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Best Places to Eat in Kolkata
When French author Dominique Lapierre baptized Kolkata as the ‘City of Joy’, I’m sure he meant the joy in satisfying the hungry taste buds… Kolkata hosts some excellent Bengali restaurants, where you can enjoy authentic and delicious seafood dominated Bengali cuisine.However to get the most from your dining experience, Eat Like A Bong!
Just keep in mind how Bengalis eat their food to preserve the subtle flavors — vegetarian dishes first, followed by fish, and then meat.Here’s the list of 5 best places to eat in Kolkata where you can find Top 10 Must Try Bengali Foods
Oh! Calcutta
Show me the money, honey!
If you’ve got money for your taste buds, you won’t be disappointed with Oh! Calcutta. This award-winning, fine dining restaurant recreate dishes from traditional old style Bengali recipes, selected to give you the authentic Bengali taste. With elegant ambience this fine-dining Bengali-specialty restaurant portrays true-blue Bengali lifestyle. Classic wooden furniture, paintings from yore, private dining room, courteous service and fabulous Bengali and Anglo-Indian dishes — identified as Calcutta cuisine. No wonder you will end up saying “Oh! Calcutta” after your meal.
Ever wondered what makes Bengali cuisine so unique? Anjan Chatterjee, who owns the ‘Oh! Calcutta‘ chain of restaurants, seeks to answer this in his book by the same name which is a culinary journey into the Bengali kitchen.
Address: Forum Mall, 10/3 Elgin Road, Lala Lajpat Rai Sarani, Kolkata. Phone: (033)2283-7161.
Food Tip: Go for seafood. Bhapa Illish (Steamed Hilsa Boneless) and Chingri Malai Curry (Prawns in Coconut Cream) are popular.
6 Ballygunge Place
Another high-end restaurant with traditional Bengali cuisine. Good ambience and melodious music keeps your eyes and ears busy while your mouth starts salivating as the nose smells the aroma. All mocktails named after the streets of Kolkata, it can be fully packed during lunch time. Parking is a little bit issue here. My personal favorite over Oh! Calcutta.
Address: 6 Ballygunge Place, Ballygunge, Kolkata. Phone: (033)2460-3922. Website
Food Tip: Try Shukto and don’t forget Nolengurer Ice Cream
Bhojohori Manna
It is the place when you have a rush but also need to satisfy you taste-buds with some authentic Bengali dishes. There are 8 outlets in Kolkata, and they don’t compromise on quality. The name is after a song sung by Manna De in 70s (“ami sri sri Bhojohori Manna…)
Address: Locations at Ekdalia Road, Hazra, Salt Lake Sectors I & V, Star Theatre (Hatibagan), Ruby (Kasba Industrial Estate), Esplanade, and Hindustan Road (most upmarket, recommended), Sector V (Salt Lake).
Food Tip: The best place to have Nolengurer Ice Cream
Kasturi
A cult restaurant serving Dhakai cuisine (Bangladeshi cuisine) should not be missed. Reasonably priced and good quality of food but take-away is better as the ambiance is not so good. Kasturi understands the Bengali palette – the perfect balance of sweet, sour and tanginess Dive into what is one of the best Kolkata fish experiences. They have outlets in New Market and Ballygunge, close to another favourite restaurant 6 Ballygunge. Table reservation is recommended. New Branch at Hindustan Road has a bigger dining area
Food Tip: Go for Shorshe Ilish, Chingri Malai Curry.
Address: 7 A, Mustaque Ahmed Street, Near New Market Area, Kolkata
13/6, Anil Moitro Road, Ballygunge Place, Kolkata
Girish Ch Dey & Nakur Ch Nandy
Address: 56 Ramdulal Sarkar Street, Kolkata, India
A legend in Bengali Sandesh, and famously referred to as Nakur, this sweet shop is one of the oldest names that come to the mind. Over a century old and literally a hole in the wall with black-grill counters on a busy commercial lane off Shyambazaar, Nakur is known for the Jolbhora Sandesh, innovative Lemon, Black Currant or even Vodka Sandesh!
The grainy Chocolate Sandesh, Special Posto Sandesh (made especially during Holi), Golapi Sandesh Peda, Kasturi Sandesh, Monopoly, Mousumi, Three Stars and Parijat and some of the creamy, melt-in-the-mouth types are amazing. Best time to reach is in morning before 12 noon. Locals line up to get here on time. You’ll know you are ‘late’ when you’ll find that all the delicacies are over as they run out of stock very fast.