In this episode, we bring you some of the most popular flavours from the lanes of South Kolkata that is home to diverse cultures from across the country. Hence this food exploration is about those dishes that aren’t essentially Bengali but have become a favourite with the Bengalis and the locals alike. So let’s join our genial host for the day, Sachika Ghosh will guide us in exploring some of the go-to dishes that are affordable and hugely popular with the crowd dotting this area.
Our food started from the busy lake market area of South Kolkata that has a substantial crowd from the Southern States of India. And so by default, our first stop was Rao's Udipi Home, one of the most famous South Indian restaurants in the locality. Something that started as a lodging place is now a hub for authentic Udipi cuisine that is delicious, homely and affordable. We were excited to try their most selling fare which included soft idlis, crisp deep-fried vadas and an equally great Masala Dosa.
After a brief stroll surveying the marketplace, we took a taxi ride to reach Balwant Singh Eating House in Bhowanipore. We were here to try two of their iconic beverages-Doodh Cola and steamed tea. The first one is a refreshing concoction of milk and cola. It's had a very unique zingy taste. And the second one was a smooth, invigorating cup of milky tea that had been prepared in a novel manner. It is one of the favourite tea destinations in the city that caters to an eclectic crowd comprising of morning walkers to students.
Soon it was lunchtime and hunger was making me restless. Sachika suggested that we should try some favourite Punjabi fare for lunch whose taste have endeared the Bengalis too. We ordered two interesting dishes that were quite different from the Punjabi classics that dominated the menu. The first one was the Egg Tadka a Punjabi variation of the Bengali Egg Torka. We loved its comforting notes that emanated from the whole moong dal, scrambled eggs and aromatic warming spices. The second dish was Chicken Bharta. It was creamy and flavourful. The fun part about these two dishes was the clear Bengali touch bought in by the use of some quintessential Bengali ingredients. It's not yet the end of the tour so do stay tuned for the second instalment of this gastronomic trail that has more delightful surprises.