Pokala

The husband and wife proprietors of Pokala relate how the locals thought they were crazy to open a curry restaurant in Usa’s rural hinterland some 30 years ago. After all, who on earth would come this far to a countryside hamlet to dine out? Nevertheless, the couple soon established a reputation for a small but delicious range of home-made curries, samosas and lassi drinks.

Beautifully sited aside a river in a tiny rural community, the owners make little effort to advertise their presence making it easy to overlook. Yet Pokala, a rustic western-style wooden cabin that blends harmoniously into its verdant surroundings, draws customers from far and wide. Within, the low-key but amiable welcome is matched by the care obviously paid in creating the appetizing piquant dishes. A selection of well-chosen ethnic goods adds colour to the decor and, on cold days, a wood burning stove radiates a comforting warmth.

Curry is a popular dish amongst the Japanese, which they have reinvented to suit their own tastes and use in a variety of novel ways. Pokala, however, caters to diners looking for authenticity; curries, including vegetarian ones, that may easily have come straight from the Indian sub-continent.