Tuesday 18 September 2012

trailblazing a Gourmet's trip through Kolkata Set-1

Ivory Kitchen
Camac street houses this little place. Arguably one of the best buffet options in Kolkata, ivory kitchen is a delight for foodies who can gorge on for hours! It's really good for them, because the vast options of Indian and Chinese goodies require a lot space in the stomach and a lot of time as well. Priced at nearly 700 bucks per head, it's a little pricey. But when you remember about the liberty that you get here, sitting in the spacious seats , you'd like to discount the price. So , go ahead and gorge, there's no one stopping you. The ambience is nice , and the food are all yours to enjoy !


Barbeque nation
 Another of the city's must visit buffets ! You should be here , if you have the capacity to eat a huge number of dishes at a single sitting . Just the dessert items number more than 10. And you have the full main course before that, with chicken , mutton, biriyani ,nans to fill your tummy! But it's a different story altogether that at times , I've skipped most of the main course just to accommodate the starters , which are in a league of their own! The complete package of starters include chicken , fish, vegetables , and are just too good to be ignored. The flagging system , that signals the end of the starter session and beginning of the main course is a unique thing!

The French loaf
 The collection of bakery items at their disposal is simply mind lowing. The ambience is quite nice in the shop. Located just at the road bend of santoshpur and ajaynagar, this place is one that is a getaway for all those getting down at the busy bus stop after a day's travails . The soft cakes with puffy interiors are just the right medicine for soothing a ragged self. The lighting in the shop is classy . Whether you prefer to eat here , or take it away is your choice , but honestly , they serve really nice bakery products!

Charnock city
They have an attraction that few others can boast of ....the advantage of height! With a view spreading out over miles and miles of Kolkata , dining can be an awesome experience ! The best part is the food , that is multi cuisine. The prawn in green coconut used to be a favourite of my family members . An evening outing here was quite a nice one , although I wouldn't bet about the visibility around then. Price is on the higher side .

New punjabi hotel
The one thing that is sure to distract you while you cross the road at the shyambazar 5point crossing is the aroma of moghlai delicacies . The erstwhile golbari , though still there , has part of it reincarnated as the new punjabi hotel. The area is not spacious at all ( it can't be ,there's no scope to get much space here ). The place is also pretty hot, but all these complains take the backseat once you concentrate on the mutton and the parathas. They are oily , true, but somehow , you just can't ignore the calls of the dishes when you pass by !

Oh! Calcutta 
 Another of the famed Bengali dining places of Kolkata, oh!calcutta manages to hold forte even after its high prices. The reason lies in the novelty they offer. Hilsa , as a fish is tasty enough , but the fish bones cause a huge nuisance. But these people here actually know of a technique , by which they can de-bone a complete fish without disrupting it's structure ! And my word......how awesome it tastes is something beyond my capabilities to describe. The prawn preparations are also classic , as also the Bengali dessert items! 


Marco polo in china
 This place is expensive but downright classy . The multi cuisines give you a range of options to try out from . The pork chops and crispy chilly baby corn are cute little options to look out for any time. I would also bet that you'd love the rice noodles . The ambience of the place is soothing , and if you want to be in a state of complete peace of mind , you should definitely dine here . The Hakka chow and soup also deserve mention .  But if I tell you that for a bottle of mineral water , you have to shell out a 100bucks , that gives you a fair idea about the cost , right ??? But it's undoubtedly good food!


Mocambo
Continental food knew no better than mocambo , even a few years back. Theirs was this park street restaurant , where every one would rush with near and dear ones , to taste exotic cuisines . The chicken a la Kiev is an all time favourite . The steaks are fantastic to say the least and the proportion served is also quite generous . We loved the fish Diana and the crab preparation too. All in all, it's a place never to be missed when one is in Kolkata .

Zeeshan
 Having the biriyani in zeeshan , is like having your favourite aunt cook your favourite dish at home for you, it's so familiar for me! Never oppressing with their prices , they continue to rule youngster's minds and tummies. The role counter is also a favourite place , with those hot roles being handede out all day ! The frenzy of activity tells you that it's a place that is frequented by loads of people . There's nothing gala about the decor must the food is the one that attracts! 

Ralli's
 They are well known for their syrups, and I frequent them in the summer months , just to have my thirst quenched by the rose syrup . Apart from it , pineapple shake is also a personal favourite. Of late , I've suffered from a bit of inconsistency as far as the quality of the food is concerned . But still, Ralli's has given me enough good papdi chats to recommend it to friends . The kachodi chat and the dhakai parota are also quite popular here. But the strongest attraction continues to be the syrups!

Sharma 
 I love the amriti that is their forte. Once you have the good fortune of tasting a hot amriti , you'd feel you want to get lost in that sugary syrupy maze , and never come out. The kajur barfi is a personal favourite . The kachodi and sabji are always there if you require a quick bite. The lassi is a bit over priced if you consider the amount that is served , but the little amount that you have , just fulfills your every desire!


The silver oak
Housed in sarat bose road, it has a lot of competition, what with more illustrious spots located on both sides of the street. although it has managed to hold its own on the food front, the ambience is not Upto the mark. The multi cuisine restaurant serves good Indian food, but the ambience needs to get better. Smoking needs to be prohibited. 


Mamma Mia
 The ice creams are not bad themselves , but the price tag makes them unpalatable at times . What is the logic behind such exorbitant high rates is beyond me . Maybe , the gelato is appealing to people because of the promise of not adding to the calorie count . But is it worth the hype? I'm not so sure about that. I remember a simple ice cream cone , with chocolate flavour costing me about 89 bucks , whereas the same thing of equal taste was available at around 20bucks in Kwality walls. And I didn't find anything out of the world in it , that' would justify my expense. So, not a great recommendation from me, if you value your money!