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| Trying out the Tibetan dish, Thukpa, at Doma Wang’s The Blue Poppy Thakali. Pic by Kaniska Chakraborty |
Intro: This post is about five interesting new restaurants that I visited during my recent trip to Kolkata. For me this was a journey of discovery as I usually stick to the tried and the tested when in the city and rarely try out new places. While the restaurants in this post are ‘new’ to me, Kolkatans might not find them to be that new. This is NOT a ’22 new places to try in Kolkata’ sort of article either. You need to be a local or an avid Googler to be able to do that!
What’s new in Kolkata’s eating out scene?
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| Chef Auroni Mukherjee (in white) at the pass at The Salt House |
The answer
to this question is, ‘lots.’
to this question is, ‘lots.’
I have noticed an explosion of eateries in the city during my recent trips to Kolkata. Things have changed a lot compared to my childhood days there, when all the exciting restaurants were located at Park Street, and when places such as Bansdroni in suburban south Kolkata where we lived, had no eateries to speak of. There are a number of restaurant hubs in Kolkata now and there quite a few new joints springing up in the suburbs too.
I must
confess that I rarely try out new restaurants when I go to Kolkata. My trips to the
city are usually starved on time and my culinary choices there are driven by
nostalgia.
As I wryly say, “why will I have a bagel in Kolkata when I can get to have the
biryani that I so love… and with an extra alu please?”
confess that I rarely try out new restaurants when I go to Kolkata. My trips to the
city are usually starved on time and my culinary choices there are driven by
nostalgia.
As I wryly say, “why will I have a bagel in Kolkata when I can get to have the
biryani that I so love… and with an extra alu please?”
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| Trying out the Moghlai breakfast with Kolkata based food story teller, Indrajit Lahiri, at Sabir’s during my recent visit to the city. I usually stick to the old even when trying out something ‘new’ in Kolkata. |
Nostalgia is a tricky thing of course and living in the past can blind you to the present and that was the case with my Kolkata trips, and I was aware of this.
Things were a bit different in my
recent trip to the city though. I did have a few opportunities left after I had had my fill of
biryani and bhaat maach, to try out some of Kolkata’s younger restaurants’, and I did so.
recent trip to the city though. I did have a few opportunities left after I had had my fill of
biryani and bhaat maach, to try out some of Kolkata’s younger restaurants’, and I did so.
I quite enjoyed the experiences and thought that I should share some of what I discovered with you too.
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| Talking of nostalgia, I was most thrilled to come across the chambers my dad used to consult from as an orthopaedic surgeon after we had moved into Kolkata. I used to come here after school with my mother and he would take us to Jimmy’s Kitchen for lunch. He would then take a nap before work in his chambers while mom and I would head back home. This was about 35 yrs back |
Doma Wang’s The Blue Poppy
Thakali, Middleton Street, Sikkim House
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| Steamed pork momos at the top centre, fried momos to the left, kothey at the base Blue Poppy Thakali |
The ever
smiling and very vivacious, Doma Wang, or Doma di as she is known here, is
hardly a new face for the food lovers of Kolkata. She is a Tibetan, who hails from Kalimpong in Bengal. Doma is
behind the city’s popular Blue Poppy restaurant which is 15 years old
now and which has shifted locations over the years. The main branch is at the Sikkim House.
smiling and very vivacious, Doma Wang, or Doma di as she is known here, is
hardly a new face for the food lovers of Kolkata. She is a Tibetan, who hails from Kalimpong in Bengal. Doma is
behind the city’s popular Blue Poppy restaurant which is 15 years old
now and which has shifted locations over the years. The main branch is at the Sikkim House.
The family run Tibetan restaurants with no names as such, tucked away inside old apartments in Elgin Road and Bhowanipore in Kolkata, had introduced my generation of college students to momos, the Tibetan dumpling, in the mid 1990s. Made with pork of course, fried and steamed both, and with the ever welcome, hunger busting, and most importantly free, pork broth soup.
It was in the mid 2000s, when I had moved out to Mumbai, that I learnt Blue Poppy is where Kolkata’s momo action had shifted to. We went there with a friend in 2014.
A few years later I got to meet Doma in person in Mumbai and became friends, but then who wouldn’t with someone who is always so full of life and hope and good cheer.
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| With Doma Wang and Manishita Ghosh at Thakali. Manishita had first brought K and me to Blue Poppy years back |
Doma has
opened a couple of new restaurants in Kolkata now to add to her her evergreen Blue Poppy brand. Shim Shim, which has a beef based menu, and
Blue Poppy Thakali which she runs with her daughter, Sachiko. I went to Thakali
this time as a part of a party thrown by the same friends, Manishita and her husband Kaniska, who have been Blue
Poppy loyalists for years. Our first visit to Blue Poppy was with M. Joining us this time were their ‘building complex friends.’
opened a couple of new restaurants in Kolkata now to add to her her evergreen Blue Poppy brand. Shim Shim, which has a beef based menu, and
Blue Poppy Thakali which she runs with her daughter, Sachiko. I went to Thakali
this time as a part of a party thrown by the same friends, Manishita and her husband Kaniska, who have been Blue
Poppy loyalists for years. Our first visit to Blue Poppy was with M. Joining us this time were their ‘building complex friends.’
Blue Poppy Thakali is
located in the same Sikkim House complex where the original Blue Poppy is. The look and feel of the new place is quite different. While the décor at Blue Poppy is rather utilitarian,
Delhi state bhavan like, Thakali gives you the feeling of having come to the
apartment of a young upwardly mobile, urban Indian couple. It exudes a warm and
welcoming vibe, is spacious and offers both table and floor seatings.
located in the same Sikkim House complex where the original Blue Poppy is. The look and feel of the new place is quite different. While the décor at Blue Poppy is rather utilitarian,
Delhi state bhavan like, Thakali gives you the feeling of having come to the
apartment of a young upwardly mobile, urban Indian couple. It exudes a warm and
welcoming vibe, is spacious and offers both table and floor seatings.
Blue Poppy Thakali
offers a ‘Himalayan menu’ says Doma. So along with her usual Tibetan, Bhutanese and
Chinese fare, there are some Nepali dishes on offer too. The sort I had first tried at Yeti in Delhi’s HKV complex. The fare
at Thakali is meat dominated.
offers a ‘Himalayan menu’ says Doma. So along with her usual Tibetan, Bhutanese and
Chinese fare, there are some Nepali dishes on offer too. The sort I had first tried at Yeti in Delhi’s HKV complex. The fare
at Thakali is meat dominated.
I really enjoyed the pork momos at Thakali. We had steamed (the bhalo chhele’s choice), deep fried (I love these) and Kothay (fried at the base).
The last is Kaniska’s favourite and now, mine too. The casing in each was pleasantly thin this time around and not chewy as they were during my first visit to Blue Poppy. The pork mince inside was flavoursome. The pork was more finely minced than I had found it to be in the momos in Guwahati recently. There was a cheese and potato momo for the vegetarians at our table. I was too pre-occupied by the pork ones to try those.
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| Pork Pan Fried noodles, Thakali |
Manishita ordered
the pork pan fried noodles by ‘mistake’ it seems as there was some other noodle
dish that she had meant to order. I am glad she had done so, because the crunchy noodles with a flavour packed pork and vegetable saucy
topping at Thakali made for one of the nicest noodles dishes that I have had in Kolkata in a
long time. I must add that I have been increasingly disillusioned by the quality of the Chinese food that I have had in Kolkata classics of late (most recently a take home from the very Bengali Hatari) and this was a welcome change.
the pork pan fried noodles by ‘mistake’ it seems as there was some other noodle
dish that she had meant to order. I am glad she had done so, because the crunchy noodles with a flavour packed pork and vegetable saucy
topping at Thakali made for one of the nicest noodles dishes that I have had in Kolkata in a
long time. I must add that I have been increasingly disillusioned by the quality of the Chinese food that I have had in Kolkata classics of late (most recently a take home from the very Bengali Hatari) and this was a welcome change.
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| Fried pork…Thakali |
The sliced pork that we had at Thakali which had a thin, Mumbai bombil fry like semolina batter coating, gave us a lot of joy too. The texture of the pork was truly lovely and the batter gave just the right hint of crunch.
The
revelation of the evening at Blue Poppy Thakali was the thukpa, which is pronounced with the ‘k, as Doma will
remind you. Thukpa refers to any Tibetan noodle soup Doma explained. She told me
that she had made me one with pork and white radish, which the Tibetans love, and had ditched the
vegetables that she adds in the standard version in this case.
revelation of the evening at Blue Poppy Thakali was the thukpa, which is pronounced with the ‘k, as Doma will
remind you. Thukpa refers to any Tibetan noodle soup Doma explained. She told me
that she had made me one with pork and white radish, which the Tibetans love, and had ditched the
vegetables that she adds in the standard version in this case.
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| Mid way through the epic pork thukpa at The Blue Poppy Thakali |
The thukpa at Thekali just blew
me away. The noodles were firm, the broth spoke of the intensity of the pork stock in every sip, almost in the best
traditions of a good Japanese ramen. The pork pieces in the thukpa were soft and delectably fatty. A far cry from the rather watery and bland thukpa that I had had at Blue Poppy in
2014 which had left me cold then.
This one was just brilliant.
me away. The noodles were firm, the broth spoke of the intensity of the pork stock in every sip, almost in the best
traditions of a good Japanese ramen. The pork pieces in the thukpa were soft and delectably fatty. A far cry from the rather watery and bland thukpa that I had had at Blue Poppy in
2014 which had left me cold then.
This one was just brilliant.
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| Nepali alu dam and shel roti, The Blue Poppy Thekali |
I did try
some of the Nepali dishes at Thakali, such as the doughnut meets jalebi, rice flour
and milk based fried bread, shel roti, and alu dum, which was interesting. The other
dishes that I tried such as the mustard oil heavy Wai Wai chaat and the pork curry in the
pork thali were a bit sharp and pungent for my palate to be honest but if that works for you then do try
that out. I am not big on spicy food I must add.
The thali had a black udad dal which I had eaten at Guwahati too and that was soothing.
some of the Nepali dishes at Thakali, such as the doughnut meets jalebi, rice flour
and milk based fried bread, shel roti, and alu dum, which was interesting. The other
dishes that I tried such as the mustard oil heavy Wai Wai chaat and the pork curry in the
pork thali were a bit sharp and pungent for my palate to be honest but if that works for you then do try
that out. I am not big on spicy food I must add.
The thali had a black udad dal which I had eaten at Guwahati too and that was soothing.
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| Our merry bunch at The Thakali Blue Poppy |
Rahul Arora’s Paranthe
Wali Galli by Bon Appetit, 104 Lake Terrace
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| Laddoo paratha at Paranthe Wali Galli |
Rahul Arora, the owner of Paranthe Wali Galli, is a young chef and a Kolkata boy. He returned to his home town after having studied hotel management
at Aurangabad and then having worked as a chef in the ITC Hotel Group in Delhi. I had
met him during my book launch in Kolkata a couple of years back and found him to be a very bright and
cheerful person. Turns out that he is a fellow alumni of St James’ School, Kolkata. Since then, we
have often had discussions on Facebook reminiscing about the school canteen even though we
belong to different generations.
at Aurangabad and then having worked as a chef in the ITC Hotel Group in Delhi. I had
met him during my book launch in Kolkata a couple of years back and found him to be a very bright and
cheerful person. Turns out that he is a fellow alumni of St James’ School, Kolkata. Since then, we
have often had discussions on Facebook reminiscing about the school canteen even though we
belong to different generations.
Rahul told
me that he returned to Kolkata as he wanted to set up restaurants and cafes of
his own where his own vision of food could come to fore. He said that he had
learnt a lot in catering school and then at the five star hotel kitchens. However, after a while he felt the need
for a creative outlet and not being able to have one was got to him, Therefore he decided to move on and try out things by himself. He found the answers he sought finally in his own space. The smile returned firmly to his face it seems during this journey of self discovery.
me that he returned to Kolkata as he wanted to set up restaurants and cafes of
his own where his own vision of food could come to fore. He said that he had
learnt a lot in catering school and then at the five star hotel kitchens. However, after a while he felt the need
for a creative outlet and not being able to have one was got to him, Therefore he decided to move on and try out things by himself. He found the answers he sought finally in his own space. The smile returned firmly to his face it seems during this journey of self discovery.
Rahul has now set up some very popular cafes in Kolkata which go under the names of Bon Apetitit, Café Pranah and Paranthe Wali Galli. The food in each is different from each other from what I gather and is priced reasonably, making it popular with the city’s youth in particular.
I’d been wanting to try out his restaurants for a
while especially ever since my friend and his former teacher, Debjani Banerjee, recommended it to me though the first to tell me about them was Rukshana Kapadia. I finally made it to one, the Paranthe Wali Galli, this time. Giving me
company was city based food blogger, Alokeparna Ghosh, who had recently been to
a quinoa based cooking workshop at Café Pranah and said that she was most impressed by the experience. We got to meet Rahul himself at Paranthe Walli and he hosted us for a lively breakfast with big hearted Punjabi generosity.
while especially ever since my friend and his former teacher, Debjani Banerjee, recommended it to me though the first to tell me about them was Rukshana Kapadia. I finally made it to one, the Paranthe Wali Galli, this time. Giving me
company was city based food blogger, Alokeparna Ghosh, who had recently been to
a quinoa based cooking workshop at Café Pranah and said that she was most impressed by the experience. We got to meet Rahul himself at Paranthe Walli and he hosted us for a lively breakfast with big hearted Punjabi generosity.
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| Rahul in his happy place |
As the name
suggests, Paranthe Wale Galli offers parathas (and some side dishes such as kheema too), and a crazy range of them at that. The parathas are the Punjabi home styled ones which are made on a flat tava with very little
oil. Not the deep fried ones of the original Paranthe Wali Galli lane of Delhi’s Chandni Chowk. The parathas at Rahul’s are made with
wholewheat flour and are prepared fresh on order. In each paratha,
the stuffing is rather generous and you get more of the stuffing than the flour in them.
suggests, Paranthe Wale Galli offers parathas (and some side dishes such as kheema too), and a crazy range of them at that. The parathas are the Punjabi home styled ones which are made on a flat tava with very little
oil. Not the deep fried ones of the original Paranthe Wali Galli lane of Delhi’s Chandni Chowk. The parathas at Rahul’s are made with
wholewheat flour and are prepared fresh on order. In each paratha,
the stuffing is rather generous and you get more of the stuffing than the flour in them.
My
favourite among what we tried was the paratha with bits of chicken, a slight hint of cheese and
oregano. A paratha that was Italian at heart and yet very Punjabi on the surface. Rahul made a paratha specially for
me with laal shaakh (Amaranth leaves) and a bit of cheese to bind the leaves. This brought back for me childhood memories of having laal shaak with rice and seeing the rice turn red
(laal). We tried the mutton and pudina paratha too which had a more familiar North Indian restaurant taste to it.
favourite among what we tried was the paratha with bits of chicken, a slight hint of cheese and
oregano. A paratha that was Italian at heart and yet very Punjabi on the surface. Rahul made a paratha specially for
me with laal shaakh (Amaranth leaves) and a bit of cheese to bind the leaves. This brought back for me childhood memories of having laal shaak with rice and seeing the rice turn red
(laal). We tried the mutton and pudina paratha too which had a more familiar North Indian restaurant taste to it.
However, the the paratha which made me gawk with surprise and roll with pleasure was the laddoo (!) paratha.
Rahul offers a range of dessert parathas and this one is stuffed with mihi
dana, a sweet famous made famous by the town of Burdwan in Bengal. The
combination sounded crazy to me but the sweetness of the softy and syrupy mihi dana
laddoo boondi encased in a crisp, savoury paratha combined like magic. It was like the pairing of Shahrukh and Kajol in DDLJ. A movie I had seen while in college in Kolkata.
Kolkata has
a rich tradition of Punjabi run dhaabas, set up initially to feed the trucking
community that came to the city, and which later became favourites of all. With
Paranthe Wala Galli, it seemed as if the deeply spiritual and very hard working and ever smiling Rahul Arora, was taking
their legacy ahead.
a rich tradition of Punjabi run dhaabas, set up initially to feed the trucking
community that came to the city, and which later became favourites of all. With
Paranthe Wala Galli, it seemed as if the deeply spiritual and very hard working and ever smiling Rahul Arora, was taking
their legacy ahead.
No cappuccinos here, but I didn’t miss it even though I had dropped in for breakfast as Rahul made a fatela (hand whisked) coffee with regular Nescafe instant, milk and sugar, for me which packed quite a punch.
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| The Jacobean coffee meet. |
But what of the #FirstCappuccinoOfTheDay, a hashtag you might recognise from my Instagram stories? This time around, I found better answers in Kolkata than I have in the past barring at the ITC Sonar, where we often stay and who do a great cappuccino.
Let me tell you about the cafes I discovered this time.
The new cafes
of Kolkata
of Kolkata
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| Americano and cappuccino at the 8th Day Cafe & Bakery |
“Please try
out our new cafes sir. We now have some nice ones in Kolkata too now and I am sure you will find some of them perfect for your #FirstCappuccinoOfTheDay,” said Raina Kshetry.
out our new cafes sir. We now have some nice ones in Kolkata too now and I am sure you will find some of them perfect for your #FirstCappuccinoOfTheDay,” said Raina Kshetry.
Raina
is a bright young food blogger who is from Kolkata but who works at Bangalore right now. I met her and Ritika Jaiswal, an even
younger food blogger from Kolkata (Raina loves to baby her), at the Café Coffee Day outlet at Bansdroni, opposite my home in Kolkata, one rainy morning.
Places like Coffee Day were inconceivable in Bansdroni till a few years back.
This outlet is a favourite of both my mother and I when we were are in
town.
is a bright young food blogger who is from Kolkata but who works at Bangalore right now. I met her and Ritika Jaiswal, an even
younger food blogger from Kolkata (Raina loves to baby her), at the Café Coffee Day outlet at Bansdroni, opposite my home in Kolkata, one rainy morning.
Places like Coffee Day were inconceivable in Bansdroni till a few years back.
This outlet is a favourite of both my mother and I when we were are in
town.
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| That’s Raina in the middle and Ritika to her left at CCD, Bandroni |
Thanks to the cabins of North and Central Kolkata such as Basanta Cabin, Dilkhusa Cabin, Mitra Cabin and so on, plus the venerable Indian Coffee House of College Street, and Flurys, the tea room at Park Street, Kolkata is no stranger to the café culture. This is the city of adda after all. I have spotted many small cafes across the bylanes of Kolkata, especially in the stretch between Deshopriyo Park and Jodhpur Park. I even went to one called Abar Baithak with Debjani Banerjee, a friend and a city based food enthusiast, a year or so back. The place smacked of the cosiness of a neighbourhood cafe.
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| With Debjani Banerjee at the book themed Abar Baithak in 2017 |
Raina, however, was alluding to the sort of new age cafes which you will find across most big cities in the world today and which are a hub for young, urban folks across the world to hang out. One of the earliest such ones in Kolkata would perhaps be Mrs Magpie to an extent, but that is a bakery first and then a cafe.
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| Dilkhusa Cabin, College Street, which I visited too this time around |
I took Raina’s recommendations seriously and went to two of Kolkata’s more modern ‘world cafés’ (my term) this time. Both located near Minto Park which is of course officially known as the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Udyan.
Artsy, Minto Park
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| Fish and chips, mushroom pate, cappuccino and a latte at Artsy |
Artsy was one of Raina’s recommendations and I went there
one evening with Poorna Banerjee, a Kolkata based food enthusiast, blogger
and brand consultant. She is fond of the place too.
one evening with Poorna Banerjee, a Kolkata based food enthusiast, blogger
and brand consultant. She is fond of the place too.
Artsy was fairly empty when we reached at 7 pm on a weekday. The decor with its white theme reminded me of a Mediterranean lounge. There was
a sense of serenity and calm to the place. When I later spoke to Dr Debanuj Dasgupta, a
college friend of mine who is now a professor in the US and who has come to Kolkata
to work on a project. about my visit. Debu told me that he often goes to Artsy to work. He said that
when it gets too noisy there, a member of the staff goes to each table and apparently
requests folks to keep their calm. If you had not guessed by now, ‘art’ lies at
the core of the café and works by artists are exhibited here.
a sense of serenity and calm to the place. When I later spoke to Dr Debanuj Dasgupta, a
college friend of mine who is now a professor in the US and who has come to Kolkata
to work on a project. about my visit. Debu told me that he often goes to Artsy to work. He said that
when it gets too noisy there, a member of the staff goes to each table and apparently
requests folks to keep their calm. If you had not guessed by now, ‘art’ lies at
the core of the café and works by artists are exhibited here.
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| With Poorna Banerjee at Arsty |
But what
about the food? Well you won’t catch me, and definitely not Poorna it seems, at a place
where the food is not good and there were no such problems at Artsy.
about the food? Well you won’t catch me, and definitely not Poorna it seems, at a place
where the food is not good and there were no such problems at Artsy.
My cappuccino,
made with Blue Tokai beans, was deep and consistent in both taste and texture, and very pleasing.
made with Blue Tokai beans, was deep and consistent in both taste and texture, and very pleasing.
Poorna suggested having a
mushroom pate, and in terms of its quality, I could see the dish finding its place easily in any café that valued food, anywhere in the world.
mushroom pate, and in terms of its quality, I could see the dish finding its place easily in any café that valued food, anywhere in the world.
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| Fish and chips at Artsy |
What was
very Calcutta though was the fish and chips that I ordered at Artsy. Let me explain
why.
very Calcutta though was the fish and chips that I ordered at Artsy. Let me explain
why.
Fish and chips is as British a dish as it gets and Kolkata was once the second
city of the empire after all! The fish used at Artsy is bhetki, which is revered
in Kolkata, and not cod as is common in Old Blighty. Eat local and stuff you know. No basa here of course!
city of the empire after all! The fish used at Artsy is bhetki, which is revered
in Kolkata, and not cod as is common in Old Blighty. Eat local and stuff you know. No basa here of course!
The love we Bengalis have for fish was evident in the way the bhetki was prepared at Artsy. Unlike in the fish and
chips which I have had in the pubs of London, at Artsy it was more about celebrating the taste fish
and not just that of the batter. The batter coating was a lot thinner than I have found it
to be in London and had more flavour too and was seasoned perfectly. The bhetki fillet
inside was generous in size. It was rendered juicy and was not overcooked and it was so complete in taste that you did not
really need the tartare sauce that was served on the side. The fish and chips at Artsy left one with the feeling that it was as if Kolkata is
where the fish and chips came to be perfected.
chips which I have had in the pubs of London, at Artsy it was more about celebrating the taste fish
and not just that of the batter. The batter coating was a lot thinner than I have found it
to be in London and had more flavour too and was seasoned perfectly. The bhetki fillet
inside was generous in size. It was rendered juicy and was not overcooked and it was so complete in taste that you did not
really need the tartare sauce that was served on the side. The fish and chips at Artsy left one with the feeling that it was as if Kolkata is
where the fish and chips came to be perfected.
Since this is an important factor in modern day eateries, let me add that the loo at Artsy was quite clean and well maintained. As it is, in our Bansdroni CCD I must add, though it does not look as posh as Artsy’s. They make quite nice cappuccino too at this CCD and I am so happy that have opened at Bansdroni!
Grant Walsh’s 8th
Day Cafe & Bakery, Arcadia AJC Bose Road
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| Cappuccino, American and Bagel at 8th Day |
This is one
place that I was really keen to go before I left for Mumbai, especially after Raina’s fervent recommendation of it. “It’s my favourite place in Kolkata sir.”
I
did take a bit of a calculated risk and went there on my way to the airport from Paranthe Walli and
good old Alokeparna gave me company. Thankfully I made it to my flight later without any adventure.
place that I was really keen to go before I left for Mumbai, especially after Raina’s fervent recommendation of it. “It’s my favourite place in Kolkata sir.”
I
did take a bit of a calculated risk and went there on my way to the airport from Paranthe Walli and
good old Alokeparna gave me company. Thankfully I made it to my flight later without any adventure.
It was
raining when I reached 8th Day. I got off from the cab, took my suitcase and ran in,
using a box, in which Rahul had packed a red velvet cake pancake (!) paratha for the missus, as an umbrella. The packaging quality was very good and the paratha reached Mumbai safely despite our little adventure.
I broke
into a smile the moment I stepped in to the cafe. This was just the sort of café that I am used to going to back home in Mumbai and which I seek out during my travels across the world. My wife and I are both big city people. Cafes are where we head to feel centred wile on the road, and for a good cappuccino of course. The 8th Day Cafe & Bakery, set up by an expat American Grant Walsh, seemed like it was just up our street.
raining when I reached 8th Day. I got off from the cab, took my suitcase and ran in,
using a box, in which Rahul had packed a red velvet cake pancake (!) paratha for the missus, as an umbrella. The packaging quality was very good and the paratha reached Mumbai safely despite our little adventure.
I broke
into a smile the moment I stepped in to the cafe. This was just the sort of café that I am used to going to back home in Mumbai and which I seek out during my travels across the world. My wife and I are both big city people. Cafes are where we head to feel centred wile on the road, and for a good cappuccino of course. The 8th Day Cafe & Bakery, set up by an expat American Grant Walsh, seemed like it was just up our street.
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| With Alokeparna Ghosh, 8th Day Cafe & Bakery |
I loved the way the big windows had been
used at 8th Day and how the natural light that came in through them bathed the place with a liberal dash of good
cheer. The sense of warmth seeped on to the young staff members as well and they turned out to be most
friendly and cheerful. One young man at the counter offered me a tissue to dry myself from the rain, just as my
mother would! The staff was quite well versed with the menu and responded well for my need for speed given that I had to catch a flight.
used at 8th Day and how the natural light that came in through them bathed the place with a liberal dash of good
cheer. The sense of warmth seeped on to the young staff members as well and they turned out to be most
friendly and cheerful. One young man at the counter offered me a tissue to dry myself from the rain, just as my
mother would! The staff was quite well versed with the menu and responded well for my need for speed given that I had to catch a flight.
Alokeparna chose an Americano while I had one of the nicest cappuccinos that I have had in
a long while. The foam in it was nice and firm, not wobbly at all. The coffee was strong the way I like it. I am told that this is one of the few places in
Kolkata that roasts its own beans. The efforts taken for this showed in the quality of the coffee.
a long while. The foam in it was nice and firm, not wobbly at all. The coffee was strong the way I like it. I am told that this is one of the few places in
Kolkata that roasts its own beans. The efforts taken for this showed in the quality of the coffee.
I had a
bagel too. Chewy the way I am told it is in NYC. I must say that the taste and texture of the bagel overshadowed the fillings inside…egg, cheese, tomatoes, pesto. I ate
half of the bagel at the café and the other half in the flight a couple of hours later. The bagel tasted good mid air too and hadn’t become crumbly at all. The baker should get credit for this.
bagel too. Chewy the way I am told it is in NYC. I must say that the taste and texture of the bagel overshadowed the fillings inside…egg, cheese, tomatoes, pesto. I ate
half of the bagel at the café and the other half in the flight a couple of hours later. The bagel tasted good mid air too and hadn’t become crumbly at all. The baker should get credit for this.
I could definitely see my wife and I coming to visit the place when we next come to Kolkata.
Oh, and the loo? Not bad.
Oh, and the loo? Not bad.
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| Looks like I have finally found my spot in Kolkata This is at the 8th Day Cafe & Bakery |
The Salt
House Kolkata, 40 Shakespeare Sarani, Elgin Road
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| A salad which reflect what chef Auroni is trying to do at the Salt House. Smoked salmon with local radish greens and hasher deem (duck eggs) that were once so popular in Bengal |
The Salt
House is possibly the most talked about new standalone restaurant in Kolkata if one goes
by the noise that I have picked up on social media. I’ve had two dinners there over my last couple of trips to the city. Each time with a different set of friends, locals who are big fans of the restaurant.
House is possibly the most talked about new standalone restaurant in Kolkata if one goes
by the noise that I have picked up on social media. I’ve had two dinners there over my last couple of trips to the city. Each time with a different set of friends, locals who are big fans of the restaurant.
 |
| My fist visit to The Salt House was quite a few months back and was with my dear friends Rukshana Kapadia and Suneha Saha of the Kolkata Food Fanatics |
I met the
chef of the restaurant, Auroni Mukherjee, in Mumbai for the first time in person sometime soon after my first visit
to the restaurant. We had a long chat that evening on what he is trying to achieve through The Salt
House and I found his story interesting. He is young. Still in his 20s I think
and he likes to remind me of the fact that we belong to different generations!
Auroni is Bengali, but a probashi (expat) one, and has never lived in Kolkata before this. He
used to work in advertising but decided to quit and pursue his love for food and for
cooking. While in Mumbai he experimented with both the pop up and home delivery
models but neither quenched his thirst for scale. So he joined Café Zoe as a
chef and worked and trained there under chef Viraf Patel for a year. When Auroni got to
know about the opportunity to work at The Salt House, he took it up with both
hands.
chef of the restaurant, Auroni Mukherjee, in Mumbai for the first time in person sometime soon after my first visit
to the restaurant. We had a long chat that evening on what he is trying to achieve through The Salt
House and I found his story interesting. He is young. Still in his 20s I think
and he likes to remind me of the fact that we belong to different generations!
Auroni is Bengali, but a probashi (expat) one, and has never lived in Kolkata before this. He
used to work in advertising but decided to quit and pursue his love for food and for
cooking. While in Mumbai he experimented with both the pop up and home delivery
models but neither quenched his thirst for scale. So he joined Café Zoe as a
chef and worked and trained there under chef Viraf Patel for a year. When Auroni got to
know about the opportunity to work at The Salt House, he took it up with both
hands.
The owners of the restaurants are two young ladies, Prachi Saraongi and
Saloni Jhunjunwala, who are both from Kolkata though they are not Bengali themselves. They love food and Kolkata both and
wanted to created something in the food space that the city could be proud of, and in Auroni found
the piece to complete the puzzle it seems.
Saloni Jhunjunwala, who are both from Kolkata though they are not Bengali themselves. They love food and Kolkata both and
wanted to created something in the food space that the city could be proud of, and in Auroni found
the piece to complete the puzzle it seems.
If you walk
into The Salt House then you will realise that it looks like anything but the classic ‘continental’
restaurants of Kolkata’s Park Street. Be it the ambiance, the
partly open kitchen, the bright yellow lights, the superbly clean & posh toilets,
the young and friendly service staff who are NOT wearing turbans and in the way
that the dishes on the table are plated, you will find no resemblance to the
world of the Mocambos, Peter Cats, Oasises, Moulin Rouges or Kwalitys at the Salt House.
It belongs to a
different planet. That of Theatre Road!
into The Salt House then you will realise that it looks like anything but the classic ‘continental’
restaurants of Kolkata’s Park Street. Be it the ambiance, the
partly open kitchen, the bright yellow lights, the superbly clean & posh toilets,
the young and friendly service staff who are NOT wearing turbans and in the way
that the dishes on the table are plated, you will find no resemblance to the
world of the Mocambos, Peter Cats, Oasises, Moulin Rouges or Kwalitys at the Salt House.
It belongs to a
different planet. That of Theatre Road!
Auroni,
like all Bengalis, loves to read. He studies the work of chefs across the world for inspiration. There is a naïve sense of discovery in him when it comes to working with the
produce and ingredients of Bengal as he has not grown up here.
This makes him approach them with a sense of childish awe in the kitchen. The lack of baggage leads to some interesting free style and yet food centric experiments in his kitchen
like all Bengalis, loves to read. He studies the work of chefs across the world for inspiration. There is a naïve sense of discovery in him when it comes to working with the
produce and ingredients of Bengal as he has not grown up here.
This makes him approach them with a sense of childish awe in the kitchen. The lack of baggage leads to some interesting free style and yet food centric experiments in his kitchen
 |
| Listening with rapt attention to chef Auroni with birthday boy Kaniska, his wife Manishita, his mom and his mom in law, and the chef’s mom who is a former journalist. It was bring your mom to play day that night it seems. |
I have
eaten dishes which are on the menu during my first time at the Salt House. We experienced a Omakase meal, the second time around, which Auroni had conjured for a
family dinner that my friend Kaniska was hosting on his birthday and had invited me to. I had stayed on in Kolkata to be a part of this.
eaten dishes which are on the menu during my first time at the Salt House. We experienced a Omakase meal, the second time around, which Auroni had conjured for a
family dinner that my friend Kaniska was hosting on his birthday and had invited me to. I had stayed on in Kolkata to be a part of this.
Auroni believes in the values of using local and seasonal produce. There were a lot of ideas based on this buzzing behind the dishes on offer at The Salt House.
Did every
dish that I had at the Salt House wow me? The ideas and stories behind each were captivating and they held great potential. Some experiments were interesting. Others mind blowing,
dish that I had at the Salt House wow me? The ideas and stories behind each were captivating and they held great potential. Some experiments were interesting. Others mind blowing,
 |
| Parshe maach aglio olio with parshe fillet. Plated prettily to make a non fish loving fussy eater like me try it. Once I did, I realised it was a good old parshe machher jhol sans the bones. Served with buttered bread and not rice here. |
There were four dishes that I had over my two visits to the Salt House, that had me in their spell.
Two of the dishes were all about unbridled hedonism. They were the stuff your mother had always warned you about and which you would yet keep going back to in a trance.
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| Visit 1: Egg yolk carbonara |
One was the egg yolk ravioli carbonara. I had this on my first visit to the restaurant and this too is not on the menu but can be ordered on request. It consists delicately textured ravioli with an egg yolk encased inside, draped in an intense cheese sauce, with finely chopped guanciale (pig’s cheek) joining the party.
Seeing the egg pop out when you cut through the thin ravioli casing would have made the chefs of the legendary Blue Fox and Sky Room of Kolkata so proud.
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| Guanciale prawns |
The other dish, is
what Aurani calls ‘guanciale prawns’ and which were part of the Omakase meal the second time around. These are river prawns wrapped in pork cheeks (guanciale), fried and
served in a prawn marrow and guanciale salt infused Hollandaise sauce. Try explaining the lure of Monica Bellucci in a few cold words and your will understand how I might have just failed you right now.
what Aurani calls ‘guanciale prawns’ and which were part of the Omakase meal the second time around. These are river prawns wrapped in pork cheeks (guanciale), fried and
served in a prawn marrow and guanciale salt infused Hollandaise sauce. Try explaining the lure of Monica Bellucci in a few cold words and your will understand how I might have just failed you right now.
Both of
these dishes made me whatsapp my wife the moment I had them and tell her that I
had to bring her here the next time we were in Kolkata. Unlike Swadhin Bharat or Putiram, which I had written about in my earlier post, this was her territory.
these dishes made me whatsapp my wife the moment I had them and tell her that I
had to bring her here the next time we were in Kolkata. Unlike Swadhin Bharat or Putiram, which I had written about in my earlier post, this was her territory.
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| Mutton bourguignon |
I was also
impressed by Auroni’s take on the French classic slow cooked winter dish, the beef bourguignon,
which he had made with mutton (goat meat) instead of beef at the Salt House. A meat which is possisbly more appropriate for the grimy weather of Kolkata than beef. The sauce in Auroni’s mutton bourguinon was definitely more well balanced in terms of
flavour than the beef stew that I had at Montmartre in Paris. We couldn’t score a
boulignon there as it was not winter when we were in Paris so the stew came closest to one.
impressed by Auroni’s take on the French classic slow cooked winter dish, the beef bourguignon,
which he had made with mutton (goat meat) instead of beef at the Salt House. A meat which is possisbly more appropriate for the grimy weather of Kolkata than beef. The sauce in Auroni’s mutton bourguinon was definitely more well balanced in terms of
flavour than the beef stew that I had at Montmartre in Paris. We couldn’t score a
boulignon there as it was not winter when we were in Paris so the stew came closest to one.
The other
dish that stole my heart at The Salt House was diametrically different from the three that I have just described. Unlike the earlier ones, this was a dish that you could bring home to meet your mother. A dish that Auroni said he that had ‘cooked
from his heart.’
dish that stole my heart at The Salt House was diametrically different from the three that I have just described. Unlike the earlier ones, this was a dish that you could bring home to meet your mother. A dish that Auroni said he that had ‘cooked
from his heart.’
 |
| Daal Bhaat Bhaaja at The Salt House |
It is a risotto that he calls dal, bhaat and bhaaja. Made with roasted moong
dal, a tribute to the khichuris of Bengal, slow cooked with 5 kinds of rice indigenous
to Bengal, but not with the turmeric base of a khichuri. It is a delightfully creamy dish, where the creaminess comes from the use of
cauliflower stalks and where you would be surprised to hear that there is no Bechemel
sauce or cheese added in. The rice was topped with my favourite Jharna ghee from Bengal. It was erved with a tempura of sliced aubergine, a tribute to the beguni had with
khichuri, on the side, and fried sliced potatoes and the peels of gourd.
dal, a tribute to the khichuris of Bengal, slow cooked with 5 kinds of rice indigenous
to Bengal, but not with the turmeric base of a khichuri. It is a delightfully creamy dish, where the creaminess comes from the use of
cauliflower stalks and where you would be surprised to hear that there is no Bechemel
sauce or cheese added in. The rice was topped with my favourite Jharna ghee from Bengal. It was erved with a tempura of sliced aubergine, a tribute to the beguni had with
khichuri, on the side, and fried sliced potatoes and the peels of gourd.
A dish
which is very European in demeanour and yet with an unmistakably Bengali soul.
which is very European in demeanour and yet with an unmistakably Bengali soul.
The sun rises in the east again
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| With Kaniska Chakraborty at Salt House. He remains my answer for answers to all questions Kolkatan. A man I would trust with my tummy. And heart too. |
I had said earlier that The Salt House bears no resemblance to the continental restaurants
of the Kolkata of yore. I later had second thoughts about this statement. Perhaps it could be applicable to the structure no doubt, but not entirely to the soul. Let me explain.
of the Kolkata of yore. I later had second thoughts about this statement. Perhaps it could be applicable to the structure no doubt, but not entirely to the soul. Let me explain.
You see, Kolkata was once the one of the centres of European haute cuisine, with
chefs trained by the French beginning to work in the houses of the British in
the city in the mid 1800s. The restaurants of Park Streets spawned from this heritage.
chefs trained by the French beginning to work in the houses of the British in
the city in the mid 1800s. The restaurants of Park Streets spawned from this heritage.
The party at Park Street, however, had quietened down through the years of the communist rule in Kolkata. The final blow to it came in the post economic liberalization years
with exciting new restaurants coming up across India in places such as Bandra and Colaba in
Mumbai, Koramangala in Bangalore and Khan Market and GK Market and most recently
Connaught Place in Delhi. These were far more ‘with it’ than the restaurants of
Park Street, when it came to serving ‘world cuisine’ and following international trends. Park Street seemed frozen in time in contrast. This worked for us expats no doubt, but wasn’t enough to satiate the hunger of the modern Kolkatan.
with exciting new restaurants coming up across India in places such as Bandra and Colaba in
Mumbai, Koramangala in Bangalore and Khan Market and GK Market and most recently
Connaught Place in Delhi. These were far more ‘with it’ than the restaurants of
Park Street, when it came to serving ‘world cuisine’ and following international trends. Park Street seemed frozen in time in contrast. This worked for us expats no doubt, but wasn’t enough to satiate the hunger of the modern Kolkatan.
Home grown places such
as The Salt House, or even the 8th Day Cafe & Bakery, tell you that
Kolkata’s back in the game when it comes to living up to international trends, and I am sure that this is just the beginning. And as Paranthe Walli and The Blue Poppy Thakali remind us, Kolkata has a wonderful legacy of absorbing flavours from across the country and even the world, and making them its own. It is truly a world city when it comes to food.
as The Salt House, or even the 8th Day Cafe & Bakery, tell you that
Kolkata’s back in the game when it comes to living up to international trends, and I am sure that this is just the beginning. And as Paranthe Walli and The Blue Poppy Thakali remind us, Kolkata has a wonderful legacy of absorbing flavours from across the country and even the world, and making them its own. It is truly a world city when it comes to food.
These restaurant visits left me with a desire to try out a bit more of new Kolkata when I return to the city again.
Once I am
done with my fill of biryanis, rolls, luchis and lunches at my didu’s house of
course!
My nostalgia corner in Kolkata: Lunch at didu’s (my grandma) house during the trip. She turned 90 according to the records a couple of days back (21st July 2018). This time around my mom was there too. Mom is busy blogging away on her new tab with the stories didu tells her. Her current project involves writing about her father, my grandfather’s, life.
Once I am
done with my fill of biryanis, rolls, luchis and lunches at my didu’s house of
course!
My nostalgia corner in Kolkata: Lunch at didu’s (my grandma) house during the trip. She turned 90 according to the records a couple of days back (21st July 2018). This time around my mom was there too. Mom is busy blogging away on her new tab with the stories didu tells her. Her current project involves writing about her father, my grandfather’s, life.
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| With didu and my mom |
Appendix:
Doma Wang tells me about thukpa. Video shot by Kaniska:
Doma Wang tells me about thukpa. Video shot by Kaniska:
Do read:
- Mom’s blog post on my grandpa’s life with inputs from didu
- My blog post on my College Street nostalgia soaked visit during the same trip
More Pics:
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| Wai Wai chaat Thakali |
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| Nepali pork thali Thakali |
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| Artsy |
*the
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| Add caption |
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| Mama Manishita |
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| Manishita and the chef |
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| With the prawn guaciale at Salt House. Or Malena as I like to call it |
Disclaimers: My visits to The Salt House and Thakali were not anonymous and the meal at Paranthe Walli was hosted by Rahul though that was not the plan.
