Chingri- prawn malai curry |
WHEN The Esplanade, Bangalore’s newest
Bengali restaurant, opened in Koramangala in April, it signalled a shift in the
city’s food focus. Despite recessionary times, Chef Shubhankar Dhar – a former
partner at 6 Ballygunge Place
in upmarket Indira Nagar – decided to go solo. Leaping into the unknown, he
offers ‘contemporary’ Bengali cuisine, much of which does not exist in Kolkata.
Dhar thus redefines a foodie
phenomenon that began with Babumoshai in
2001. That wallet-friendly eatery in the bustling Majestic area catered to
homesick Bengalis arriving by train or bus. It has since opened branches on C M
H Road and Hanumanthnagar. Unlike Kolkata, where few would seek Bengali food at
a restaurant, while Thukurmas and Kakimas still stir up memorable meals at
home, Bangalore
was a poor hunting ground. In the 1990s, options were probably limited to loochi, aloo dum, and cholar dal at the legendary K C Das sweetshop
on Church Street.
As a local wag put it, the Bengali
– however global – is passionate about fine living, including politics and
poetry, football and food! But does that account for the slew of Bengali
restaurants since – Bangaliana in Koramangala (2002), 36 Chowringhee Lane in Shantinagar
(2004), 6 Ballygunge Place
in Indira Nagar (2005), Bay of Bengal on Church Street (2007),
Oh Calcutta in 2008, and now The Esplanade? Oh Calcutta,
from the group behind Mainland China,
already has branches in Kolkata, Mumbai, New
Delhi and Pune. Besides, for simpler fare including
Kolkata-style rolls, there is Lazeez in Koramangala and Best of Bengal in
Frazer Town.
Bangaliana, with a fish meal
initially on offer from Rs. 40 to 95 per head, had the young IT/ BPO crowd from
Bengal, Orissa, Assam
and Bihar homing in twice a day for flavours
like Ma’s cooking. Today, the originally 34-seater mess-like eatery in
Koramangala, set up with an investment of about Rs. 3-5 lakh, generates an
annual turnover of Rs. 40-50 lakh.
Likewise, at 36 Chowringhee Lane, a bhapa elish (steamed hilsa) fish meal
was priced at Rs. 105, while a chicken kansha
curry meal was priced at Rs. 85. Addressing a clientele beyond Bengalis, Shubhrajyoti
Dasgupta, who set up the no-frills restaurant, recalls when Jnanpith
award-winning playwright Girish Karnad and his wife walked in one day, seeking
authentic murighonto (fish head
cooked with fragrant Gobindobhog rice).
Bhapa ilish, a popular steamed fish curry |
Swapan Kumar Ghosh, the brain
behind Bangaliana, analyzes the boom thus: “More people are accepting our
cuisine. About 40 per cent of my clients are non-Bengalis, including
non-vegetarian Tamilians. Some come in with requests for shukto or aloo posto
(poppyseed potatoes). Now that Bangaliana is an established brand, I’d like to
expand to Airport Road
or Total Mall.”
Can Bangalore’s Bengali population support such a
crop of restaurants? According to the Bengalee Association, there are
approximately 6.5 lakh Bengalis in a metropolis of about eight million.
Bangalore-based since 1986, Chippy
Gangjee is a Kolkata-born communication skills trainer. He says, “Bengalis
aren’t the only ones here pining for Kolkata’s food. The Marwaris and others
who’ve lived in Bengal love the cuisine, too,
especially its range of delicious vegetarian dishes.”
How do local Bengalis see it? Jayaditya
Gupta, a sports journalist and occasional food writer, responds over email: “The
Bengali's love for his own cuisine can't be exaggerated. A friend is a
Kolkata-based accountant. When his staff come to Bangalore
on work, they stay at a five-star hotel (one of his clients), but eat all their
meals at Bay of Bengal. They refuse to eat
anywhere else! That's what all these restaurants tap into.”
Kosha mangsha, of mutton/ lamb |
Chef-entrepreneur Abhijit Saha, who
recently launched his signature tapas lounge/ restaurant Caperberry, was
earlier Director, Food and Services, at The Park. Voted one of India’s top ten
chefs in a 2002 independent Outlook poll, he analyzes the trend: “I’d call it a
coming of age of regional Indian cuisines, beyond the standard Tandoori/ North
Indian fare. I feel Bengali food has the potential to make it as haute cuisine.
At hotel management school in New
Delhi about 20 years ago, I figured out why. The character
of this cuisine depends on seasonal ingredients. Most dishes use just one or
two distinctive spices, such as ginger/jeera, panch phoron (five whole seeds),
or red chilli/ mustard. Its unique home repertoire can be translated into a
restaurant menu of 30 to 40 dishes, or six to nine courses.”
Gupta adds, “There’s always been an
interest in ‘Calcutta’
food, not necessarily Bengali food, which includes Raj era food, Mughlai food,
even momos and thukpa… Those who aren't comfortable with Bengali food can try the
Anglo-Indian part.”
At this juncture, Dhar’s 54-cover enterprise
seems on track to capture Calcutta-oriented palates. Besides reviving Anglo
Kolkata fare like Jumbo Prawn Thermidor once celebrated at the famed Firpo’s and
the Smoked Hilsa from Peleti’s restaurant, his contemporary Bengali cuisine
tweaks traditional recipes to present palate-pleasers, fusing culinary knowledge
with an adventurous spirit.
For instance, starters like Gandharaj bhapano chingri (steamed
prawns marinated with Bengal’s distinctive Gandharaj
lime) or Poddo Pataye Kasundi Murgi
(mustard chicken cooked in lotus leaves). Fragrant Gobindobhog accompanies unusual
main dishes like Chingri Aam Kasundi
(giant prawns cooked with green mango/mustard), Kankra Chingrir Palang Ghonto (spinach sautéed with shrimp and
crabmeat), or Mochar Dhoka Dalna (banana
flower and dal dhokla in gravy). Traditional mishti? No way. Dhar serves baked nut-topped rossogolla in creamy rabri
instead; its crusted sweetness melts on the tongue.
Perhaps Dhar’s is the first bold
step towards the Bengalization of the Bangalore
palate. Or even a leap towards the haute launch of a regional cuisine, if Saha
has his way. As Ghosh points out, this business is about a passionate 24/7
commitment from kitchen to customer. Every which way, it’s bon appetit for Calcuttans in Bangalore,
now spoilt for choice.
ENDS
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