Toddy Shop

It’s all about the toddy. We’ve seen plenty of specialist bars on the rise in recent years – places that are all about tequila, rum, gin, even amari. But no one else does toddy. Or at least no one in Australia that we know of. It’s the centrepiece of the vision of Mischa Tropp, a chef and restaurateur best known in Melbourne for the food he cooked at The Rochester Hotel, just a few blocks away on Johnston Street. The residency at The Rochey, and subsequent gigs at Avani Winery and Elsie’s restaurant, were a showcase for his exploration of the Keralan part of his heritage. Kerala is a state in India that runs down the western side of the nation’s southern tip, facing the Arabian Sea, not far from Sri Lanka. “There used to be a big spice trade with Europe; cardamom, black pepper, turmeric, chillies. That has a big effect on the cuisine,” Mischa told SBS Food back in 2018 when he was still at The Rochey. “There’s also a lot of coconut, fish and seafood. It’s quite a tropical cuisine. You’d associate it more with Sri Lankan cuisine than north Indian food.”

Toddy Shop, or to give it its full name, Toddy Shop by Marthanden Hotel, is the culmination of him trying out different platforms for sharing more about Kerala – a tiny, potent, very focused little venture that packs a punch. Mischa calls it a South Indian refreshment bar, and it’s definitely that. Home-style Keralan food, paired with wine, beer and cocktails is the name of the game. Oh, and toddy. Let’s not forget the toddy.