The Detour in Thiruvananthapuram is a dining destination for diverse cuisines

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At the entrance of The Detour at Venpalavattom, Thiruvananthapuram , five windows, each with a distinct view welcome guests. An orange stairwell on the right, flanked by orange-tinted murals, leads up to a chaat restaurant. On the left is a coffee shop, set against the fountain window. A global fine-dining eatery, a South Indian coastal restaurant and a North Indian joint complete the space.

The Detour, a five-restaurant dining destination featuring Choti Choti Baatein, Amorae, Nomada, Kutti Chatti and What The Chaat?!, is the result of a longstanding friendship among its three founders, which began at the St Thomas Residential School, at Mukkolakkal.

“Whenever we met, the conversations were about food, and that ultimately resulted in The Detour,” says Sajina John, one of the founders. “This wasn’t planned as a business venture. All of us were working in the corporate sector, and we thought of starting something together. And ultimately, around three years ago, we decided to build a dining destination with different options in the same space,” she adds.

The restaurants boast a diverse menu, from pastries such as pain au chocolat and French loaf at Amorae to Kottayam-style prawns and Fort Kochi beef curry at Kutti Chatti. The list also includes birria queso tacos and nigiri salmon served at Nomada, gosht yakhni shorba and galouti kebab at Choti Choti Baatein and multiple chaat varieties from What The Chaat?!.

“The goal was to build five restaurants serving different cuisines with different personalities at distinct price points,” says Sajina.

She also believes that Thiruvananthapuram was the ideal location for a culinary hotspot, despite Kochi having a more dynamic food culture. “The city has space for thattukada (street food kiosks) and fine dining restaurants. Residents accept new places and look forward to variety. Kochi is a saturated market, while Thiruvananthapuram deserves a space which serves its diverse working demographic.”

The cafe, Amorae, was established to create a homegrown brand with an elegant style. “ Multiple international coffee brands have set up camp in the city. So, we wanted to bring in a local label. It is not a coffee shop where people come and work, but a place where guests come as families,” Sajina explains.

The menu features matcha beverages, sandwiches, burgers and pastries, among others.

Each table at Amorae has a board game, allowing customers to entertain themselves longer. The space has a seating capacity of 39. It ranges from 52 to 57 for the other restaurants.

The north Indian restaurant, Choti Choti Baatein, attempts to address a gap in the city’s culinary portfolio — serving dishes such as paya shorba, keema pav, dahi ke shami, Awadhi mutton biriyani, kesari phirni and matka kulfi. “We decided to distinguish ourselves from the rest of the North Indian eateries in the city by making the menu more Awadhi and tandoor-focused.