years ago, I had seen this building as a Maruti workshop. Not the swanky posh ones of today, but the dirty grimy dingy ones of yester years. It made me so sad to see a beautiful old building with blackened walls and its heart loaded with crude heavy machinery to lift the cars for servicing etc.  It had drums of oils and grease scattered all over the place as the mechanics used the premises at will.
A few months ago, traveling across Kerala for my forthcoming book, I was delighted beyond words and explanation to see that the same building, an Ammaveedu on the then outskirts of the city, resurrected to be easily one of the most charming restaurants of the country. It is as if the building has finally got what it deserved, having completed the karmic cycle! The three leveled, more than a 100 year old structure, has alfresco as well as multiple indoor dining options. Food served is fusion and the service is in perfect harmony with the elegance of the historical structure. It helps that Preeti Muthoot runs her SKYCHEF Kitchen from the adjacent building and was totally involved in the restoration design work done with the help of a local designer Vinod Thatchen.

An artist's rendition of  these two trees at the entrance is repeated on the front wall inside.

Patios surrounded by water bodies have been added to the structure.

Good enough to take you into another world

The double layered tables have one section that can be pulled up at the time of meals and
otherwise be used as a coffee table

Drool worthy 

Seating is relaxed and pretty much follows the way it was meant to be used as in a dwelling.

The outhouse became the Reception block, simple on the entrance and vibrant on the restaurant side

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All pictures are by Bharath Ramamrutham courtesy Villa Maya