Silk street now turns foodie paradise
The street was once known as the trade centre of silk.
Kozhikode: The famed Silk Street of Kozhikode has become a foodie’s paradise. Though it was once known as the trade centre for silk, no trace of silk or textile can be seen here. Instead, the small street is crowded with around 25 eateries which serve food and desserts originating from different places. They include those which provide the special non-vegetarian tastes of northern Malabar and hubs of pure vegetarian food of Tamil and Punjabi traditions.
The street has a link with the history of Chinese silk trade. Noted historian M.G.S. Narayanan in his book ‘Calicut: The City of Truth’ says that although no Chinese inscriptions were found in this area, it is believed that some sort of silk trade happened here as Kozhikode was mentioned among the three places in the Chinese documents for their silk trade. “Some 28 years back when we started our venture, there were only a few restaurants and now the number has increased,” says Zainabee Noor, owner of ‘The Zains’ hotel at Silk Street.
“The street has changed a lot not only in its total outlook but also in the varieties of food served,” she added. According to N.P. Sundaran, a trader at Silk Street for more than four decades, the renovated beach and the programmes conducted there on a daily base played a key role in converting the street to a food hub. “Further, the changing lifestyle of the people also increased the demand for eateries. People are ready to spend on food and the change of the street to a place to experiment with food is natural,” Sundaran said.