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The Salt House – An Impressive New Bistro In Kolkata

February 12, 2018

There is no dearth of restaurants opening in Kolkata. Every month sees the launch of at least five new restaurants/cafes/lounge bars etc but very few actually manage to impress with their food. The Salt House does. Opened just a few weeks back by Saloni Jhunjhunwalla & Prachi Saraogi, founders of Kaos Gourmet, this European-style restaurant with Chef Auroni Mookerjee heading the kitchen is already making waves in the city’s culinary circuit. And when I went there last week for a tasting session, I knew why. 

The Salt House

The Salt House

The Salt House

Located on the 6th Floor of Shakespeare Point, the concept of The Salt House is very interesting and for Kolkata, probably a first. It is a bar (will be functional soon), kitchen and club and they serve European food with a classic yet contemporary twist, focusing on local and international ingredients. The place is divided into three sections – inside dining area, glass house and courtyard terrace area. The terrace area is my favourite and I am sure will be yours too if you visit the place. The owners have plans of bringing back the concept of Dinner and a Show to the city. Hopefully, we should be seeing stand-up performances and live gigs in the terrace area soon. 

The Salt House

The Salt House

Coming to the food, Chef Auroni is extremely passionate about what he cooks with. The ingredients are authentic, the produce is mostly local and where needed, sourced from different countries as well. He is against the use of preservatives and wants to give his diners a very unique experience of European-style food with a Bengali twist. Think a Gobindo Bhog Risotto served with Pumpkin Flower & Ricotta Fritters or Galda Chingri cooked and executed like a Parisian Langoustine and served with Aoli or Pancakes and Waffles, served with not a side of Maple Syrup, but with Nolen Gur.

My Favourites At The Salt House

It is tough to name a few favourites because honestly, I loved everything that was served including the vegetarian dishes and that says a lot about the quality of the food. To make ordering easy for you, I’ll name my top six.

Fried Brussel Sprouts with Feta and Pomegranate Salad – This is a warm salad and can be a perfect start to a meal. The crunch of the brussel sprouts, the salty feta with the sweetness of the pomegranate makes for a very refreshing combination.

Fried Brussel Sprouts with Feta and Pomegranate Salad

Fried Brussel Sprouts with Feta and Pomegranate Salad

Mutton Sliders – I love my burgers with a healthy portion of juicy meat without any dressing or sauce. These sliders are therefore perfect!

Mutton Sliders

Mutton Sliders

Fluffy Omelette – Strange that I am recommending an omelette right? But you’ve got to try it. Believe me this was one of the fluffiest omelettes I’ve had in my life! It just melts in the mouth. Another omelette that is worth trying here is the Skinny Omelette, Chevre and Salad Wrap. This is basically veggies, pine nuts and chevre or goat cheese wrapped in an omelette and is great as a breakfast/brunch item. 

Fluffy Omelette

Fluffy Omelette

Skinny Omelette

Skinny Omelette

Mutton & Pork Ragu – This dish has mutton, pork and handmade silky, smooth pappardelle. Need any other reason not to love it?

Mutton & Pork Ragu

Mutton & Pork Ragu

Pan Roasted Bhetki – This dish is a must for a fish lover. The taste and freshness of the bhetki comes through beautifully. And the interesting additions to the dish are Kolmi Saag, Spinach and Gondhoraaj Lemon. 

Pan Roasted Bhetki

Pan Roasted Bhetki

Doi, Berry and Kaos Granola Parfait – A dessert totally worthy of an Instagram post! Traditionally, a granola parfait is always thought of as a breakfast item but Salt House has made it as a dessert that can be enjoyed anytime of the day. Beaten Mishti doi, blueberry, strawberry, raspberry and granola topped with nolen gur make a very healthy and very tasty mix indeed. And try the Hazelnut Mousse, Salted Caramel & French Biscuit if you want something more sinful 🙂

Doi, Berry and Kaos Granola Parfait

Doi, Berry and Kaos Granola Parfait

 

Hazelnut Mousse

Hazelnut Mousse

After my experience at The Salt House, I can safely say that the food there was one of the best I’ve had in many months in Kolkata. It is innovative, fresh, bursting with flavours and most importantly, delicious. I am hoping for a lot of exciting stuff from Chef Auroni and the team in the coming months and I hope they don’t disappoint. 

 

Fast Facts:

Description: Bar, Kitchen & Club
Capacity: 170
Timing: 7 pm to Midnight till 9th February. Noon to Midnight, 10th February onwards.
Cuisine: Contemporary European cuisine
Address: Shakespeare Point, 40 Shakespeare Sarani, 6th floor, Kolkata – 700017
Pocket Pinch for Two: Rs 2000++ approx

The Salt House Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

 

Filed Under: Restaurant Review Tagged With: best cafes in kolkata, best new restaurants in kolkata, best restaurants in kolkata, Food, Food Blog, Kolkata Food Blog, Kolkata Food Blogger, the salt house, the salt house kolkata, the salt house kolkata menu, the salt house kolkata review

What I Love About Serafina 2.0

February 4, 2018

Why Serafina 2.0? Because the city’s favourite Italian restaurant and the place where you get the best Tiramisu is back in a new avatar at Quest Mall. Serafina 2.0 has a new decor, new seating arrangement and a menu that includes some old favourites and new dishes that are sure to become favourites soon. 

Paradiso

Paradiso

Serafina 2.0

The place looks completely different now and I must say I like this decor much more than the earlier one.  A red brick facade, roman arches, earthy colours and an open-seating plan make up the new Serafina. It looks much more brighter, cheerful and welcoming. With the new seating, one can get a clear view of the semi-open kitchen and the oven that churns out the restaurant’s signature pizzas. The al fresco area now has a coffee zone and the bar has expanded to accommodate an open display of an extensive wine collection. 

Coming to the food. Fret not, the menu has retained some of the old favourites like the truffle pizza, baby lamb chops, risotto al porcini etc. What is new is a Chef’s Special Menu divided into soup, salad, veg and non-veg appetisers, pizza, pasta, veg and non-veg main course and dessert sections. 

Serafina 2.0 Chef’s Special Menu

On the new menu, each dish has a distinct flavour. The Insalata Pollo Grosso is a simple salad with grilled chicken breast, kidney beans, roasted corn, iceberg lettuce with mustard dressing. The slight sweetness with the mustard dressing and the crunchy veggies make for a perfect start to the meal. 

Insalata Pollo Grosso at Serafina 2.0

Insalata Pollo Grosso

If you are fond of pork and beef, I will recommend the Crostini di Chorizo (slices of french baguette, gratinated with mozzarella & topped with slices of chorizo) and Polpette Di Manzo Piccanti (minced fillet Mignon dumplings with bell pepper in tangy sauce). The taste of chorizo comes out beautifully with the crostini and the filet mignon is soft and tender. 

Crostini di Chorizo

Crostini di Chorizo

Polpette Di Manzo Piccanti

Polpette Di Manzo Piccanti

Serafina pizzas have always been brilliant and the one I tried is aptly named Paradiso. The toppings are chicken, olives, onions, mozzarella with basil pesto and tomato sauce and the base is a slightly crispy, thin crust.

Paradiso Pizza

Paradiso Pizza

What is Italian food without pasta? I tried the Cremoso Spaghetti Calabrese or Spaghetti in tangy, homemade pink sauce with seasonal greens, olives and aged parmesan. This is the perfect Italian comfort food and I did not miss the addition of meat in it. For fish lovers, the Pesce E Mostarda Salsa or pan fried bhetki with parsley mashed potato and creamy mustard sauce can be a good option. I found it to be too mild for my taste. 

Cremoso Spaghetti Calabrese

Cremoso Spaghetti Calabrese

Pesce E Mostarda Salsa

Pesce E Mostarda Salsa

Enough has been said about the famed Serafina Tiramisu so I’m not going to tell you again how beautiful it is. What I will say is that the Tiramisu has found a worthy competitor in the Choco Hazelnut Crème Brûlée. This dish is like heaven in a ramekin. Think of the creamy, hazelnut filling in a Ferrero Rocher praline. Now think of that same filling as a delicious, smooth Crème Brûlée. Yes, it is that good and you must try it. Absolutely must!

Choco Hazelnut Crème Brûlée

Choco Hazelnut Crème Brûlée

For chocolate lovers, there is also the Rich Chocolate Temptation which is a truffle fudge with chocolate ganache. Delicious no doubt but my vote goes to the Crème Brûlée 🙂

Rich Chocolate Temptation

Rich Chocolate Temptation

Serafina

5th floor, Quest Mall

Open from 12 noon to 11.30 pm

Pocket pinch for two – Rs 1800 approx exclusive of taxes

Serafina Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

 

Filed Under: Food, Restaurant Review Tagged With: best italian restaurant in kolkata, Best Pizza in Kolkata, best tiramisu in kolkata, Kolkata Food Blog, Kolkata Food Blogger, Kolkata Restaurants, Serafina, Serafina Kolkata, serafina kolkata chef's special menu, Serafina Kolkata Location, serafina kolkata new menu, serafina kolkata revamped, serafina menu, serafina quest mall zomato

The Fatty Bao Opens in Kolkata On 4th December

November 28, 2017

When Monkey Bar opened in Kolkata a year back, chef Manu Chandra had come down and I remember, at the bloggers preview meet, one question that practically all of us asked him was “When are you bringing The Fatty Bao to Kolkata’? His answer was “Hopefully soon’. One year down the line, The Fatty Bao, opens its doors on December 4th. Located on the 8th floor of Fort Knox, Camac Street, the 75-seater restaurant promises a vibrant izakaya or Japanese gastropub experience along with a noodle-shop inspired menu. 

The Fatty Bao Kolkata

The Fatty Bao Kolkata

The Fatty Bao is credited for giving a mouth-watering makeover to the humble steamed bun or Bao with modern flavours and fillings. The menu however has a lot more than just Baos. Think sushi rolls, dim sums, salads, hearty bowls of ramen, robatayaki, asian curries etc. 

Raise The Bao

We started off our tasting session with sushi rolls, dim sums, four varieties of Baos and salads. The Char Siu Bao, filled with pork belly and green apple kimchi, and flavoured with BBQ sauce was my favorite followed by the spicy Grilled Sambal Chicken Bao which has a sambal, soy, lemongrass and scallion filling. 

The Fatty Bao Kolkata

The Fatty Bao Kolkata

For those that love spicy food, the Yum Nua or Thai Beef Salad – a mix of cherry tomatoes, bird’s-eye chillies, cucumbers and herbs tossed with flash-seared fillet is a must try. I also loved the Duck Nachos and fried Wasabi Prawns. Vegetarians will love the Wild Mushrooms and Truffle Oil Dim Sum, Baked Wanton Cups filled with stir fried corn kernels, water-chestnut, edamame and scallion, Brie Tempura, Exotic Mushroom Ramen and Lotus Root in Thai Green Curry. 

Grilled Sambal Bao

Grilled Sambal Bao

Char Siu Bao

Char Siu Bao

Pork lovers, visit for the PB & J – four twice-cooked slices of pork belly, rendered down to the perfect ratio of meat to fat, glazed with a hint of sweet and savoury miso. And perfect for this season is a hot bowl of comforting Chasu Ramen with slow cooked pork stock, bacon, soy and fresh garlic. 

Pork Belly

Pork Belly

Chasu Ramen

Chasu Ramen

The dessert selection at The Fatty Bao will make all the fatties and non-fatties very happy. Zen Forest is an exotic presentation of yuzu parfait, black sesame sponge, green tea moss, beetroot and black pepper sorbet, sesame nougatine, chocolate twigs and microgreens, while the Japanese Cheesecake is a light, fluffy, soft cake with sour cherries and vanilla ice cream. And if you’re a chocolate lover, have the Cocoa Caramel – a mix of milk chocolate cream, hazelnut praline crisps, flourless chocolate cake, toasted meringue, salted caramel gel and salted caramel ice cream that will take you straight to chocolate heaven. 

Zen Forest

Zen Forest

Japanese Cheesecake

Japanese Cheesecake

Cocoa Caramel

Cocoa Caramel

The Fatty Bao opens on 4th Dec, 2017

8th Floor, 901A, Fort Knox Building, Camac Street, Kolkata.

 

 

Filed Under: Food, Restaurant Review Tagged With: fatty bao kolkata, the fatty bao, the fatty bao kolkata, the fatty bao kolkata menu, the fatty bao pork belly

Cal 27 At Taj Bengal – Classic Calcutta With A Contemporary Feel

November 26, 2017

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Walk into Cal 27, the newest all-day diner at Taj Bengal (the pin code of the hotel is 700027 and therefore the name) and you will feel as you’ve stepped into the courtyard of an old North Calcutta Rajbari/Jamidar Bari. From the chequered marble floors to the green ‘khorkhori janala’, one can clearly see where the designer was inspired from while conceptualizing the interiors. And for someone like me who is obsessed with old Calcutta and old Calcutta houses, that is the first thing that made me fall in love with the place that replaced another favorite, The Hub. 

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What’s New?

Breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets aside, the highlights of Cal 27’s menu are the Taj Autograph Collection (signature dishes from Taj properties across the world), Taste of Calcutta (Calcutta specials like Singara, Maccher Jhol etc), Comfort Food (all-time favorites like Khichri, Butter Chicken etc) and Classic Grills. Plus, beverages, mocktails and cocktails (try the signature cocktail, Cal 27, a refreshing mix of rum, gondhoraj lemon and sugarcane juice), salads and sandwiches, burgers, pizza/pasta/risotto and desserts (Chilli Chocolate Parfait is a must-have). 

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Cal 27 & Chilli Chocolate Parfait

Cal 27 & Chilli Chocolate Parfait

Cal 27 Buffet

The Cal 27 buffet is a lavish affair! The buffet station is located right in the middle of the restaurant and you can spot a wide variety of salads, cold cuts, soups, breads, pizzas, pastas, main course dishes, desserts and fresh fruits. From Indian to Asian, European and Mediterranean, the options are limitless. I went on a Saturday for lunch and filled my plate with grilled fish, tenderloin terrine, Milano salami, sausages, succulent kababs, biryani, honey glazed pork belly and a brilliant orange and chocolate pudding. 

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I am a dessert freak and I judge the quality of a good buffet by the number of desserts it has. The Cal 27 buffet has an endless variety. From tiramisu to cheese cake to pudding to tarts, fresh fruit and ice cream, they have it all. One day, I’m just gonna forget about the calories and go to Cal 27 only to eat the desserts in the buffet spread. Yes, they are that good!

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Buffet Pocket Pinch

  • Everyday Breakfast (7 am to 10.30 am) – Rs 850+
  • Weekday Lunch (12.30 pm to 3 pm) – Rs 1550+
  • Weekday Dinner (7 pm to 10.30 p.m) – Rs 1650+
  • Saturday Lunch (1 pm to 3.30 pm) – Rs 1750+ (with unlimited beer)
  • Sunday Brunch (1 pm to 3.30 pm) – Rs 2150+ (with sparkling wine)
  • Sunday Brunch (1 pm to 3.30 pm) – Rs 2950+ (with champagne)
  • Child Buffet (Saturday and Sunday Lunch) – Rs 1200+

Taj Autograph Collection

The best part of the Cal 27 menu for me is definitely the Taj Autograph Collection. Sitting in Kolkata, you can sample the best dishes from some of the most iconic Taj properties across the world. Five dishes make up the Autograph collection. 

Fish & Chips from St. James Court, London – Calcutta bhekti deep fried in a beer batter and served with peas, tartare sauce, french fries and malt vinegar. Most restaurants mess up with Fish & Chips. Either the batter is not crispy or the fish is not tender enough but what is served in Cal 27 is just perfect. Moist, tender fish fillets wrapped in a light crispy beer batter. So British!

Fish & Chips

Fish & Chips

Vegetable/Fish Exotica from Taj Exotica, Maldives – Fish exotica is fish and shrimp coconut curry served with rice, salad and crispy shallots. A spoonful of this curry will transport you straight to the white sands and clear water beaches of the Maldives!

Fish Exotica

Fish Exotica

Vegetarian/Non Vegetarian Lamprais from Taj Samudra, Colombo – Sri Lankan specialty of yellow rice, vegetables or meat curry and egg wrapped and baked in banana leaves served with sambol. This dish is the epitome of comfort food and a distant cousin of the Bengali ‘khichuri’. It is messy and soggy but the taste makes up for it!

Non Vegetarian Lamprais

Non Vegetarian Lamprais

Vegetable/Shrimp Nasi Goreng from Vivanta by Taj, Langkawi – Fried rice tossed with shrimps, topped with a fried egg and served with chicken satay and crackers. This fragrant rice dish is the ultimate comfort food for spicy food lovers!

Shrimp Nasi Goreng

Shrimp Nasi Goreng

Vegetable/Chicken Bunny Chow from Taj Cape Town – Bunny Chow or Bunny is a South African fast food dish consisting of hollowed-out bread filled with vegetable or chicken curry.

This dish has a very interesting history as I got to know from the internet (geniuskitchen.com). ‘During the Great Depression in 1933, Indians, Whites and Chinese in Durban, South Africa, suffered hunger like everyone else. The kids then discovered that the cheapest curry they could buy (for a quarter penny or half a penny) was made by a vegetarian Indian caste known in Durban slang as the Bania. It was made from dried sugarbeans (no meat). The children didn’t have plates, and one kid got the bright idea to hollow out a quarter bread, asked the seller to put the bean curry in the hollowed-out bread, and then used the broken bread he’s taken out as a sort of eating utensil. Chinese food was called “chow”. Somehow the two words came together: Bania Chow. In time it simply became known as Bunny Chow. Bunny Chow was what the Indian sugar plantation workers took as their day’s food to the lands: curry in hollowed-out bread halves’. 

Bunny Chow

Bunny Chow

If you look at the menu of Cal 27, you will see that soul food or comfort food makes up the biggest chunk. It is food that you and I are familiar with and love eating. It is food that is not pretentious or claims to be ‘out of the box’ and that to me is the USP of the place. And the reason why I will be heading to Cal 27 pretty frequently. 

 

*I was invited by the management to dine at Cal 27 

 

Filed Under: Food, Restaurant Review Tagged With: Cal 27, Cal 27 review, Cal 27 Taj, Cal 27 Taj Bengal, Cal 27 taj bengal menu, Cal 27 zomato, Kolkata Food Blog, Kolkata Food Blogger, Kolkata Lifestyle Blog, Kolkata Restaurants, taj bengal, Taj Bengal Kolkata

Traffic Gastropub – A New Place To Chill Out In City Centre 2

November 2, 2017

A gastropub created as a result of being stuck in jams and hearing traffic updates on the radio. Yes, that is the inspiration behind Traffic Gastropub, a place already creating a lot of waves in the New Town area. I went there last weekend and can say that I quite enjoyed getting Stuck in Traffic!

Traffic Gastropub

Traffic Gastropub

With bright lights, colorful posters and quirky wall art and installations, Traffic is the perfect chill zone. There’s a 25 feet long bar, there’s a DJ console that doubles up as a live performance area, there’s shisha and there’s yummy pub food and drinks. 

Traffic Gastropub

Traffic Gastropub

Traffic Gastropub Menu

Here are my picks from the menu.

Traffic Gastropub Food

Traffic Gastropub Food

Traffic Gastropub Food

Traffic Gastropub Food

Daru Ki Tanki – a potent mix of White Rum, Old Monk, Banana Liqueur, Bailey’s, Pineapple Juice, Fresh cream along with banana slices served in a copper Samovar. This Pina Colada meets Old Monk meets Bananas sounds kinda weird but everything comes together pretty well. 

Long Island Peach Iced Tea – This one’s a classic but at Traffic, the size is double of what you get elsewhere! 

Chilli Chicken Pizza – Chunky pieces of Chilli Chicken on a bed of cheese. Yass!!

Parmesan Crusted Fish – Strips of fish coated with a generous amount of parmesan cheese and baked to perfection. 

Chicken Poutine – French fries tossed in house sauce and topped with chicken and cheese. Perfect grub to munch along with some chilled beer

Murg Kasmiri Kabab – A delightful combination of chicken mince stuffed in chicken breasts, marinated in spices and yoghurt and prepared in a Tandoor

Shish Kabab Roll – ‘Mutton got stuck in a Traffic roll’ is how the menu describes this dish. This is basically mutton seekh kabab rolls hung on a skewer.  

Oreogasm – Traffic’s signature dessert. A bed of cheesecake topped with Oreo cookies, chocolate sauce and Gems. Dieter’s delight! 🙂

Traffic Gastropub No Refusal Menu

Traffic is making waves for another reason as well. It has the cheapest Happy Hours in the city with drinks and cocktails starting at only Rs 49!! The No Refusal Menu is valid from Monday to Friday from 12 pm – 5 pm and the prices are insane. Old Monk at Rs 49, Smirnoff vodka at Rs 75, Cocktails starting at Rs 74 and 330 ml of beer at Rs 99 only. Happy you and happy wallet! 

Traffic Gastropub

Second Floor, Opposite INOX Ticket Counter, City Centre, New Tow

Timings – Noon to Midnight

Average Cost – â‚¹1,400 for two people (approx.) with alcohol. Excl taxes. 

 

I was invited by the management to dine at Traffic for review purpose. 

 

Filed Under: Restaurant Review Tagged With: best gastropub in kolkata, Food Blog, Food Blogger, Kolkata Food Blog, Kolkata Food Blogger, traffic gastropub, traffic gastropub city centre 2, traffic gastropub happy hours, traffic gastropub kolkata, traffic gastropub menu, traffic gastropub rajarhat, traffic gastropub review, traffic kolkata, traffic no refusal menu

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