A Visit to Oh! Calcutta and Mainland China – From the Sublime to the Sublime

The people of Kolkata are used to fine dining with many world-class restaurants to choose from. Until recently however, the traditional Bengali food in restaurants was rare, mainly because most Bengalis didn’t believe that the homemade flavour of traditional dishes could be reproduced outside the home.

Then, along came Oh! Calcutta and changed this perception once and for all. Its founder, Anjan Chatterjee, went on to revolutionise the face of dining, not only for a city, but for the whole Indian nation. Having turned Bengali food into five-star cuisine he created Mainland China; the largest chain of fine dining eateries in the country and added a clutch of themed restaurants and franchises into the mix including Hakas, Flame and Grill, Sigri, Machaan and Sweet Bengal.

With this history in mind the Curry Life team was only too delighted to go on a mission to three of Mr Chatterjee’s iconic restaurants in Kolkata to sample some of the finest cuisine in the city.

 

Oh! Calcutta

There are two branches of Oh! Calcutta in Kolkata; one is in the premises of Anjan Chatterjee’s first restaurant, Only Fish, at Lala Lajpat Rai Sarani and the other is at the top of the Forum Shopping Mall, on Elgin Road.  At first, the contemporary blandness of the mall on doesn’t seem a likely backdrop for a speciality restaurant but once through the doors of Oh! Calcutta, the visitor enters a far different world of mellow wood and polished surfaces that conjure up the atmosphere of the club culture of the British Raj with a hint of Mughal mystery. A line drawing of the Victoria Monument informs the theme and is echoed, along with other Kolkatan monuments, on individually painted plates and coasters.

The interior is splendidly post-colonial and posh. Greeted by friendly staff and the head chef, we spent a heavenly hour being served with a connoisseur’s selection of mouth-wateringly delicious starters, main courses, puddings and traditional Bengali drinks.

Starters of soft and tender portions of fish including steamed Hilsa in mustard flavour sauce known as the Bhapa Illish and a tasty local fish, Smoked Bekti, were accompanied by Daab Chingri - prawns cooked in tender coconut morsels, meltingly tender Pabda sourced in Kolkata and fish and lentil dumplings in a thin broth. Main courses were preceded by a sorbet flavoured with Gondhorai, a type of strongly flavoured lemon. (At this point in the proceedings some of the group thought we had reached the pudding stage but, unbelievably, the delights had just started).

As we loosened our belts, a sample of main courses followed in quick succession with robust and homemade tastes tempered by milder nuances from the West. Innovative flavours included Alu Posto – a vegetarian delicacy made with poppy seeds, Mutton Rezalla, Mochar Chop served with a delicate banana flower cutlet, Kosha Mangsho – lamb in a thick, spicy sauce, Lucknowi Biryani and Prawn Malai curry. Digestion was aided by an authentic Bengali drink – Aam Porar Shorbet – tangy and sweetly flavoured, made from young mango fruit. Desserts included baked Sandesh and Mishti Doi (sweetened yoghurt with Batasha), plus in-house specials like Rossogolla and Bhapa Sondesh (steamed sweet derived from hung milk), Daber Payesh (Kheer with tender coconut), with a surprise treat in store at the culmination of the gourmet extravaganza – Mishti Paan (Betel Leaf with sweet stuffing), presumably served to sweeten the receipt.

Mainland China

 

 

 

It was a slightly heavier (yet undaunted), group that set out the following day on our second gastronomic journey to Mainland China at Gurusaday in Dutta Road, Calcutta near the Birla Industrial and Technological Museum.

A suave building of glass, black bricks and gold door furniture, the venue exudes exclusivity. Inside, the atmosphere is that of a busy diner with hints of China apparent in the wooden screens and trellises, vases and paintings. A buffet lines one wall from which you can choose any food you like from the major provinces of China from the light Hunan dishes to the more spicy Szechwan offerings. Especially renowned for its sublime Chinese Dim Sum, there is a tempting selection of steamed and fried dumplings with crisp fried dishes and wonderful seafood as well as meals cooked in a heavier sauces with specialities including Shanghai Roast Leg of Lamb with pancakes, roasted, stuffed Chinese cabbage, slices of fish with aniseed and mountain chilli, Roast Duck with Packchoy, Peking Duck and Chicken in Shaoxiang Wine and a wide range of rice and noodle dishes.

 

Flame and Grill

 

Forever forwards and onwards (or outwards!) - our next stop was the Flame and Grill at South City Mall where the intoxicating aroma of grilled kebabs of prawns, vegetables, mutton and chicken or Gosht Seekh Kebabs rises to meet the salivating diner. Seating 96 diners, the 3,000 feet square restaurant has a cheerful, homely atmosphere created by an orange glow from flame red walls and offers a unique dining experience that ensures you never have to rush your meal because the food is always hot.

Each table of six is set around an inset open grill or sigree in which thick aluminium beakers are inserted containing burning charcoal. Sizzling skewers of meat; chicken or mutton or Gosht Seekh Kebabs, jumbo prawns and vegetarian kebabs are laid on top. These are supplemented by an unlimited buffet with Biryanis, Dal Makhani, chicken or mutton and Paneers offered alongside salads and vegetarian options, plus a range of desserts and drinks.

Having dined so sumptuously in three of his world class restaurants, it’s apparent that the essence of Anjan’s success is in the creation of cuisines that take inspiration from traditional cooking and are then brought it bang up to date in exciting and innovative restaurants. Above all, Anjan is an entrepreneur with an ability to tap into the markets that serve the growing Indian middle class. With his latest ventures creating excitement across India - Mr Anjan Chatterjee’s dining revolution continues. Viva la revolution!