Spice Trail

Mumbai
While Oh Calcutta has become a sort of unofficial mascot for Bengali cuisine across the country,which includes Mumbai,the city has its share of standalone Bengali eateries too which fortunately don’t share the Maharashtrian predilection for curry leaves. Hangla’s at Lokhandwala is one such say most Bengalis and non-Bengalis who don’t like ‘fusion’ when it comes to authentic regional cuisine. What sets Hangla’s apart from the rest of its clan is probably the pride of place that Kolkata street food gets there. Kati rolls,stuffed with fried/grilled meats and onions are probably as integral to the gourmet experience in the city,as is ilish maacher paturi or rui maccher kalia. And Hangla’s has taken the street-side flavours typical to Kolkata,right to the heart of Mumbai. “It’s a fast food joint and the best thing about it is that it serves the Bong version of most cuisine we are used to. Be it the biryani sans the coriander leaves (a Mumbai staple),the rolls,and the mutton or fish chops that drag you back to Kolkata roadside stalls,Hangla’s is ‘delicious’ defined,” says Kingshuk Banerjee,a final year law student in Mumbai. But if there are people who find it difficult to stand and down their food like in the fast food joint,there’s Calcutta Club at Oshiwara that most swear by. “The khichudi and the tomato chutney with dates and amshotto are the best of the lot. The chingri malaikari is good too,” says Banerjee.

Chennai
Bengalis,finding it difficult to tide over the idli-dosa-uttapam extravaganza that Chennai is,have Suruchi opposite the Chepauk Stadium for comfort. The small,unflattering-looking eatery’s high point is the hilsa preparations they offer. “Their ilish paturi,shorshe ilish go down really well with plain boiled rice,” says Subhadip Chatterjee,a Chennai-based techie. Suruchi’s patrons are usually of two kinds. The first being the usual Kolkata-phile who swears by his aloo bhaja and kolai er daal. The rest comprise the flock of patients who go all the way down to Chennai for treatments. Suruchi is a place to bank on for them with its brand of authentic,clean and non-fussy Bengali food. Some others,however,are all for Annapurna in the same area. “The place looks a little tacky but the food is quite good. Chingri malaikari and bhetki paturi are the best dishes on offer. The food tastes like it is straight out of some Bong kitchen in Kolkata – unencumbered by the influences of the region it is being cooked in,” says Anubrata Basu,an employee of City Bank in Chennai.

Others
Bangalore has a smattering of Bengali restaurants led by the usual suspects — 6 Ballygunge Place and Oh Calcutta. However,some still are partial towards Lotus Pond at Maratha Halli. “The fish preparations with mustard are extremely good here. Especially the ilish and the prawns,” says Shuvajit Payne,who works with IBM Bangalore. Most Pune Bengalis are all for Radhika on Senapati Bapat Road. “It’s very pocket-friendly — you get a fish thali for Rs 65. And apart from the extravagant Bengali dishes you get the frugal kalo jirer jhol which is a treat to a spice-torn palate at times,” says Anindya Shankar Das,a student at FTII. Role Call,a snack-bar chain,which has taken the best of the Kolkata’s snacking tradition to Hyderabad has the hearts of several Bengalis in the city. “From Kabiraji,to the Bengali version of cutlet,Role Call is a lesson in gourmet nostalgia,” says Arunlekha Sengupta,an employee at Google. Calcutta Mithai,a chain of Bengali sweet shops is also quite a hit with Bengalis there.