Le Coffee Creme (Salt Lake)

Le Coffee Creme Salt Lake

Le Coffee Crème is a newly opened Continental - Oriental café cum Hookah joint at the ground floor of a residential house opposite City Centre just beside Mehfil. The location is wonderful to appeal to the shopping crowd though it serves only Vegetarian dishes. The entrance is not right on the road but inside a pavement garage of the building. Right on entering, the small room decorated with stylish automobile photographs on colored wall papers with couches and small wooden tables can easily be mistaken for a waiting area to the real dining area. But it is actually just another room for serving guests like the other two interior ones: One lounge space to the left is neatly done up with pristine interiors, leather cushioned seating, fancy woodwork, Buddha statues, graphic wall paper, silk carpet, cute suspended bar counter. And another region for hookah smoking folks, which is straight ahead, having big LCD screen TV and wall sofas for cozy evenings.

Nahoum and Sons (New Market, Esplanade)

Nahoum & Sons @ New Market

Also known as Nahoum's, this Jewish  confectionery shop has been the part of calcutta's heritage since the last 110 years. Located in New Market, previously known as Hogg Market, it has maintained the same look and feel ever since it was opened in 1902. Many people in this city still swear by their rich fruit cake, plum cake, fudge, brownies, tarts and other baked products. The shop has maintained its vintage look over the ears and has not changed it at all. Unlike the new age confectionery shops we have around the city, Nahoum's is built more like those Shops where items are displayed on shelves and you can have look while walking past the shop also. The showcases made of teak, have been a part of the shop ever since it was opened. The inside is quite spacious and one can go around surfing items and selecting their choicest pick.

Inside Nahoum's 

The most sought after items of Nahoum's are its rich fruit cake, Brownies, Tarts, Marzipaans, Fudge, Rum Balls, Cheese samosa, Chicken puffs, Macaroons and many more. Almost each and every item has got its own specialty. The rich fruit cake is the highest selling item during winter and there are long queues to grab a piece of it. Made with original fruits and their age old recipe, it has got a shelf life of about 3 weeks. A 2 pound rich fruit cake or plum cake will cost around Rs.440. The brownies, tarts, and fudges are equally good.

Nahoum's Cakes and Pastries

Items like cheese samosa, mutton samosa, chicken puff and other salty products serves the taste of all. Most of the items are made on the age old recipe that is kept a secret, and it has been like this ever since Nahoum's opened up. The rum ball is a bit sweet but the aroma of rum and the nutty chocolaty feeling once you put it in your mouth, is worth a try. The brownies are different from those which are available in other confectionery shops throughout the city, as they are more brittle in nature yet tastes very good. A piece of it comes at Rs.28.

Confectioneries on display

Other bakery items like, bread, biscuits, buns, cheese sticks are also available. Be it brown, garlic or cheese bread, they taste much better and different than other packaged breads we get from the shops. The sweet buns are dotted with fruits and topped with ample amount of sugar and is a great filler. The biscuits and cookies are available in various flavors like orange, ginger, chocolate, butter, etc.You may carry all of these delicacies to your home and enjoy them or if you cant resist it then try some of them at the shop itself before packing a good amount for home. The price is not that high and is quite reasonable.

Nahoum's Chicken Patties

Location: F-20, New Market, Kolkata - 700087
Contact No.:- (+91)(33) 65269936 



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Bohemian (Ballygunge)

The entrance

Chef Joy Banerjee has opened the doors to experimentation! The moment you see the menu of Bohemian, you notice words that have been regularly used in our staple Bengali diet, but unlike what we have ever tried before. We normally shy away from “shei Bangali khabar” when we dine out, but Bohemian is all set to change that habit in us. Chef Banerjee has used known spices and recipes from our Mother and Grandmother’s kitchen and has transformed them into a global dining experience. The palate is so subtle in its newness that even Bengalis who have grown up with these flavours, discover something new with every spoonful.

Wall graffiti in the loo

Unlike other restaurants where the waiters politely take down whatever you order, suggesting only when asked, here the people are encouraged to assist the diners to choose the best from the menu, for a great culinary experience.

The menu is detailed and thorough, with ample choices among appetizers, salads, mains and desert. The restaurant doesn’t serve liquor, but there are some interesting sorbets and mocktails to choose from.

Palate cleansers and appetizers

Keema wraps

The top pick in appetizers are the Vodka Soaked Prawns with Grilled Garlic Aioli, Joyous Mutton Chops, Lemon Chicken on Lemon Skewers and Chilli Pickle and Cheese Baked Crab with Kolmi Greens. This last item is a treat. Served in an earthen bowl, like the one on which ‘firni’ is served; it is delicious and you are left wanting more. There are some healthy options for salads, with lots of greens and it is served with garlic bread on the side. To wash down your food, try the refreshing Orange and Aaam Adaa Sorbet, or drink up a Sex on the Beach.

Bacon wrapped prwans

Lemon chicken skewer

Vodka soaked prwans

Bohemian serves all their mains with rice and Kolmi greens. They also decorate the sides of the dish with sprinkled spices. For main course, Bohemian has some good options and you are almost at a loss as to what to choose.

Joyous mutton chops

Chicken supreme s

            
Dig into their Bhekti in Bengal Berry Sauce, teamed Breast of Chicken with Radhuni enriched curry sauce, Prawns stewed with Spicy Alphonso Sauce and Adaa Mouri Mangsho. There are numerous vegetarian options as well. You can dig into a dish of Mushroom and Pineapple Skewers with Spicy Coriander and Kalojeera, Cauliflower and Peas in Lemon, Chilli and Coconut Cream.

Aada mouri mangsho

The service is fast, with food reaching the table in 15 minutes top!! Once you taste the food, you will be left exclaiming in delight. The sauces are well seasoned and the poultry, meat and fish well cooked and tender. You will never realise that your traditional Bengali spices could create such delicious fusion food.

Spicy Grilled Bhetki with Radhuni-Enriched Curry

Everybody loves a round of dessert to wrap up and Bohemian excels here as well. They have a Malpoa Cheese Cake that is the talk of the town. If you are someone who is a die-hard chocolate fan, then the ‘Death by Chocolate’ will surely leave you stunned. The smooth luscious chocolate served in a Cognac glass, tempts you to try some more. You can also try Yoghurt and Kalojeera Brulee, and Gondhoraj Soufflé.

Mutton in green mango & cheese sauce

The only problem when it comes to dessert is that the portions are not the same for everyone, so you might be stuck with a diner who gets a bigger looking portion than you.

Bohemian adds to its culinary experience with its hippy decor. There is a display of rock and roll posters in the front while the walls have framed photos of tarot cards. The eccentric nature of the decor is extended even to the loo; it has bright colourful walls with lyrics from famous Bengali songs scribbled all over.

Malpua Cheese Cake

death by chocolate and gondhoraj souffle

Bohemian is a little over priced, with most of the food items priced between Rs. 150 – 350. A meal for two would cost you around Rs. 1300 (without taxes). A small restaurant with a maximum capacity of 30-40 people, it is always recommended that you book in advance.

If you want to experiment with food, then you should surely visit Bohemian. Tuck into the delicious fusion food and get in touch with your Bonghippy side!

Review done by- Suchismita Dattagupta

Location: Building No. 32/4, Old Ballygunge, 1st Lane, Near Sitala Mandir, Ballygunge, Kolkata- 700019

Contact No.: (+91)(33) 66064206 (+91)(33) 64601002, (+91)(33) 64604001, (+91)(33) 64609005

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Rubi's Grill (Gariahat - Dover Lane)

Pork Chop with Butter Rice

I heard about this small little quaint place called Rubi's Grill from a friend of mine and decided to try out some of their food, having received nothing but good reviews about it. The place is very small, yet has a warm and cozy ambiance. It has both indoor and outdoor seating arrangements. On a cool winter evening, it would be pleasant to sit outside and have a nice meal. Charpoys at the entrance to welcome a smoking crowd, mix of lounging rattan chairs and tables of fours, good enough for soul-satisfying pig-outs. The cute niche featuring Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children, Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code alongside Anton Chekov's Five Plays and the directly hooked online music add to the curiosity. The menu is a humongous 6 page menu with everything American you can find under one roof- from salads with a choice of your own toppings, finger foods, sandwiches, burgers, classic hot dogs, pizzas and pastas to a wide array of gourmet dishes. 

Rubi's Grill Interiors

We ordered Onion rings and a plate of Potato skin with Bacon for starters. Nothing can really go wrong with Onion rings- they were crispy, not too oily and not soggy. They had a good bite to it! The Potato Skins were excellent! Skins, with crispy fried bacon, topped with gooey cheese and some Oregano for flavour- baked to perfection. They were an absolute delight and MUST try! For the entree, we ordered a portion of the Spare Ribs with their authentic, home-made BBQ sauce and a portion of the Pork Chop with butter rice. Oh that marvelous dish of Spare Ribs was beyond anything that I had imagined. The pork ribs, slightly charred on the outside and tender, juicy, yet moist on the inside. The BBQ sauce was sweet and spicy which added that tangy flavor to the dish! One little flaw would be, the pieces had chunks of fat in it and one feels sick if one ends up eating that much of fat. A less of that fat and the dish can do wonders for meat lovers’ taste buds! The Pork Chop had a very good flavor because of the Rosemary they added and the sauce which accompanied it. The Pork was tender, juicy, all the flavors had seeped right through- all in all, a good dish. Again, too much fat for one to consume. A little less of that would be great! All meats came with wedges, mash or vegetables on the side, just as it should. The Lamb Steak, chunky and moist, as it should be, would have been better with a thinner sauce though.

Spare Ribs with Mashed Potatoes

Service, I must add is slightly slow or rather laid back. That isn’t much of a problem if you want to have long conversations with friends enjoying some great food in a warm and cozy place like this one! The approximate cost of a complete meal for 2 persons is Rs. 550.

Rubi's Grill has been a good experience for me and I would recommend everyone to try it atleast once. For people who shudder at the thought of eating pork, this is the place you must try your first piece and you will not be disappointed, for sure! One must not go by the decor, design, location of this place- it’s the food that matters in the end and Rubi's Grill is a pretty decent example of that!

--Review Done By Radhika Chakraberty.

Location: Building No. 7/2 B, Dover Lane, Gariahat, Opposite Dover Lane Post Office, Kolkata-700029

Also at Omega Building, Sector V, Salt Lake City.

Contact No.: (+91) 9007179876, (+91) (33) 40056001, (+91) 9831078111, (+91) 9831211333

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Wise Owl (Rashbehari Avenue Triangular Park)

Wise Owl Interiors

Wise owl is one of those hangout spots where you can relax and watch time fly by without even knowing. If you are looking for a place to sit and relax and also tuck into some food over a long period of time, then pay a visit to wise owl.  Located in the heart of south Kolkata, yet in a quiet part of Gariahat known as the Purna Das Road, this is a place where you would like to come back time and again. With both outdoor and indoor seating area, it can accommodate 30 people at a time. The outdoor lounge area is the most sought after and remains filled up since it is well decorated with plants and wall paintings, allowing a view of the road. Once seated you may light a smoke (yes, smoking is allowed in the outdoor seating area). The ambience of the interior quarter is plain and simple somewhat elegant. With wall paintings adorning the wall and soft music playing in the cool AC air. There is a shelf having all the different kinds of owl sculptures or show pieces. The crowd is a good mix of teenagers to working women to septuagenarians.

Pizza Hut - City Centre (Saltlake)

Pizza Hut, which completed 15 years in India, now has 131 restaurants across India in 34 cities. Out of the 8 in Kolkata, The city centre, CC 2, and Camac Street are dine-in, the rest being delivery / take away. The ambience is good, yellow printed lamp shades hang from the ceiling, ordinary wooden round tables with very soft cozy comfortable sofas. The service ladies are extremely helpful and well-behaved, but the food takes much time to prepare in busy hours. There are pizzas in many ranges, depending on your budget. You would surely love this place and its lip smacking pizzas, pastas, garlic breads, salads, desserts, mocktails and other Italian dishes. If you don’t want to spend much, you can opt for budget meals, for 2, 4, and 6. There is a meal for Rs. 129 per person that serves 1 pizza, 2 garlic breads and 1 beverage, each of which has a quite a no. of choices. Check their official website at http://www.pizzahut.co.in/ for more information.

Contact No.: 033-23580984

Price Last Updated on Dec 2012

Garlic Bread

Potato Wedges

Crunchy Pizza and Masala Soda