Kumarakom is the best place to relish authentic Kerala food in Chennai. The delicacies served here take care of the palate of both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. The best is the seafood, especially karimeen pollichatthu—marinated pearl-spot fish, wrapped in banana leaf, cooked in steam). Other must-try dishes are prawn masala, appams, stew and Malabar fish curry. You might have to wait for a table at this busy restaurant, which is managed by a Syrian Christian family from Kerala.