Restaurants open and restaurants close. It is almost an everyday affair in rest of the country. Even though a late trend, Kolkata has caught up to this phenomenon. So every couple of months, we hear a few new restaurants which have opened up. The last 6 to 8 months has seen a flurry of new places to dine out. Here are the top 6 which will go a long way.
Afra Tafri opened with a bang with big names like Shatbhi Basu at the helm of the bar, Chef Ranveer Brar for the food and Master Brewer Ishan Grover for the microbrewery. It is a spread out, chic and trendy place with a lot of class. To give it an edge, they call it a transitional gastropub, meaning - during the day it is more of a cafe and at night, it becomes a full-fledged pub. The spirit license may have taken a bit of a setback at the moment, however, the food does all the magic. Try the Mocha E Ulfat, a beautifully executed kabab made with banana flower filled with dry fruits and nuts or Tangra Mein Bhangra - a crispy chilli chicken smothered with chatpata Chinese sauces, chillies and onions. Sweet Nachos is a splendid dessert where the dip is white chocolate mousse with caramel sauce on the side and the nachos being brandy snaps.
The Coastal Macha opened on a small scale with no ‘show sha’ about 8 months back. It was started by two very young persons, they were new in the industry and were sceptical about how it was going to be. Over time, the food spoke, it sang and it danced. Every person that goes to this restaurant comes out with a happy experience. It is all about coastal food, primarily from the Western part of the country. Try the Mutton Ghee Roast or the Prawn Sukka with some Appam and you will be licking your fingers. Just to jazz things a bit, you can also try the Egg Appam and lately they have started quite a number of new dishes with crabs and squids too, which are all worth trying out.
Mamagoto is a name known all over the country. This mini-chain has been doing wonders and the city was all eager to accept this opening with wide arms. Here it is all about the food and even though it may seem expensive, the quality and the quantity make up for it. Try the Bangkok Bowl or the Gyozas or the Prawn Tempura, they are all finger licking delicious. There is something to try for everyone. Even the Honey Chicken With Simple Noodles is a real catch.
Kareem’s has recently opened up in the busy Sector 5 of Salt Lake to the joy of all office goers in the area. It has opened very recently and everything about it is an excellent recipe for success. Now, they may not have the typical Kolkata biryani or the usual Mughlai dishes but theirs is a tried and tested formula which works well everywhere. Try the variety of rolls or the kababs, some Kadai Chicken, Chaap Fry with a naan; it is good and scrumptious food.
Genuine Broaster Chicken is an old name, more than 60 years old worldwide but recently they started their franchise operation in India and suddenly, we saw the opening of several quick service outlets in the city- some small and some big. Whatever the size is, the chicken tastes good. And who does not like fried chicken. Fried Chicken is the solution to all problems and it is a kicker in all celebrations. Along with the legendary chicken with different dips, they also do some unique burgers like a Sanskari Aloo Burger or an Achichi Machhi Burger. Some of their burger buns are even red in colour. Chocolate Samosa and Gulkand Muffins are great dessert options.
The Orienthas recently opened at 2 places - at City Centre 1 and City Centre 2. From the Ambuja Neotia group, this brand was always associated with their resort at Raichak. However bringing it to the mainstream city population is a major move. The food has quality and they strive to give a joyful dining experience. The weekend buffet spread is a great way to sample a lot of their dishes and the spread is overall quite satisfying for a reasonable pricing. This pan-Asian restaurant offers mouth-watering dumplings, exemplary fish and seafood dishes like the Garlic Butter Fish With Asparagus which is delicate and well balanced, creamy oriental curries and much more options to go for.
So the next time you want to go out for dinner, think of trying some place new.
For someone who's run two restaurants, being a baker and cook par excellence comes easily to Madhushree . When she's not eating out, she's organizing her own pop ups or experimenting with regional recipes. Her experiments with food and her recipes are part of Pikturenama , where she's a co founder.
