Arguably among Havelock’s best restaurants, at Anju Coco Resto, I had one of the best fish dishes.

The best restaurant around Vijay Nagar beach No 5 in Havelock is Anju Coco Resto. Bang on the main road some 7 km off the ferry point, its illumination makes it stand out in the night. The building is unpretentious – essentially a hall with only half walls, with bamboo mats above that.

Studying the menu is hugely appetizing – 28 pages of it and such variety!

Let us start with breakfast, available from 8 AM. I stuck to my two eggs-four toasts-salad or french fries- coffee or tea for rupees 70 routine. At lunch, they offer Vegetarian and Non-vegetarian thalis – very tasty and particularly the parotas, made in the best Punjabi tradition. There is a huge choice of Indian, Chinese, continental and barbecues. In rice alone, there is a choice of nine varieties. The main dishes are served with rice or salad or garlic bread. So it is a full meal at 5 to 6 dollars. At dinner, my favorite was trout fillet, presented on plantain leaf and swimming blissfully in melted butter, with a dash of salt and a squeeze of lemon. A bowl of salad comes with it and adds to the feeling of well-being. I rounded it off with a ginger/ lemon /honey drink. A very satisfying, healthy meal.

The affable Sardarji who owns the place really knows his onions. You will see him taking the order, serving and at times clearing the table. No wonder that the place is full at dinner time, mostly with dollar customers. I learned that it is the favorite eating place for Israeli tourists and not surprisingly, olive oil and Israeli salad are on the menu. Yet, an Indian touch: customers have to leave their footwear outside.

The only disappointment was to notice the senior supervisor cleaning out the ashtrays and then serving food, all in one continuous motion. Also, avoid going to the backyard for a hand wash.