The Grand Trunk Journey reaches Kolkata
The Grand Trunk Journey with The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel which started last year (check here) has at last reached the last pit-stop. It has reached the land of kathi rolls, macher jhol and sondesh i.e. Kolkata.
Kolkata, is the last stop and to make it perfect the spread is huge! Truly, Chef de Cuisine Ashwini Singh has ended this journey with a bang and with an elaborate spread that extensively covers street food, fried snacks, a huge variety of fish curries, vegetables, mughlai and sweets.
The Chef being particular about his food went on a culinary escapade to Kolkata to learn the finer nuances of Bengali food and insists on getting his produce and masalas from there to get the blend right. So on a windy weekday night we went to Dilli 32 and the food took us on a gastronomical journey to the by-lanes of Kolkata.
Ambience: The team at Leela has resurrected Kolkata, with a Howrah bridge miniature complete with yellow cabs renowned characteristics of the town along with live singing and story sessions, it comes alive! They have a live station which serves fried snack, a puchka seller, a sweet shop all part of their buffet. The ambience wins your heart and prepares you for a gastronomical treat.
Food: The food here is truly the king! The research and effort gone into planning this food festival is prevalent not only in the choices but getting the tastes and varieties right. Even if you are not a huge sea-food lover, there is enough variety to spoil you for choice. What starts with the traditional fried snacks from fish fry to aalo chop, reaches a delectable note with the puckha and jhal-muri, all exceptionally prepared. Jhal muri with that perfect hint of mustard oil, won my heart!
In the main course I would recommend trying the variety of fish if you love sea food, the medley of flavours from the humble macher jhol to the famous bhetki paturi and rui kaalia are the must try for Kolkata food. The kosha mutton and Kolkata biryani were absolute favourite. The famous rolls chicken roll and Moghali parantha were scrumptious and with fillings as exotic as duck they are class apart. The menu planning is perfect so while a typical Bengali food lover gets his fish. A vegetarian gets his fill with a special Tarkari section where I loved the cholar dal and Aloo posto. And a typical chicken mutton loving Delhi-ite can be happy trying the murg jhol and mutton rizala. The condiment section too needs a mention
The desserts will spoil you, literally, from authentic and yummy kamlabhog to thick, creamy mishit doi. The creamy payesh and famous sondesh all do justice to their famous counterparts, I have tried in the past. Ohh! and do end the meal with an authentic pan
Rating: 5/5
Where: Dilli 32, The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel, Delhi 110032
Cost per person: 1532 AI
When: On till April 16, 2017
