Last week I visited Kolkata to attend my niece’s wedding. We stayed at The Oberoi Grand for 4 nights.
On the first evening, we had dinner at The Bann, at The Oberoi Grand, the first Thai restaurant in India We were the onlyIndians as the restaurant was full of foreigners. Food was delicious, but the ambiance and service were exceptional. Since I am a foodie and enjoy cooking, I felt I cooked better Thai cuisine.
Aaheli is a famous restaurant nearby that serves authentic Bengali cuisine on the second day of our visit.
In Kolkata, this is one of the best places to get authentic Bengali cuisine. I loved the food, the service and the ambiance.Being a non-Bengali, I enjoyed traditional Bengali cuisine. I ordered a veg thali and my husband loved his non-veg thali, primarily fish cooked in unique spices. The veg thali cost around INR 1700+ taxes and the non-veg cost INR 2500 + taxes. This is a bit higher than usual. We had traditional paan (betel leaf and spices) + kukhwas served in a cute ethnic earthen pot.
Lunch was heavy; I didn’t feel hungry until noon the next day.
The staff served the food with enthusiasm. If you are staying around Park Street, you must visit this place and try theirspecialties.
On the second morning, after puja and darshan at Kalighat, we relished singara (Bengali Samosa) and mataka chai (milk tea served in an earthen cup) near a small shop at the entry/exit near police station parking. This was the most delicioussingara I’ve ever tasted. A marwadi couple, who visits Kalighat regularly vouched for the Sigara. We attended a Haldi ceremony in the morning, followed by a wedding ceremony in the evening.
On the third morning, we visited Dakshineshwar Temple and Belur Math. We had Cholar Dal (chickpeas) and luchi (puris, deep fried spicy small chapatis). The taste was amazing as it balanced all varieties well. During my meal, I had three servings of Cholar Dal. We attended a reception in the evening.
On the fourth day, we headed to Gariya Hut for saree shopping. I had Ghugni (boiled peas cooked in spices and garnished with chat masala, chopped onion and coriander leaves) at a roadside stall. Interesting food.
I was able to enjoy breakfast two days a week due to our hectic schedule. The breakfast buffet had a couple of Bengali dishes and the rest was like a typical five-star hotel; however, the Oberoi Grand is exceptional in terms of hospitality and services. I would any day prefer Oberoi properties.