A real taste of Italy at Serafina Kolkata

A real taste of Italy at Serafina Kolkata 

Kolkata has  long been introduced to wood oven pizzas and it has also been exposed to a variety of flavours from Italy for quite sometime but if you are thinking that another Italian place in Kolkata is not too exciting I would just simply recommend that you visit Serfina once , have their truffle pizza and get back to me unless you do not like delightful cheesy pizzas with that slight hint of truffles all imported from Italy and France.

When Sharmili from Communication 2.0 invited us for a tasting of the extensive spread at Serafina I was not sure what to expect. We were 6 or 7 excited bloggers and we decided to ask the restaurant for their specialty. They said it was their pastas and pizzas. Well as cliched as that might sound from a restaurant serving Italian cuisine read along to know why this place is worth its pizzas pastas and much more.

On the manager's recommendation I tried the Kaffir Lime Margharita which unfortunately failed to strike a chord with me because it wasn't chilled well enough but was nevertheless tasty yet on a hot summer day I would have personally preferred it well chilled.

The carpaccio which followed the drink more than made up for the drink. This is quite frankly the perfect start to a lovely hearty Italian meal.

Just as we were raving about the crapaccio we were presented with the Goat cheese salad which frankly interested me even more not just because I personally love rocket leaves and goat cheese but the presentation seemed rustic and beautiful. As I took a bite into creamy goat cheese spread out on small slices of well toasted bread and try a bit of caramelized walnuts with rocket and apples all the flavours together made me extremely happy.

All their pastas are in house made with imported flour which gives it that extra flavour no wonder they take pride in their pastas and pizzas. The Ravioli al Porcini is the best ravioli I have had in Kolkata. The flavour of Parmesan and porcini makes for a superb combination and the ravioli is done exactly the way I would want it to be neither overcooked nor undercooked.

The Alio e Olio is probably what I would personally try on an ordinary day at home but when I am out for fine dining I would want something slightly more complex.

The chicken breast paillard is again a breast of chicken which is pounded into a thin sheet and makes up for quite an interesting dish but the Baby lamp chops are what I would personally recommend. Rosemary works beautifully with red meat and the perfectly done lamb pink inside , soft juicy yet meaty is exactly how lamb chops should be in my opinion.

By this time we were overly full and the sight of any other dish while hard to resist tasting seemed quite a task but nevertheless one cannot leave without a sweet ending and when we asked the chef for his recommendation he had at first recommended chocolate mousse but I personally feel chocolate desserts are rather overused everywhere and so I gladly tasted the tiramisu which is probably the perfect ending to a beautiful meal and the panna cota was creamy well set and not overly wobbly. What also did catch my eye was the inclusion of a few desserts which Kolkata is usually not used to such as the Ricotta cheesecake. While we love our baked cheesecake till now I have mostly tasted cheesecake from Cream cheese and this classic Italian cheesecake would be quite interesting.

The creamy panna cotta

I am extremely happy that Serafina has opened its doors to Kolkata and would recommend it for a true blue experience.

Approximate cost for 2 : Rs2500 to Rs3000

Le Thuet at Taj Bengal's The HUb

When Food is Sublime 

An afternoon of sublime dishes. Now I have personally heard of music being referred to as sublime but food which is sublime is a rare treat indeed.

With Taj Bengal hosting Le Thuet,  a special gastronomical indulgence at their restaurant The Hub, I was fortunate enough to have been invited as part of Kolkata Food Bloggers to attend a very special lunch.

The culinary magician and his lovely better half

Chef Marc Thuet and his lovely wife and business partner Biana Zorich had flown in all the way from Canada to share sublime dishes with Kolkata. What one feels after meeting this lovely couple is  that they are warm and friendly and keep you engaged in a delightful conversation and then slowly you learn that Chef Thuet has catered to some of the biggest celebrities in the world from Bill Clinton to Tom Cruise but he believes  'every customer of mine is a celebrity' and he indeed treats every customer of his like a celebrity and if you have the good fortune of tasting what comes out of his kitchen you would feel like a star indeed.

With his roots in Alsace in France and having gained experience in the kitchen from a tender age of 12 this friendly gentleman does have magical culinary  tricks up his sleeves to make every dish taste exquisite.

On a hot summer's day he had arrived in Kolkata with a menu which he had prepared in Canada  and was so surprised and fascinated with the range of ingredients available in Kolkata that he changed his menu upon arrival and believes he could have saved a lot of time had he known about Calcutta's availability of ingredients.

Cold Cucumber Soup

In keeping with the sultry weather we begun our lunch with a cold cucumber soup which was the perfect choice for a tropical summer day. The beautiful flavours of olive oil and sun dried tomatoes infused with the freshness of cucumbers and cooling effect of yogurt made it a delightful start for guests and the goat cheese is the surprise element which makes you squeal in delight if you are a cheese lover as I am.

The Quebec duck magret

Now if you are allergic to seafood like I am you would really miss out on the opportunity to have the lovely Cured Cuebec Duck Magret  served with sweet water prawns and black cumin caramel and mango but with Biana as the lovely hostess it was  made sure that I  get to taste what I am  not allergic to. She insisted  that I be served the Cured Quebec duck magret by itself and I have to say that the taste was delicious all the way and why wouldn't it be when it is made from ducks with plump breasts which is cured for for 7 days in a secret rub especially mixed  by our lovely chef.

The Lamb 

Now let me talk about the dishes which made me feel Chef Thuet serves sublime food. From the main course the Gremolata crusted lamb rack served with basil and goat cheese mashed potato with a baby carrot , mushroom and asparagus was what caught my attention and a forkful of the perfectly medium done lamb chop made me realize that the Chef does have a magical affair with his kitchen. The sauce which took my breathe away was a reduction which was made with the bones and vegetables alone and cooked thrice. I have to recommend this dish to anyone who loves lamb chops.


If we are in the company of the Chef and his better half  who supply bread to the Ritz Carlton then of course you are in for a treat when it comes to bread. The baguette was one of the finest bread I have had which my taste buds fell in love with. Cotton soft inside with a nice crust I was intrigued by it and on asking Biana I found out that the culture used to make the bread had been carried back from Canada and that was the reason for the perfect sourdough bread. Chef Thuet shared a tiny bit of historical fact about these baguettes , how in the old days in Paris people had to work without machines and these would be allowed to rise 6 times and after each rise of the dough it would  be punched down and then allowed to rise again and ultimately it resulted in this magnificent classic bread.

I was served a dish made with asparagus and Parmesan cheese which was a very elegant dish and this was because I was allergic to sea food and I have to say I was amazed again.

Ending things on a sweet note

A chef who breaks away from tradition yet keeping the full flavours of tradition intermixed with the creative side of a brilliant magician of the kitchen presented two delightful desserts out of which one is again sublime. The saffron tartlet with golden peach and Alphonso  had the perfect buttery base which does not overpower your palate yet leaves it satisfied and it has the one variant of mango which is Chef Thuet's favourite, the alphonso mango,  but the Chocolate Caramel Mousse Verrine with sea salt crumble is magic for the palate again. The smoothness, richness with the unique hint of salty delicacy will surely linger in your mouth for a long time and the taste will linger in your mind. I was in for a surprise when I was told that the chocolate used was the one which Taj Bengal's Hub normally uses. You can alwways blindly trust Taj Bengal indeed.


Hurry because the food festival Le Thuet will be open for lunch and dinner till the 18th of April at Taj Bengal's The Hub  and if you are a culinary enthusiast you cannot miss this amazing opportunity

Kebab e Que

Kebab - E -Que 

Murgh Burra kebab 

An invitation led 3 ladies to 'Kebab e Que' on a sultry afternoon. Easy to locate this one is one of the old restaurants of the erstwhile Calcutta currently known as Kolkata on Shakespeare Sarani on the right hand side of the road if you are coming from AJC Bose road. It is housed in the 'The Astor' Hotel and if you ask anyone  who has been born and raised in this city chances are he or she has had an encounter with this famous restaurant in some way or the other. I have personally never sat down for a meal at this place but when I told my father I was going to 'Kebab e Que ' his first reaction was that of nostalgia. Apparently he has brought back kebabs from this delightful restaurant many a times when attending formal or informal dinners at this age old place.

As is usually the norm of old eateries in Calcutta the staff is effortlessly polite and our lovely hostess Supreeta was warm and friendly. Before we began our lunch I ordered some some kebabs to be packed for my father who had demanded that I bring back some kebabs from this famous eatery . The decor is very Old school Calcutta with red and black dominating the walls and floor. The little hanging lamps over each table is a fine idea indeed giving the place  a romantic feel . Our server had recommended the Murgh Chakori Kebab and our delightful hostess recommended the Lahsuni Fish and so these were the items which were packed.

Soon enough my fellow bloggers arrived and we proceeded to lunch. While Miss P.Banerjee ordered a diet coke I opted for the classic lemonade. The drinks were served quickly enough and I have to say that the lemonade was just perfect for my taste buds. I had wanted a sweet and salty lemonade and it had the right balance of sweetness and saltiness. My only complaint would be that the lemonade was not chilled. I would have preferred it had they used chilled water because with the addition of ice cubes the taste gets diluted.

We proceeded to the kebabs soon enough and the Murgh Burra kebab is a true delight, spicy , well grilled on the outside with soft meat inside. I was thrilled. The lahsuni fish kebab lived up to its high recommendation. The size of the pieces are generous and the fish is fresh and soft and the amount of garlic used seemed perfect, neither too little nor too much for my palate. The Mutton seekh kebab scored the lowest for my palate because I found the use of garam masala to be slightly on the higher side which overpowered the taste of the kebab.

We were led to the buffet and the spread is varied and delightful. Being a fan of salads I immediately took some Pineapple Chicken salad and Russian salad. The pineapple chicken salad is a wonderful salad. The tangy taste of pineapples, the beautiful flavour of parsley and the soft bite sized chicken  was  a lovely combination. To be fair the Russian salad did not make a huge impact on my taste buds. Their dahi  papri chaat was delicious but the papri having been added from before had become soggy and I cannot but wish that the papri be served separately.

From the main course the 'Ghee-bhat' was a delight indeed. The aroma of ghee , the beautiful basmati rice cooked perfectly is a perfect combination with the Butter Chicken Tikka or the Mutton curry. The Butter chicken tikka was perfect in terms of the creamy rich gravy but the pieces of chicken were much too large and I personally feel that keeping it boneless would only enhance the diner's experience. Also on offer was this unique fish in mustard sauce where the fish had been grilled and then cooked in a gravy of mustard which is very unique and recommendable indeed. Also on offer was the Spicy cauliflower curry , some lovely Rajma , which I personally left could have been thicker and spicier and a host of other offerings like the fried potato, Moong pulse etc .

Our hostess informed us that the menu for the buffet changes everyday and that sounded very interesting indeed. A wide selection of delightfully prepared dishes at Rs425 + taxes seems perfectly reasonable indeed.

While the ice-cream did not really beckon me the swiss roll did pleasantly surprise me. It was light fluffy and one of the best you can get in this town.

The Kebabs I took back home cost a mere Rs700 and the taste captivated everyone. The Chakori with the delightful flavour of fenugreek and the garlic fish kebabs are perfect for a kebab lover.

We have been further informed by our sweet hostess that Kebab e Que will soon have a wonderful makeover where the old favourites will remain the same but some new healthy and varied dishes  would be added to sweep everybody off their feet.

I would definitely recommend a visit to this place in the center of the city.

Dilli-gate, Kolkata

Dilli-gate, Kolkata 

 A joint venture with a joint menu of  lip smacking food from North West India , Calcuttan Chinese and Mughlai dishes. Located in the Eastern hub of the city of Joy this place is a much needed multicuisine restaurant for the area.

I was invited as part of the Kolkata Food Bloggers to sample their divert menu. Locating the restaurant is not very difficult. If you are going from Park Circus keep an eye on the left hand side of the road and you shall reach the area within 10 minutes from Park Circus.

The interiors is done in green but the chairs and tables seem very comfortable to sit in, big back rest with cushioned chairs. One side of the wall is lined with pictures of street food be it the hearty punjabi food, the delicate noodles or the Mughlai Paraunthes.

This restaurant is the brain child of Mr.Manish Singh from the ever popular Balwant Singh Dhaba at Elgin road and Mr. Mukesh Agarwal.

What caught my attention was that the owners let us know that this is essentially a 'budget restaurant where it wouldn't cost more than Rs300 to Rs400 per person.' They have made their menu and pricing keeping the recession in mind and that is worth appreciating. The idea is to make available dishes from different cuisines so that one does not get bored with the same kind of cuisine.

The creamy spinach rolls 

We were first served an assortment of starters and I must say that their Mutton Seekh Kebab was soft succulent and juicy . The Murgh Tikka had the perfect balance of spices and saltiness for my palate and I was already a fan when we were served the Chicken lollipops. To be fair the chicken lollipops were quite a disappointment since it was too spicy and had way too much of soy sauce than I would prefer.


For vegetarians I must recommend the spinch spring rolls which were creamy and delicious . They serve it with an in-house made sauce which is perfectly spicy and tangy to balance the creaminess of the rolls . I personally did not take after the hara bhara  kebabs since it was a bit too mushy and salty  for my taste buds.

We were soon led to the buffet to sample the main course and I have to say that their sprout salad is quite delightful with its lemony tangy taste. The rajma was perfectly thick and delicious but could have done with a bit of extra spice. The Murgh tikka Makhani was delicious indeed creamy, spicy amazingly soft meat. The Mutoon which was simply served as Kosha Mutton (which means bhunoed mutton) was amazingly soft and tender and had the perfect balance of saltiness and saltiness. It was a thick almost dry curry which is a superbly made dish. Their malai kofta was soft and creamy and perfect for my taste buds.

The Mutton 

I personally did not like their Chinese offerings be it the noodles or the fish in coriander sauce which were salty and had way too much ginger garlic paste. It is unfortunate because the new China town of Calcutta is located right near this restaurant. The only item which caught my fancy was the chicken in pepper sauce which had soft succulent pieces with vegetables which provided the right bite tot the dish.

Cafe Mezzuna

Sometimes Wonderful things happen to a city 

Beer batter fried fish 

There are times when a city suddenly gets a break from cafes mushrooming all over the city and a brilliant cafe opens its doors. It started on a weekday evening when ,after a particularly bad experience with one of the new cafes I strolled over to Forum for a bit of dessert and was positive happy to see a delightfully inviting cafe, from across the glass door the wooden interiors coupled with the pastel green shades attracted me and so I went in for some coffee and dessert. Before I move on to the brilliant bit let me pause for a little while about the tiny little problems.

I was a lone diner and being an usual lone diner I expressly note down how a restaurant reacts to lone diners, some are positively unhappy, some welcome you whole-heatedly and then there are those who seem almost flabbergasted. Whosoever had done the beautiful interiors had completely forgotten about solo diners which I do not appreciate. Even with the place being virtually empty my server had to look around and then finally seated me at a table for 4. The sofa was soft and well cushioned and to my liking since iit was comfortable but you thankfully do not sink in.

Their menu done in a particularly sweet style which reminds one of the school days with the paper resembling the brown papers one used for covering copies and books was a very lovely change of the usual big menus, it comes in a transparent file which is innovative indeed.  Now let me be clear about my taste in coffee, I like ti particualrly strong to the point that it is bitter with creamy foam on top and so I expressly requested them to bring a very strong cup of cappuccino for me which I teamed up with the batter fried fish. Tired of the usual set cheesecakes i was delighted to know that theirs is baked and so I  asked for the two berry cheesecake.

I particularly loved the pristine white napkins and I was extremely impressed with the coffee which came in a cup with a saucer. The coffee was perfect for my taste. My batter fried fish soon followed and it was fresh fish with the most perfect batter. crispy crunchy and deep fried it is perfectly batter fried fish. I would have loved it had they served my coffee and batter fried fish together since I had mentioned that I would like to eat something with my coffee but then again I would not hold it against them. Their presentation was delightfully unique and wonderful with the fish in a paper cone on a wooden slab with the tartar dip.

What came last after a considerable amount of time blew my mind away. The cheesecake with freshly prepared warm compote is soft, creamy with the perfect crust which is neither dry nor soggy and gets people like me addicted to it.

I have to include my second experience at this cafe where we ordered a cocktail, my fizzy cocktail with vodka, ginger and lime was divine.

What I noticed on both my visits was that the servers though polite do not keep an eye on the tables to note if the water glasses are empty after the first fill. On my first visit I was very thirsty and since nobody looked my way I had to wait quite a bit for water. This I would definitely request the management to take care of this issue. My total damage on the first day was Rs600 and considering that it filled me up and was superb in taste I would say it is complete value for money.

I can honestly say this is has become my favourite cafe in town.

A bold attempt from the Tea trove

The best of intentions unfortunately does not always lead to the best of results 

The Thai style Chicken wings

We were invited as part of the Kolkata Food Bloggers to sample the new dishes of offer on their brand new menu. Located near Southern Avenue locating the cafe is not too difficult, simply cross Rashbehari Avenue if you are traveling from AJC Bose road and keep your eyes on the right for a showroom of 'Blackberry' and then take an U-turn or walk over to the other side of the road and get into the street adjacent to the showroom and walk straight ahead and the cafe is located on the left hand side of the street. You go up and notice a very low-lit place with trendy music which is being blasted from the stereo. 

My fellow diners were already present and we were seated near the glass wall overlooking the street. What overwhelmed me right in the beginning was this smoky atmosphere which was a direct result of an open kitchen with no room for ventilation. This was probably one of the biggest turn offs. Throughout the evening I felt uncomfortable and my eyes were burning while I almost felt choked. 

When it came to service I am very sorry to note that the server did not serve a glass of water which was later noticed by my fellow diner as well. There were two drinks which were already on the table and a sip from each left me very disappointed. The Tom and Jerry drink which is supposed to be an iced tea with coca cola had the overpowering taste of cocoa cola and on top of that it was watery. The other creamy drink whose name I forget was not creamy at all but in fact watery again without any flavours. 

I was happy to learn that the cafe was open to suggestions. 

We were then served the chicken wings which came in the sweet Thai chili flavour and the Barbeque flavour. While the sacue from the Thai flavoured wings with its distinct taste of chili was working well with my palate the sweetness was a turn off for my palate but the biggest problem with both the dishes was that it had not been tossed in the respective sauces as a result it was rather crunchy fried chicken wings with some sauce and so the flavour was uneven. What I liked though was that the chicken was perfectly fried for my taste buds, the meat was juicy and soft and the batter was crunchy and crispy. It was neither over-fried nor underdone. 

We were served a third drink which probably was the best one for my palate among the drinks served. It had a strong flavour of strawberry and there was some amount of creaminess. What was a disappointment was the watery taste. As pointed out by my fellow diner a cafe named The Tea trove should offer drinks with a stronger taste of tea. I would rather appreciate a well made classic lemon mint iced tea over fusion drinks which has no flavour of tea. 

What followed from their offering was a tangy crispy vegetable snack which honestly did grow on me but the problem is when I write about my experience where I do not pay for the meal it is easier to be generous. Frankly speaking if I had been a regular customer and had to pay for it I would leave a very angry customer. I would suggest that the restaurant explains the dishes on their menu so that the customer has a clearer idea of what they are ordering. What I liked was the balsamic vinaigrette which was tangy and tasty but then again  quoting the Chef 'Brussel sprouts' are an acquired taste and so it might not be too popular. I suggest keeping an option of vegetables for customers to choose from. 

Their lasagna did nothing for my taste buds with the overwhelming spicy taste. ideally even with vegetarian lasagna I would have preferred a greater amount of homemade tomato sauce to be used. The layers were hardly there, the cheese was burnt on top and the pasta was not well cooked and stuck together. This was indeed a huge disappointment. It reminded me of a fictional character who would make 'burnt and under cooked' mac n cheese.

There was Arancini , which are basically 'rice balls with cheese' , theirs had pomodoro sauce (a tomato based sauce) which was a bit sweet for my taste due to the use of onions which had been caramelized but it was a nice dish with the nicely cooked arborio rice inside and the cheese. 

The chef personally came to us for suggestions and I really liked his openness to suggestions. He insisted that we try the last dish, a Mediterranean salad which basically was basically Grilled Chicken with the skin on for a nice crispiness , mushrooms and lettuce. The vinaigrette was again well made , but  it was a tad too salty for my taste but I liked the taste of rosemary . 

Most of the dishes expect the lasagna were well made but did not reach the finishing line due to a few faults here and there. 

A Mediterranean Experience at Souk

A Mediterranean Experience at Souk 

A good culinary experience takes time to prepare and needs time to be thoroughly enjoyed. 

I was invited as part of the Kolkata Food Bloggers for a tasting from the upcoming menu at Souk - the Mediterranean restaurant at The Taj Kolkata which would be on the offer very soon. To be honest the only experience I have had at Taj Bengal was at their European restaurant which serves some of the best Continental fare in town and then of course there is La Patisserie with excellent pastries and gateau on offer. So good are the offerings from the two mentioned restaurants that I did go back for the pastries and pizzas and got stuck with these two restaurants when there are so many lovely restaurants at The Taj as I found out today.

The delectable Mezze 

It was an experience which was educational and a sheer pleasure for my taste buds and created a want to go back again and again.

Located at The Taj Bengal , Kolkata the decor with its low lighting and the beautiful yet modern chandelier gives the place a soft touch. As soon as we were all gathered together we were served the Wine Rosette which I found appealing for my taste buds.

We begun our Mediterranean culinary journey with the amuse bouche which is essentially a French term for mini starters  in the simplest words that I might put. In this case it had the essential Mediterranean flavour with a  bite sized watermelon and  a dollop of creamy feta cheese.

Here I have to mention that I am a cheese addict, and I love feta cheese but its saltiness usually has to be balanced well and the chef had wonderfully balanced the saltiness of the feta with the fresh juicy watermelon and it was a sheer delightful start indeed .

To be fair each and every food item was exquisite but what I personally enjoyed was the detailed explanation of each and every  dish which made the experience more interesting.

The mezze on offer was superb . There was hummus of two different kinds. So while the Hummus Turki with its chopped piri piri olives was smooth with the particularly delightful taste of olives the Hummus Bil lahm with the lamb morsels was exquisite. The secret behind their smooth texture is the usage of the even sized chickpeas which the chef takes extra special care to make. The lamb used is not the lamb with a lot of fat but the lean meaty portions which gives it a beautiful texture.

The Felafil caught my fancy with its grainy texture and the distinct taste of garlic and cumin. There is lamb kibeh, stuffed with mince meat and pine nuts  which I personally did not find to my liking because of its dryness .

The crunchy Swada Dilaj is tangy sweet and beautiful. The Tabbouleh has cracked wheat and parsley but the taste which stayed in my mind was that of the mehir lemon. Tangy and fresh it is delightful but not something I would personally highly recommend. From the assorted pita bread I chose the zatar Pita bread which has the herb zatar and that with the hummus is something worth giving a try due to the very unique flavour from the herb and the smooth hummus.

There then came individual plates of assorted grills. The chef was kind enough to interact with us and discuss how even though Indian kebabs have their origin in the middle eastern grills the spread on offer is unique in its own way. Unique indeed, the Adana kebab (lamb kebab) was soft with a firm texture and that tantalizing taste of turkish chili which is hot but does not leave you in tears. The fish (samak Meshwi)  with the base of tomato marination was tangy and spicy . By the time I took a bite of the Tavuk Yogurtulu Bitlis I was probably in need for a break to cleanse my palate and as a result I do not clearly remember its  taste but I definitely recommend the Adana kebab with its delightful flavours and a subtle after-taste of Turkish chilies.

From their main course I would personally recommend the Moussaka for the perfectly baked aubergine which was delightfully thin yet crispy and the buttered Burghul was a sheer delight for the senses. The samak Moroccan (which is a pan fried fish dish) is delightful indeed with a tangy taste from the lemon and a blend of assorted spices. The lahm tagine had the softest lamb meat ever and the preserved lime gave it a beautiful taste of pickled lime and the chickpea gave it a lovely body.

The pasta which was not on the menu from which we had our tasting but is on the regular menu was delightfully tangy and very different from the usual Italian counterparts since it is from a different country. The prunes in the tomato based sauce gives it a lovely touch.

The delightful spread of dessert 

My favourite bit was their offer of desserts. Creamy rose petal ice-cream , it not the rose flavoured ice-cream but ice-cream made with pure rose petals. The Omali which is a delightful combination of in-house made condensed milk , filo sheets and pistachios was surprisingly not too sweet for my palate and the baklava though a tad sweet for my palate was a delightful dessert indeed, nutty with the crisp  filo sheets  was a true Mediterranean experience, indeed. We ended our meal in a true Mediterranean way with some mint tea which definitely helps in digestion.

All their ingredients are imported from the Middle east and so for an authentic Mediterranean culinary experience I definitely recommend The Souk. What I personally would specially recommend are their kebabs which are full of flavours , light on the stomach and utterly soft and delicious. And you simply cannot miss their spread of desserts.

Good food does not and cannot come cheap so indulge in some luxurious treat but that which gives complete value for your money. A delightful experience would set you back approximately by Rs3000 to Rs4000 for A la Carte (where you choose from the dishes mentioned above)

This is part of the experience from the Kolkata Food Blogger's team.

Golbari

Golbari 

Legend has it that no one knows whether 'Golbarir mangsho' (a beautiful meat curry from Golbari) created the traffic jam at the crossing point of Shyambazaar or vice-versa but whatever it is the meat curry is this unique oily curry which is good enough to halt traffic.

Now one of the phrases I personally absolutely despise is 'the taste is not what it used to be' or the classic 'it has become very bad' from so and so year without further explanation as to what would be the taste from a by-gone era or why it has become bad. I shall tell you exactly why, this is a common trait of superiority. It is as if the person concerned wants you to consciously feel that you are missing out on a taste which this other person has had the privilege of tasting. of course I would take such opinions seriously if there is a logic with the statement. I agree with a dear friend of mine who is much older than me hence her having tasted it over a greater number of years than I have who had pointed out that she has on certain occasions been disappointed with tough meat from this legendary joint of Calcutta. I myself have had soft succulent tender meat and tough chewy and horrible meat from the eatery in question.

Now I am going to share m y experience not from the past but from the present , which is today 5th March 2014 and I have to say these classic places should always be given the benefit of the doubt.

I usually am not required to go to that part of town much often and so with a visit to Burrabazar I decided this would be the ideal day to explore the favourite part of my city, the classic old Calcutta. My usual exploring of this area means walking around and so walk I did and then when I was tired I decided I needed the much famed and infamous 'Golbarir Kosha Mangsho' Located right at the junction of Shyambazar crossing the eatery is very easy to locate and is housed in the 'New Punjabi Hotel' . To be clear  the name of the restaurant is 'New Punjabi Hotel' , it is called golbari because it literally translates to 'round house' and that coems form the structure if you look at it from the opposite side of the road.

Now there are a few items in this shop but the legendary dish is the 'Kosha mangshi' 'Bhuna Gohst' It is a delicious meat curry which is curried to a point where it appears black in colour, the curry itself is spicy yet hot in a way where the average joe does not have steam blowing out from his ears and these succulant pieces of meat. Now I personally would not advise people to sit down and have a meal at this joint because it is cramped , small and extremely hot. So I packed the 'kosha mangsho' along with a chicken cutlet. Now usually people have this curried meat with 'paranthas' shallow fried flat-bread but the oily curry and shallow fried flatbread is not best friends with my stomach and I much prefer the handmade chapati because it balances out on oiliness since it is soft , moist and the curry is oily, robust and delicious. I did get it packed and the chapatis were not bought from this eatery.

Now I started with the cutlet which was every bit delicious. I shall state that the amount of spices used was perfect for my taste buds since I did not have tears rolling down due to excessive usage of chilis and I could taste the flavours of ginger garlic , chili and coriander leaves. The amount of mince chicken was generous and the coating was thin making it an absolute delight. They had not packed the usual condiment that is served with these snacks, the 'kasundi' a mustard sauce from bengal with a punch and I did try and use my homemade mustard sauce but then I realized when the flavours, the saltiness, spices etc  are so well balanced for my taste buds I wouldn't want some condiment to drown the original taste of the cutlet which is superb.

Truth be told I was a bit skeptical about the curried meat since I myself have had the experience of chewy meat from the place but with one bite I was completely satisfied. You get 4 pieces of succulent meat which is soft enough to be torn with two fingers and that with the soft chapatis is a roller coaster ride through tasty-land. The curry is spicy and oily and a sheer delight. I used both chapati and rice because rice soaks up the oil much better and for my taste buds the mellowed down oiliness due to the mixing with rice works beautifully. So I suggest using chapatis for 2 pieces and rice for the rest . However I must admit that while I received three succulent, soft juicy and tender pieces of meat there was this 1 piece which was horribly chewy, disgustingly dry but then again when 75% of the meat was soft , tender and perfect for my taste buds I see no reason to slam this legendary eatery.

I would say this eatery shall keep halting traffic for years to come.

Chili's Kolkata

Chili's Kolkata

The fajita combo

So Chili's is the latest trendy restaurant in Kolkata. Everybody wants to go there (well I am generalizing) and anybody who has been there cannot stop talking about its amazing food. Now I shall be honest. Initially I hardly was interested in Chili's because it is a chain-restaurant from the USA and since I absolutely dislike pizzas from Dominos and PizzaHut I did not really have a very high opinion of another chain restaurant. A single visit changed my opinion completely.

Located at the trendiest new shopping mall of Kolkata , Quest this restaurant is located on the right side of the 4th floor. The decor is informal and done in red in keeping with the name. While I was there in the mall on a Sunday visiting another joint the queue in front of Chili's was a very long queue and so I was glad that I was paying a visit to the joint on a Tuesday afternoon.

On a weekday afternoon even though there were many diners we easily found a table for three hungry souls. What I like is that the sofa table we chose were firm and comfortable but you do not sink in them since the only time I would personally want to sink in a comfortable sofa is when I am solely relaxing.

The menu is huge and so I did what I usually do, opt for the restaurants classic dish because I personally feel the classic dishes of a restaurant are its best ones and since I was visiting the restaurant for the first time I wanted to try their signature dishes. I had already been told about their gigantic portions and so I wanted to solely try their mains but then again the image of the chicken wings drew all three of us towards it

The delightful chicken wings

So we ordered 1 plate of chicken wing's , I ordered the classic Fajita combo, my friend went in for some Enchiladas and our other friend who does not eat bacon went for the Barbeque chicken salad and requested them that they not serve bacon.

The tad disappointment I had was with their limited option of drinks. I prefer my drinks freshly made which none of their drinks are but even so went in for the lemonade which I found too sweet for my taste but every item is gigantic and so it came in a 500ml tumbler.

The Barbeque chicken salad 

The food arrived quite quickly but even after we had repeatedly requested them to please serve the mains together the salad was served first and when we requested that the dish be served with the other mains we were requested back to put it on one side of the table which according to me is not the ideal service one expects. Since the salad was cold salad and we were three diners seated at a table for 4 we gladly complied but that still does not make it acceptable.

Our starter was soon enough brought in and one bite was enough to transport me to a world of soft succulent chicken coated in this amazing hot sauce which thankfully was not sweet. What you do is to get the full flavour you dip it in the creamy accompaniment and then get lost in the tangy hot flavour along with the creaminess which is perfect for my taste buds.

The enchiladas 

Now our orders followed soon enough and again the sizes are enormous and so we should have ideally taken 2 mains and 1 starter.

The fajita's accompaniment 

My friend's enchiladas were amazingly good because it had a great rice and chicken filling and the tortillas were soft and it was doused in a superb red gravy. The salad was surprisingly good , it was creamy and the ranch dressing was truly delicious and if I am not mistaken there was a drizzle of balsamic vinegar which added its delightful taste as well. To be fair with the portion of my own fajita I hardly tasted the other dishes but my fajita was utterly delicious. The tacos were soft, the fresh salsa was truly fresh and the blob of sour cream was the perfect spread on the tacos along with crumbled dry cheese and the grilled meat. The steak was juicy yet thankfully not overcooked and the chicken was well done enough to be easily cut into pieces with the fork. This entire meal came within Rs750 per person which is inclusive of taxes and service charges and left me uncomfortable because of the portions. I definitely suggest one dish per person and no extra appetizers and I finally understood all the fuss about this joint. I for sure am coming back.

Cafe Military

I have to admit that I usually associate certain cuisines with certain cities and for me Parsi cuisine represents old Bombay. I had made a list of parsi eateries to visit and this tiny eatery was definitely on the list. In today's virtual world the information on a certain topic of your choice is abundant and so I read reviews, noted the route and I was going to have a date with Old Bombay.

The cafe is not that difficult to locate. When going from CST railways station you need to take D.N.Road and then keep walking ahead, walk past Flora Fountain and then look for the Old Oriental Building which bifurcates the road in two on the left side of the road when traveling for CST and keep to one's left. walk straight ahead and you find this unpretentious eatery.

The eatery is not really a cafe. This is a typical Parsi lunch home. From my experience and talks with some of the owners it is clear that most of these Parsi eating establishments were originally intended for office goers who wanted to grab a quick bite during lunch. So they remain closed on Sundays and function between 11a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The decor has been maintained like it was when they opened the gates and so you have the solid wooden tables and chairs along with the addition of a few new age iron chairs , simple and clean. The restaurant isn't air-conditioned but with high celings and thick walls you are in a cool haven. There is a vintage clock and little posters of 'Bawa tips' (Parsi jokes) stuck on the clean but well maintained walls.

The bald smiling server came up to me with the menu but since I already knew about the menu thanks to Zomato I asked for the chicken cutlet gravy and a pack of Chicken Biriyani to be packed for dinner. Their menu keeps changing everyday so that the regular customers do not get bored and you have reason to go back again and again. As expected from these old establishments the servers are extremely courteous. This is one eatery where you get beer at cheap rates (as mentioned by many a reviewer on Zomato) but since I do not drink beer I ordered a glass of lemonade.

What pleased me first was the huge size of the glass. I usually like my fresh lime soda with a balanced taste of sweetness and saltiness and most restaurants make it either a bit too sweet or too salty. This cafe's fresh lime soda was perfect for my taste. It was perfectly chilled and there wasn't any ice which means you get extra value for money.

My chicken cutlet gravy along with six mini sized white sliced bread was served within 7 minutes and at Rs90 the size of the cutlet impressed me and with bite after bite I realized this was a few cafes where the ration of chicken to potato was 80:20 which means you again get value for money and the taste is amazing. Now I feel very uncomfortable clicking pictures at restaurants and so I do not have a visual image but imagine a cutlet which is as big as a big tea cup's saucer, big enough for an entire meal . The cutlet is perfectly crisp on the outside with succulent melt in the mouth minced meat inside. Doused in a balanced gravy it is simply perfect. From what I could make it there was a generous amount of garlic and onions,tomato and jeera dhanu (Cumin and coriander) if I am not mistaken which makes this dish one of the best friend for your taste buds.

I was completely full and since my packaged Biriyani was already placed on my table I was ready to ask for the cheque when the gentle server asked me if i did not want the caramel custard. His tone had suggested that I couldn't but miss it and one spoonful of that dessert and I knew what he was talking about. Somebody has rightly said that you get the best caramel custards of Bombay in this place and I completely agree. It was the creamiest, smoothest and most delicious creme caramel or caramel custard that I have ever had. The caramel was perfectly dark in colour and full of flavour not the usual syrupy liquid but dark, full bodied and a delight. I was almost ready to order a second helping when I realized I would barely be able to move after that and so I left wanting for more which means I am sure to go back as soon as I visit Bombay again.

Now I carried back the Biriyani and had a delightful supper. You see there are numerous types of Biriyani and to compare one with the other is foolishness. The Biriyani here has rice which is moist layered with  the chicken which is cooked in a dry  curry. So you mix everything and then enjoy a hearty meal of chicken rice and curry together. There was the distinct taste of caramelized onions with tomatoes , garlic, ginger and spices blend well .That it was saffron which imparted that yellowish colour was clear because turmeric would inevitably give out a strange smell.

My total bill came to a mere Rs315 . It is completely value for money and in fact econimic.

I definitely recommend a hearty meal at cafe Military.

B.Merwans (Grant Road Mumbai)

A Date with History 

 It was a early Sunday for me. Having slept early the previous night I was thrilled to have woken up at 5 a.m. I love waking up early. I feel fresh, my thoughts are clear and watching the night sky slowly waking up leaves me feeling happy. The other half was participating in some 7km Green run and had left by 4 a.m. and so after a glass of my detox concoction I decided I wanted to download some of my official work and while it was getting downloaded I decided on a sneak peak of my wishlist of restaurants in Bombay since I am due to return to Calcutta in less than a week. On an impulse I was going through B.Merwan's reviews and the first one shocked me. It seemed it was due to close in 42 days. B.Merwan Closing its shutters. I was shocked. 

Alright I did not grow up in Bombay but I grew up in another historic city and I have read enough reviews about this classic eatery which turned a century old this very year. With more and more Parsi diners shutting their doors I feel terrible. When I came to Bombay I immediately fell in love with the history that these Parsi Cafes offer. The solid bentwood chairs, the beautiful marble top tables is more romantic to me than candies and roses. 

It was 5:45 a.m. and I decided I had to immediately get my breakfast from this place which is a witness to history itself. 

So a long train journey later I was stunned with my passion. I have been a visitor of this city for over 1.5 years and have never before mustered courage to change trains at the busiest station of Mumbai and yet I effortlessly pranced from one end to the other. Of course the number of people at 6:15 a.m. overwhelmed me. That can only happen in Bombay. Locating this eatery is really a piece of cake. You get down at Grant station and go to the Eastern side. The shop is right opposite to the station. 

At 7 a.m. it seemed there were at least 200 people buying , shoving, pushing trying to make themselves heard at the counter. I entered and found the place in total chaos. All the tables were taken and I stood there happily stunned when a server rushing by asked me to please enter the inner room and eat my breakfast. Even though he was in a  rush the 'politeness' of his words touched me. 

You have to experience this place with all your senses else you can never ever understand its beauty. There is beauty in those peeling yellow walls in the room where I was seated. As I sat down I wondered how many young lovers might have had their sly romantic tryst sitting on the solid polished bentwood chairs or the beautiful white marble top tables. The two massive mirrors on the walls are pieces of beauty you cannot simply take your eyes off. There was a huge family enjoying their breakfast and that left room for 2 to 3 other parties.

Now there will be no menu provided to you so be sure you check the blackboard in the outer hall listing the items. I simply ordered Scrambled eggs, brun maska , tea and caramel custard. Well this is one joint which actually serves 'bhurji' scrambled eggs and not the special Parsi scrambled eggs, 'Akuri'. While I was breathing in every detail of this iconic place my food arrived within 5 minutes of having ordered it.

Now coming to my food the scrambled eggs were made with green chilies and very few onions but it won me over due to its less salt content. You see the salt and pepper shaker is provided so that you might adjust the salt content as per taste. I declined the bread that comes with the scrambled eggs and instead opted for the brun maska meaning hard bun with butter. This bun has a crispy delightful outer coating and soft fluffy bread freshly baked and slathered with butter. The caramel custard was creamy and good but I have had better ones from other Parsi establishments. The tea is not overly sweet even though it has some amount of sweetness. All this at a mere Rs48 is surely the most economic breakfast you can have. Oh I almost forgot that the scrambled eggs was made with 2 eggs.

What amazed me is that when I asked my smiling courteous server where I might pay he showed me the counter and did not even come along with me. The man behind the desk simply asked me , 'Kitna hua ?' 'How much do you owe us?' I can understand why this place has had a faithful army of customers over the years. This kind of trust between the customer and the owner is rare.

The flaky delightful Kharis

I quite obviously wanted to take back a few goodies and asked him where I might get them and he pointed to the sea of men. Now here are a few tips if you brave the crowd to place your orders. Everyone is in a   rush and no-one behind the take-away counter shall entertain you if you want to take your time. I suggest deciding from before be it what you want or the amount you would like. After a lot of  pushing shoving I finally was in front of the counter and quickly ordered 10 mava cakes, Khari biscuits and bread pudding.

Early birds catch the worm here. At 7:45 a.m. their Jam puffs and sweet buns were sold off. I got back home with two massive sized bread puddings enough to be served to 4 people , 500gm of khari biscuits, 10 mawa cakes at Rs190.

With all that rush activity and demand I still cannot believe they are closing their gates.

The soft fresh hot Bread pudding 

Now coming to the goodies, the mava cake has a nice browned exterior with soft moist interiors and though I have had better ones I shall still say that these are excellent in fact the slightly browned exterior gives it a whole new character than the ultra soft ones. The Khari is flaky and delightful as should be. The bread pudding was creamy, moist , sweet with a dominant flavour of vanilla. I say pay your respect to this century old eatery and you shall be a part of history.

These mava cupcakes at Rs10 are addictive and delightful 

Cafe Churchill

Hidden among a million shops on the Colaba Causeway on the left side of the street when coming from Regal Cinema it is quite possible that one has walked past this tiny haven and not even noticed it. To be fair my only agenda to go to Colaba on a warm (to be truthful almost hot) sunny February afternoon was to dine at this place. After a delightful lunch I realized how right I had been to have added to my wishlist of restaurants to be visited in Bombay.

The decor is a perfect amalgamation of the old and the new. While the walls are redone to a humble modern lilac colour the old wooden menu that hangs from the walls or the beautiful iron grills on some windows is an ode to the past. The place cannot host too many people at one time and I was lucky to have gotten in without waiting. As luck would have it I was seated right next to the big glass refrigerator where they keep all those tempting desserts all of which looked exquisite.

A menu is handed over to you which has the prices written on it and well they have added some items since the days of the wooden menu-tablet on the wall. I had come for some juicy steak and so I chose the hash steak. I must mention here that their menu is extensive and they have something for all pockets .The smiling server asked me if I wanted it medium or well done. I wanted mine medium to well done to which he replied , 'Ah you like your's just perfect' Well when a restaurant appreciates a diner's taste all one can do is wait with breathless apprehension. 8 minutes later I found a beautiful steak with a side of grilled carrots and french beans , mashed potato and a delicious looking steak was served by one server while another was holding a gravy boat very carefully with both hands which seemed a bit unnatural at first and only when they placed it on my table did I realize the reason for the fuss. The gravy boat was filled to the brim so you cannot complain about the serving size.

Well my first bite into the steak and I knew that this would become one of my favourite restaurants. The steak was perfectly done to my taste. It was tender enough to easily use your knife and well perfectly juice yet not overdone. The gravy was amazingly good. From its taste I was certain that it had the full fatty goodness. The little bits of smoked chicken bacon was an additional delight. They had chopped a few french fries in the gravy and I must say it was a surprise bonanza.

While I was enjoying my delightful lunch Aunt Churchill asked me after my meal. Well there might be many a fancy restaurants where the managers ask you the same question but if I ever find one who has as much warmth as aunt churchill did I would be touched. She is constantly on her toes making sure every diner leaves satisfied. With a few tables to look after she personally sees to it that you are not kept waiting.
I was even more impressed when I asked for a glass of water and well at first she had of course asked one of the servers to serve it but finding him busy at another table she personally brought me a glass of water. If this is not being the best host possible I do not know what is.

I was well fed and satisfied yet I simply could not leave without indulging in some dessert . After all I was seated right next to the glass door with all that goody inside. I asked for the Irish Bailey which they did not have and so I asked them for the house special. The grinning server told em all that was on the other side of that glass door was house special . Being a coffee lover I settled for the Irish coffee cheesecake. They took the entire cheesecake to the kitchen and brought back a delightfully large slice of cheesecake. While they were slicing and placing it on my plate I was almost regretting having ordered it since I was quite full but one bite and I knew I would never regret it. A very strong taste of coffee left be giddy like a little girl. I savoured every bite and asked for the bill. The server simply said , '495' so there wasn't really a printed  bill but I did not really mind. Such an amazing lunch for a mere Rs500 seemed every bit the value for money.

While I loved my experience and believe that having had such a scrumptious meal and having met the loveliest of hosts  I shouldn't even try and find any faults I must be honest and so the only reason I would rate is say a 4.5 out of 5 is because of the absence of fresh fruit juices from their menu. Their offering of beverages is limited but then again with an extensive menu for delightful dishes I must say it makes up for more than enough for me. I am definitely going back again and again and again, and I highly recommend this place to any person who loves  western cuisine. 

Kolkata Food Blogger's Table : Tribute to Bengal with a modern twist

Bohemian

Cost - Approximately Rs1500 for 2. Alcohol is not served.

Address : 32/4, Old Ballygunge 1st Lane , Ballygunge, Kolkata

Cuisine : Contemporary and jazzy , a true tribute to traditional Bengali food jazzed up the modern way

It was for years that Calcuttans have had the delectable traditional Bengali fare served by a few restaurants in Calcutta be it Oh! Calcutta, Suruchi, 6, Ballygunge Place, Kasturi and a few other restaurants.                      

 While the city began to be filled with eateries in every nook and cranny Chef Joy suddenly forayed into the Calcutta gastronomical space with his beautifully unique  dishes in 2008. My first encounter was when someone had ordered in a couple of dishes from this joint and well , the meal was memorable even more so with the twist and turns.

So you see there were sandwiches with cumin and pizzas with nigella seeds and it was a beautiful innovation. So I present Chef Joy's delicacies. The consistency of quality and quantity over the years does deserve special mention, though in recent times he did switch his home fries with store bought potato crisps.

Now coming to 10th of November , 2013 , well the day was a bit different since it was my first group meeting with Kolkata Food Bloggers. The choice of restaurant had obviously but delighted me owing to my previous good experience. My dealings with the restaurant has mostly been in the department of home delivery but I did visit the restaurant somewhere in 2012.

Locating the restaurant is quite easy. If you are coming from the north of the city all you do is take Syed Amir Ali Avenue and then at the junction of Ballygunge Phari you take a left turn onto Bondel road and continue for another minute till you reach a small "kali mandir " basically a tree with a small deity and take a left turn yet again and you find the name Bohemian on the right side of the road. From the looks of it you realize it is an old house (well quite new compared to the heritage buildings of Calcutta but nevertheless a home and that itself gives  a very cozy feeling. The interiors is very youthful and jazzy. So there is rock n roll music with innovative pictures of Aerosmith and other Rock , Jazz and musical iconic idols attached with ropes on the big glass wall looking onto the street. The presentation is truly unique. The warm colour of the interiors is comforting as well. Now there aren't too many tables and quite frankly most of the tables are a size smaller for the number of occupants the tables are supposed to occupy. We did originally take a table for 6 but later moved onto a smaller table due to the number of diners being 4 and it being a Sunday. The table in my opinion was a bit too small for comfortable dining. The interiors does full justice to the name with the colourful settings.

The food is well in one word Bengali contemporary. So each dish has some spice which is a common ingredient of most Bengali kitchens but low and behold it is not your usual fare. So there is panch phoron flavoured chicken escallops, gondhoraj julep, Bacon wrapped chciken in aam kasundi sauce and so on so forth.

Chicken escallops flavoured with 'Panch Phoron' 

Gondhoraj Julep 

                                                                                                           
   






We decided on the panch phoron escallops and some refreshing drinks. I had ordered the gondhoraj julep which was delightful at first with the mild aroma and flavour of the beautiful lime and the sharp taste of coriander leaves but over the course of time found the sharp taste of coriander a bit too strong for my taste. Of course I have to mention here  my taste buds like subtle flavours. My fellow diner who had ordered the same drink liked it a lot. The pricing at Rs149 seemed reasonable as compared to the present scenario of dining outside.

The escallops were delightful with the subtle hint of well ground Bengali five spice , the exact amount of salt for my taste. It did not require any condiments due to the beautiful flavours lent by the five spice and when a fellow diner asked for some condiment the server politely informed the same. This one is a perfect start.

Now we did also order Vodka Soaked Prawns but since I am highly allergic to sea food I cannot write about it.

The bacon Wrapped chicken delight

For your main course everything here is A la carte. The crockery is also a tribute to the Bohemian theme , colourful , mismatched and beautiful. I opted for bacon wrapped chicken and my fellow diners had ordered spicy pork curry , Royal Bengal roast mutton and I do not remember the fourth choice. My Bacon wrapped chicken was truly a delight be it for the succulent and juicy chicken pieces and the perfectly baked bacon. The sauce is a beautiful amalgamation of mustard , mangoes and subtle hint of  spices . Along with the rice and tossed vegetables this alone is a sufficient meal. I could not finish off my entire meal and had to pack it but I do have a small appetite. Priced at Rs399 it seems very reasonable. I do clearly remember the distinct taste of my friend's Anglo-Indian Pork curry  and must say it was spicy indeed but delightful. I remember getting a  strong taste of black pepper which beatifies the dish even more.

Gondhoraj Souffle

We were all happily full and yet insisted on dessert and so finally settled for the Gondhoraj souffle which was shared among all 4 diners. While the taste was beautiful with the subtle hint of the zest from the lime and the perfect amount of sugar. It was more a mousse than souffle because it clearly had not been baked. The bill seemed quite reasonable.  The pricing of Rs219 seemed quite reasonable.

In all a delightful lunch with delightful company makes it a wonderful Sunday.

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