The strip of restaurants climbing the cliff behind Lighthouse Beach is where most visitors to Kovalam eat most evenings. The restaurants are built on terraces of different heights, giving each a slightly different view of the beach and sea below. Most menus are virtually identical — grilled fish, prawn curry, lobster, crab masala, Western breakfasts, fresh lime soda — but the quality of the fish varies. The places that have been operating longest and have the most repeat business tend to be the better cooks; a full terrace at 7pm is a reasonable indicator.
The seafood is the point. King prawns and lobster are priced per kilogram and the figures will be quoted to you before you commit — check the weight and the price. Barracuda, red snapper, and pomfret are the regular fish, and the standard preparation is marinated and grilled over charcoal. A basic Kerala fish curry with rice costs a fraction of the grilled option and is often the better meal.
Arrive before sunset for a terrace table. Once the sun drops the views become less dramatic and the competition for the better tables eases, but the hour before dark is when this strip of restaurants works best.