Entertainment Swindon

Highworth’s high street is getting ready for a new addition, United Kochi, an authentic South Indian restaurant promising diverse flavours of South India, particularly from the South Western coastal city of Kochi which has been a port since 1341 after a flood opened up its harbour to the Arab, Chinese and European merchants.

New owner Giji Victor, 53 from Blunsdon told Entertainment Swindon: “We have been running a small home-cooked business, locally known as Taste of Victors, based in Blunsdon serving authentic Kerala meal which has become popular among both Swindon Malayali community and local English community.

The huge success and demand for this gave me the confidence to make the move to opening a restaurant in the heart of Highworth to deliver a new culinary experience by serving traditional Kerala cuisine to the town”.

Entertainment Swindon were invited to have a look round the newly re-decorated restaurant, formerly known as Salam’s. The first thing we noticed were the beautiful traditional pieces of Kochi art and traditional ornaments around the restaurant giving a truly traditional South Indian experience, reflecting the culture and traditions of Kerala with a very homely feel.

Giji Victor, a public health specialist, with a background in psycholgical therapist by profession, who is also an accomplished artist said: “I’ve always been passionate about food and cooking, I love the traditions of Kerala culinary, so the restaurant is a great way to be able to offer this experience to the public. We will be offering a very new Indian dining experience to Highworth and Swindon area.

As well as offering dishes you will find in other Indian restaurants, United Kochi will be offering traditional dishes many would not have experienced before, with Kochi being a coastal city, traditional dishes such as fish. We can’t wait to open and welcome people in, its a dream come true”.

United Kochi is a all hands on family business, Mr Victor will also be supported by his wife Bincy, 43, who works as a Patient Safety Manager at the Great Western Hospital, as well as their children who are also excited for the opening.

This Sunday, 1st December, the Mayor of Swindon will be opening the restaurant at 11am with other dignitaries invited from the Highworth Town Council, including Highworth’s Mayor, Julie Murphy, along with Cllr Nick Gardiner and Vijay Manro.

Speaking to Cllr Nick Gardiner, he said: “For the size of our town, Highworth has a great restaurant scene which we’ve seen grown in both the number of restaurants and diversity of choice over the past few years. It was great to hear that the original Rafu’s building is now being transformed into a South-Indian Kerala restaurant by a local family from Blunsdon. My wife and I look forward to the opening event this Sunday and welcoming the Victor family into our high street”.

The public are also invited to the FREE official launch and will be welcome to sample many of the dishes that will be on the menu between 11am and 2pm, from which time anyone wishing to be the first to sit down and have a meal will be welcome to order from the full menu and be the first to experience the full dining experience.

Keep your eyes out for our Entertainment Swindon & United Kochi competition, where we will be offering a FREE meal for two.