Chef Nicholas Houchet is the Pâtisserie Teaching Chef at the renowned Le Cordon Bleu institution and he was in Kolkata last week for a Masterclass at Novotel Kolkata Hotel & Residences. I was lucky to attend the class where Chef taught a few recipes. Sharing them with you in this post.
A Compilation Of The Durga Puja 2015 Special Menus Around Kolkata
Source – Press Releases sent by the restaurants
Kolkata restaurants have started gearing up for Durga Puja with special menus and offers. Check the compilation and plan your ‘Durga Pujor Bhuribhoj’ 🙂
Serafina (9-22 Oct)
Apart from the regular menu, SERAFINA serves a special “Seafood Menu” for the not so Bengali serving a variety of options such as:
- Lemon Scented Jumbo Shrimps with Blinis
- Herb Crusted Yellow Fin Tuna with Tossed Baby Beans
- Steamed Bekti with Verdure griglia with Tangy Mustard Sauce
- Stuffed Calamari with Citrus mixed Mesclun
- Mint Flavoured Pan Seared Snapper with Caper Berry Sauce
- Twisted Mango Panna Cotta
Regular menu:
- Salad: Serafina Chicken Salad, Di Sofia, Arugula E Filetto
- Pizza: Pizza Bianca, Pizza Margherita VIP, De Fabio Pizza, Pizza Ala Norchina
- Pasta: Spaghetti AOP, Spaghetti AOP Di Polo, Tagliolini con Petti di Pollo, Ravioli ai
- Vegetable/Meat/Fish selections: Vegetarian Platter, Avocado & Shrimps San Pietro, Mini Sliders, Spaghetti Squash
Taj Bengal (19-22 Oct)
Sonargaon – Discover the nuances of authentic traditional Bengal cuisine as you savour a Bengali Thali. The large platter is served with portions of different dishes like Topshe Fish fry, Golmorich mangsho and Bhapa Misti Doiprepared from recipes from households of Bengal. Enjoy a regal touch as you dine out of silver! Time: 12:30 Hrs – 15:00 Hrs ( Lunch )/19:30 Hrs – 00.00 Hrs ( Dinner ).
- Seafood Thali – ₹. 2900 + Tax
- Aamish Thali – ₹. 2700 + Tax
- Niramish Thali – ₹. 2500 + Tax
The Hub – The Hub will have something special to offer guests at any time of the day! Varied choice in Continental and Indian cuisines like Smoked salmon and beckti duplex with spinach veloute, Tomato and aubergine galettes melted mozzarella and holy basil, Achari gosht, Chanar muthia and many more, the buffets also present a choice of regional favorites.
- 19th October,2015. Offering: Sashti Lunch & Dinner. Time: 1230 – 1500 Hrs / 19:30 – 23-30 Hrs. Price: ₹. 2050 + Tax (Lunch) ₹. 2250 + Tax (Dinner)
- 20th October, 2015. Offering: Saptami Lunch & Dinner. Time: 1230 – 1500 Hrs / 19:30 – 23-30 Hrs. Price: ₹. 2050 + Tax (Lunch) ₹. 2250 + Tax (Dinner)
- 21st October, 2015 *(Dry Day). Offering: Ashtami Lunch & Dinner. Time: 1230 – 1500 Hrs / 19:30 – 23-30 Hrs. Price: ₹. 2050 + Tax (Lunch) ₹. 2250 + Tax (Dinner)
- 22nd October, 2015 * (Dry Day). Offerings: Navami & Dashami Lunch/Dinner. Time: 1230 – 1500 Hrs / 19:30 – 23-30 Hrs. Price: ₹. 2450 + Tax (Lunch) ₹. 2250 + Tax (Dinner)
Souk – presents a lavish Middle Eastern buffet spread during Durga Puja. Savour a choice of delicious starters, seafood, grills, main course preparations, shavarma, rice, pitas and desserts. The menu includes interesting food items like Fattesh hummus (Chickpea with yoghurt & tahina), Spinach fatayer (Oven baked pastry triangles filled with spinach and pine nuts), Haluwet jazar(Carrot cooked in Arabic ghee), Ashta bil asal (Stuffed homemade Turkish cheese) and many more.
Absolute Vodka and Unlimited Beer with special Puja Buffet. Date : 19th October to 22nd October. Time: 1230 – 1500 Hrs (Lunch)/19:30 – 23-45 Hrs (Dinner). Price: ₹. 2150 +Tax
The Gateway Hotel
Buzz – Indulge in our special buffet spread of local & International cuisine with your family and friends. The buffet is a must try, featuring a splendid international spread including Purbo and Paschim Bangla exotics, Western cuisines and local favourites, extensive selections range from seafood platter on ice, crunchy salads, local cuisine such as Murgh pulao, Koraishuti Diye Fulkopir bati Chorchori . Ending with a sweet finale with our array of delectable desserts that includes cheesecake, mud cake, home-made pastries and mithai from in house halwai.
- LUNCH BUFFET (12:30 pm to 3:00 pm) Ashtami (21st Oct 2015) and Navami/ Dashmi (22nd Oct 2015)
- DINNER BUFFET (07:30 pm to 11:00 pm) Saptami (20th Oct 2015) to Navami/Dashmi (22nd Oct 2015)
- Price- Rs. 1550 plus taxes for buffet per person
Bombay Brasserie (18 – 25 Oct)
In addition to the regular menu, Bombay Brasserie serves a special “Puja Menu” including:
NON VEG MAIN COURSE
- Kosha Mangsho
- Murgi Gota Masala
- Jeera Murgi
- Papdar Jhaal
- Betki Tak Jhal
- Daab Chingri
VEG MAIN COURSE
- Basanti Paneer
- Bengali Aloo Dum
- Kachkalar
- Echoor Er Kalia
- Dal Chechki
- Sona Moong Dal
- Misti Pulao
- Luchi
Timing: 12:00 noon to 3:45 pm & 7 pm to 11:30 pm. Cost for two: Rs. 1500/- plus taxes
A Taste of America At 8th Day Café and Bakery, AJC Bose Road, Kolkata
New York style bagels, American scones and sinful cinnamon rolls. If you’ve been craving for these staple American dishes in Kolkata, there is now a place where you can go to indulge – the newest American cafe in town, 8th Day Café and Bakery at AJC Bose Road. It is the brainchild of Grant Walsh, an American who first visited Kolkata nearly five years back, fell in love with the city, left his job in his country and came back to open 8th Day to give the city a true American cafe experience. And why the name 8th Day? Because Grant believes that there are seven days in a week and the 8th day is the day when good things happen!
I’ve been to 8th Day Cafe many times since it opened early this year and I love the simple and relaxed vibe of the place. It is located on a quiet street and when you enter, you immediately fall in love with the charming interiors and the warmth that the place exudes. White walls, blackboard style menu, french windows overlooking the street, shelf full of books and board games. You will feel like sitting here for hours. And to enhance the experience, 8th Day also organizes regular events. Tuesdays are Stand Up Comedy Open Mic nights and on Fridays or weekends, you can catch bands playing live. A few days back, they got Angie Miller of Americon Idol fame to perform. Like their Facebook page to keep yourself updated on forthcoming events.
Jewels of the North East at Eden Pavilion, ITC Sonar From 18-27 September, 2015
I must admit that when it comes to food from the north east, my knowledge is not that great. Assam is the only state where I’ve been to but I was a toddler then and I hardly remember anything. What I did know about north east cuisine before going to ITC Sonar last Friday was that the people make amazing pork dishes and I was really looking forward to trying some. And also, to know more about north east cuisine in general.
ITC has taken up an initiative to showcase India’s wealth of unique, undiscovered, royal and forgotten cuisines. Last month, ITC Sonar had organised the Sheherwali food festival which brought the royal cuisine of Murshidabad to Kolkata. This month, is the turn of the Jewels of the North East, a week long festival to showcase food from Arunachal, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and some from Sikkim as well. The festival started on the 18th and they plan to highlight dishes from one particular state every day. It is part of the Eden Pavilion dinner buffet and last Friday, I tasted some amazing vegetarian and non-vegetarian food from Nagaland and Assam.
Restaurant Week, Kolkata, 2015 – Serafina
Rejoice Kolkata because Restaurant Week is here for the first time and it will be on till 20th September! What is Restaurant Week you ask?
The 1st edition of the Restaurant Week in Kolkata, gives food lovers the opportunity of experiencing a three course set meal in a fine dining restaurant, with an option of vegetarian or non-vegetarian meal preference at a set price [INR 900 plus taxes] per person for one week for lunch and dinner. Bookings for this have to be made online at www.restaurantweekindia.com. The participating restaurants are:
- Baan Thai, The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata
- Durbari, SwissotelKolkata
- La Cucina, Hyatt Regency Kolkata
- Pan Asian, ITC Sonar
- Peshawri, ITC Sonar
- Serafina, Quest Mall
- Souk, Taj Bengal, Kolkata
- The Legacy Grill, The Lalit Great Eastern Kolkata
- Yauatcha, Quest Mall
- Zen,The Park Kolkata