Fodor's Expert Review Paragon

It's not much to look at, and it can get noisy when crowded, but this Calicut stalwart has been serving tasty food since 1939. The chicken and the prawn biryanis are both excellent (come early for these), as is the prawn thattukada, an unusual fried shrimp dish that goes well with parathas (a flaky flatbread); other favorites include the prawn pepper fry and tamarind fish curry. The biryanis may run out on the early side, but the restaurant is open quite late.