Food

1. Chinese Breakfast, Old Chinatown (Tiretta Bazar), Calcutta (Kolkata):

Its early Sunday morning and sun is yet to come out, but the stoves are already fired up and the morning silence is broken by the sound of the knife hitting the chopping plate. Night owls crawl out of their late night parties and call centre night shifts to rejuvenate themselves with bowls of hot fish ball soups from the road side vendors. Hungry soles huddle around makeshift stall, jostling with each other to grab the day’s first meal.Yes, its breakfast time, Chinatown Calcutta !!!! Read more…

2. Chinese Moon Cake, Tiretta Bazar (Old Chinatown), Calcutta (Kolkata):

Basically a harvest festival the Chinese moon Festival is celebrate on the 15th day of the eight month and falls on a full moon day. The festival is for lunar worship and moon watching, when moon cakes are regarded as an indispensable delicacy. Moon cakes are offered between friends or on family gatherings while celebrating the festival.The moon cakes comes with a wide variety of rich filling, consisting of lotus seed and sweet bean paste. The exotic one contains a whole egg yolk, representing the moon while some contains two egg yolks signifying the two phases of the moon. Read more…

3. Bandel Cheese:

Small discs of about a inch in diameter, they come in white and brown colours, they are the Bandel cheese and are available only in a couple of shops in Calcutta’s not so new New Market !!!!! Originating from the erstwhile Portuguese settlement of Bandel (about 50 km north of Calcutta) the Bandel Cheese is perhaps the last traces of Portuguese cuisine in Bengal. Available in plain and smoked version the Bandel Cheese is made from cow’s milk. Read more…

4. Sutli Kabab or Suta Kabab:

Its really a melt in the mouth experience!!! kababs so soft that it needs to be tied around the skewer with threads, and hence the name Sutli kabab or Suta Kabab. Available in the Adam’s Kabab Shop in the Phears Lane and is just a couple of minutes walk from the Central metro station. Unlike the seikh kabab, which stays on the skewer,  the sutli or suta kabab disintegrates unless tied together with a thread, hence the name Sutli or Suta Kabab. Read more…

5. Blended Tea from Chai Country, Cochrane Place, Kurseong:

Tea may be blended with other teas from the same area of cultivation or with teas from several different areas. The aim of blending is to obtain a better taste. Tea can be served as a hot and cold beverage and can be blended with seasonal fruits & flowers along with exotic ayurvedic herbs and honey. Chai Country, the exclusive tea salon of Chochrane Place, Kurseong offers a wide variety of hot and cold belended tea, blended by the master tea blender Laltu Purkait. Read more…

6. Review, Paper Boat Drinks, Tulsi Tea and Ginger Lemon Tea:

Hector Beverages, who runs Paper Boat, has recently come up with two ready to drink (RTD) cold teas flavored with tulsi and ginger- lemon. Delivered at my home the Paper Boat package contained four tetra packs, two of each flavor, of ready to drink tea. As usual the blended teas were packaged in eco – friendly packs and contained no preservatives or added flavor, more over it was low on sugar. Read more…

7. Assorted Desserts from Sugar Me, Poorna Banerjee’s creation:

Noted food blogger Poorna Banerjee, who blogs at “Presented by P,” has recently started Sugar Me, a desert home delivery service. Sugar Me offers home delivery service of customised cakes, cookies and chocolates at your door steps, anywhere in Kolkata. Also you can surprise your friends, on their birthdays and anniversary, with customised goodies from Sugar Me. Poorna is a not only a fellow blogger but also a friend. She recently sent me an assorted package of her amazing creations. The package consisted of four assorted desserts. Read more…

8. Ramzan (Ramadan) Food Street, Nakhoda Masjid, Zakaria Street:

During the holy month of Ramadan, the Muslims fast from sun rise to sun set. Every afternoon during the month of Ramadan, The entire region surrounding the Nakhoda Masjid turns out a food street feeding hungry souls, who are not on fast.The spread consists of a various assortment of kababs along with a host of different kinds of haleem. The spread also consists of fried fish and chicken and not to forget the delicious desserts. Read more…

9. Paper Boat’s Anar (Pomergranate) Juice:

Paper Boat Drinks is not just drinks but memories. Opening a consignment from Paper Boat is like a trip down memory lane. The two tetra packs of Anar (Pomergranate) Juice were packed in a bright pink tin box. Every child, born prior to the internet age, had a similar tin box for storing his most precious things. There was more surprise the box also contained a  small box containing two basan ladoos. This was really a surprise and an ideal gift just before the Diwali. Read more…

10. Goût de France (Good France):

Following the success of Goût de France (Good France), a celebration of French gastronomy, in 2015 it will be held again worldwide on 21 March 2016. The gala French dinner on 21 March 2016 will feature 1000 chefs & 1000 menus and will be spread across 5 continents. In anticipation of the gala event, scheduled on 21 March, the Consulate General of France in Kolkata organized a testing session and press conference on 9 March 2016 at the French Consulate in Kolkata. Read more…

11. Hoppipola, Acropolis Mall, Kolkata:

Hoppipola is the newest brand of restaurants from the basket of Speciality Restaurants Limited, India’s largest chain of fine dinning restaurant. The experience offered by Hoppipola goes beyond dinning and its a place to eat, drink & play and ultimately be hoppi. The interior may look a bit kiddish but as one settle downs one would want to bring the kid out of him. Hoppipola is not just a restaurant, its a cafe, bar and play area all blended under a single roof and the ultimate place to be happy, rather hopi. Read more…

12. Wall Street Bar (WSB), Shakespeare Sarani, Kolkata:

Kolkata is changing fast and the changes in its food scenario is even more rapid. With themed restaurant opening every other day Kolkata finally came up with a Gastropub, named Wall Street Bar (WSB). Located at the heart of the city on the Theatre Road (Shakespeare Road) the gastropub attracts the young corporate pubbing crowd from the adjoining business area. The food menu gives special emphasis on Italian and Burmese, however Chinese, Continental and fusion cuisines are also on the menu. Read more…

13. Metiabruz Dawat, ITC Sonar, Kolkata:

A potato in biryani may sound strange to the rest of Indians but alu has been an integral part of Kolkata Biryani for over 150 years. The story of the alu in biryani goes back to 1856 when the last Nawab of Oudh, Wajid Ali Shah was deported to Kolkata (then Calcutta) by the British and settled in Metibruz area, south of Kolkata. Under the name Kitchens of India, where the ITC Hotels showcases India’s unique, forgotten and undiscovered cuisines, ITC Sonar hosted the Metibruz Dawat from 16 – 23 April 2016. Read more…

14. Baobab Juice, the taste of Africa in the heart of Indescribable India:

Baobab (genus Adansonia), popularly known as the upside down tree, is a native of Africa but grows abundantly in the Mandu region of Madhya Pradesh (MP). Baobab was probably introduced in the Indian sub continent, quiet likely by Arab traders, in ancient time. The Baobab bears giant fruit, shaped like a elongated coconut with a velvety shell. In Mandu it is called Mandu ka Imli. In Mandu during the summer season, the seeds and the dried pulp of the Baobab fruit are used to make a delightful sour refreshing drink. Read more…

15. Tea Testing session with Goodricke: 

The evolution of tea definitely an interesting story, but the story of transforming the two leaves and a bud of the tea plant into a cup of tea is no less interesting. Sadly most of the die hard tea lovers, including me, are not aware of this amazing transformation process. An invitation for a tea tasting session from Goodricke provided me with the great opportunity to unravel the secrets of not only tea tasting but also of tea processing. Read more…

17. Mew Menu launch at Cha Bar, Oxford Book Store, Park Street, Kolkata:

The Oxford Book Store (managed by Apeejay Surrendra Group) at Park Street, Kolkata has been my favourite hunting ground since my school and college days in St. Xavier’s School & College.  The Cha Bar, at Oxford Book Store, provided the book lovers with the opportunity of leafing through the pages of their favourite book, over a cup of tea. The varieties of tea served at the Cha Bar in Oxford Book Stores comes from the gardens of Apeejay Surrendra Group, who also manages the iconic book store. Read more…

18. Tea Tasting, Margaret’s Deck, Goodricke Teapot, Kurseong:

Margaret’s Deck is an exclusive tea lounge under Goodricke’s Teapot project. Loacted just north of Kurseong Margaret’s Deck is platform projecting out of the cliff and provide 270 degrees views of the lush green rolling hills of the famed Margaret Hope tea estate. Margaret’s Deck serves its signature tea paired with snacks. There is also an exclusive tea outleft selling the world best teas. Tea testing session are also conducted at Margaret’s Deck on request. Read also…

19. Margaret’s deck, tea and much more:

Margaret’s Deck is a exclusive tea lounge in Kurseong. It is an initiative of Goodricke Tea Pot and is located at the Margaret’s Hope Tea Garden.  Margaret’s Deck is shaped like a ship deck, which offers a 270 degree view of the rolling hills of the Margaret Hope tea garden. The small tea lounge has a sitting capacity of about 30. The menu is snakish and the exotic teas are complemented with an assortment of cakes and cookies. Read more…

20. Sheherwali Cusine and much more at Bari Kothi, Azimganj:

Sheherwali Cusineis a veg cuisine of Jain Marawaris settled in Bengal. The Sheherwali Cusine originated from Rajastan, a land of dry and extreme climate. As the Marawari community settled in Bengal, they slowly adjusted and adopted to the local ingredients giving birth to a new food habits developing into the Sheherwali Cuisine. It is a fusion cuisine combining ingredients from east and west of India. Bari Kothi in Azimganj, near Murshidabad, is a heritage botique hotel serving vegeterian food with a Sheherwali touch. Read more…

21. Street fodd of Sasaram, non – veg litti and chicken feet curry:

No trip to Bihar is complete without the taste of the humble Litti. It can well be considered as the state dish of Bihar and is also extremely popular in Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh. Litti is made of wheat and stuffed with sattu, mixed with herbs and spices, and shaped into a ball. It is then roasted over cow dung cakes and topped with a lot of desi ghee. It is general served with mashed boiled potato or with roasted egg plant (brinjal) along with a dash of coriander mint chutney. But their are several variations and litti is often served with non veg items like chicken and even fish. Read more…

22. Border Parotta :

Who said, “Tamil food is all about idli and dhosa and is all vegetarian?” Think again! The coastal state of Tamil Nadu has its share of non veg cuisine and the probably the best place to experience it is Border Parotta stall near the small town of Coutrallam. It is not just food but an experience. Coutrallam (or Kutralam) is a small town at the southern tip of Western Ghat. The town is known for its spectacular waterfalls but no trip to Courtallam is complete with a visit to the culinary landmark of Border Parotta in Tenkasi. Read more…

23. Tuticorin Macaroon:

A macaroon is a small cake or biscuit-like confectionary item made with egg white, sugar and ground almond. It has an Italian and French origin and over the years it has made its way to different parts of the world. Each country and region that has adopted the macaroon has modified it by using easily available local raw materials. It was the Portuguese who introduced macaroon to Inida and it reached Tuticorin via Ceylon (presentday Sri Lanka). The alomond was replaced by the locally available cashew nut thus adding a Indian twist to the European confectionary. Read more…

24. Food Trail of Rajshahi region:

The Rajshahi, Bogura, Naogaun, Joypurhat and Nawabganj districts of Bangladesh are adjoining to Malda and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal. These districts have a rich share of heritage and history. But, no tour of Bangladesh is complete with its share of amazing food. THe article explores some of the unique dishes consumed during the 6 days and 5 night tour of the Rajshahi region of Bangladesh. Read more…