It amazed me to find so much potential in such a joint that looked so casual, bit laid back or rather tad too homely. The place which
can still be termed as a ‘newly opened’ joint is one of the bright hidden gems
that I have unearthed in the recent times. Not that there ain’t any area of
improvement, there are loads but the age needs to be kept in mind before
judging this place with the big daddies of the business; just as a piece of
fact, acceleration is more precious than steady speed when it can be handled
good. I was mighty pleased with this place since the food did all the talking
here and the rest of the glittery paraphernalia (which gets more brownie points
from many) took a backseat when the gastronomic deal was in progress.
This is a joint that can be called a ‘shopaholic’s café’
primarily for its location. Its location is its boon as well as its curse (according
to me) since very few people can spot it from the main road, its entrance is
all covered up by the road-side stalls and hawker’s who are all messing up the
place but in the same time providing the charm of good ol’ gariahat that we all
know! So as I said earlier, this place literally is hidden and is truly a
hidden gem of this area. It is located beside the Beduoin restaurant and opposite
the Basanti Devi college near gariahat crossing. This place is primarily
serving oriental cuisine along with few other quick bites and I was glad to
receive the food tasting invitation that introduced me to this lovely joint
sitting right in the epicenter of hustle and bustle of the Gariahat market. But
when you are in there you are really cut-off from the mad city rush that’s
creating all the turmoil outside, only thing – I would love the glass doors to
have some frosted finish so that I don’t even have to get a sight of that mad
rush or the nail-biting negotiations going on outside in that market.
The place has got ample space which is nicely utilized by
placing several small tables with modest colorful chairs along with it. For
large groups such tables can be brought together, so that won’t be an issue.
Most, interesting thing that I noticed while I was there at this joint is –
people simply walk in while they are in between some hectic shopping schedule
for a breather, and that’s why I said the location is a boon to this place.
There is ample space and you need not go for reservations. Except the flooring
I kinda liked the interior, especially the wall decor which is very colorful
and vibrant. You have wall graffiti that depicts urban folks dining at restaurants,
also the wall has got the city skyline and overall the wall arts inject loads
of life into this place. Next noteworthy object is the hanging colorful glass
lights which when all lit up looks really wonderful, you can go on practicing
some of your photography skills with these lights (as subject) for sure!
Now let us come to the crux of the matter and yes, that’s
the time when we discuss about the food. Though you get some quick bites here
like sandwiches, fish n chips to go with some coffee or black tea, but the main
cuisine that is being served here is Chinese. And that is Chinese with some
great flavour and visible honesty, thus kinda justifying the name ‘Golden
flavour’! Now let us check out the dishes which were tasted by me –
a) Aam Panna – I was served a glass of water and a glass of
Aam Panna right after I reached this place. It was chilled and refreshing with
beautiful green color, the perfect drink with heat-resistant properties that I
was looking for after coming in from that blazing summer sun.
b) Chicken Lollipop – The chicken lollipop tried at this
place was nice with that tangy sauce making it perfect for the admirers of this
dish, it had good amount of chicken around the top giving that look of a
lollipop. It was bit stuffed before frying it and tossing it with that sauce.
You will surely like this bite sized finger food that is garnished with chopped
spring onions.
c) Fish n Chips – Well, the fish n chips served here is
different from the conventional Fish n chips that you get in some continental
joints, gastrobars or maybe at steakhouses where it’s served with the tartar
sauce. Originally this dish was prepared in the 17th century in
England. But here you’ll get a twisted version, so it’s better to be prepared
for that twist. Here it is more like a homely Kolkata version of fish and
chips. The fish you get is fresh Bhetki batter-fried with French fries served
along. The fish does the trick, it is really fresh and awesome to taste. The
chaat masala which is sprinkled on top can be avoided. I loved this twist since
I am always open to new dishes or old dishes with some twist, I will again go
for this for that awesome flavorful fresh Bhetki in there!
d) Chicken Steamed Momo – The chicken steamed momos were
perfect to be true, they were nice in size and the minced onion, garlic and
chicken filling was just good enough to satiate your momo cravings. The red
chilli paste or rather the sauce provided along with this was also one perfect
companion to go with. The skin was moderately thin and has a nice oily texture
to it that’s perfect. You may also opt for pan fried momos but I personally
always go for the steamed ones and they worked well for me here, worth a try!
e) Pan Fried Chilli Fish – This was one of the dishes which
I really loved and would again order for it when I’m back. It was tossed with
bell pepper, onion, carrot, coriander, etc and the fish in there again did the
trick. It was again fresh Bhetki with some amazing taste and aroma. Yes, this
place serves some seriously awesome preparations of fish unlike many other
joints. Do try this out.
f) Teriyaki Chicken – If you wanna go for some tangy dish
with some pan fried chicken in there then you can go for this. Though Teriyaki has
originally been a grilled preparation but these days we can find pan fried
teriyaki chicken dishes as well. So since it’s not grilled you won’t get any
smoky flavor but due to frying for long the outer skin is bit crunchy here
which might suit the palate of many, though I would have liked it a bit more
juicy and tender. But that thick soy based sauce did the trick again. And yes,
this dish was served with freshly cut pineapple slices which went well with
that tangy pan fried chicken.
g) Red Pepper Fish – Since I found the fish sides to be very
good at this place, I ordered for my third fish preparation of the afternoon,
and again I was not disappointed. Infact this was of the same class again
prepared with fresh Bhetki. The very well prepared flavorful fish went well
with the noodles. The green, red and yellow bell peppers were tossed with the
nicely cut pieces of Bhetki and sesame seeds were sprinkled on top making it
look more appetizing. Worth a try!
h) Egg Chicken Hakka Noodles – Oh boy I loved the simple
honest comforting hakka noodles served here. It somehow reminded me of Yam Mein
which has similar subtle taste and gives you the taste of old-school Chinese.
The noodles were very well tossed with veggies, chicken and egg and had a
lovely aroma and subtle flavor that acts as a perfect base for any side to go
with. And yes, it was served in a bowl that had huge quantity packed in it,
good enough for two persons. Worth a try!
In the end, all these were then washed down by some chilled
soft drinks that kinda completed the food tasting session. And now if I talk
about the service, then I would say it is effective and courteous, but bit more
manpower with time will do good. The
place promises to serve good honest food and it exceeds my expectations in
doing so, the ingredients used are remarkable and the final flavour will surely
bring you back. Also the pricing is reasonable and pocket pleasing. A
perfect joint for the students for sure. I am sure they will keep improving and with time they will
attract even more customers who are not very regular in this Gariahat area.
Till then I wish the team well and wish them all the best for their future
ventures.
Cheers!
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