Thus, in spite of visiting City Centre 2 in multiple occasions, we never tried the food at The Orient Restaurant on the ground floor. I think, it might also be due to the poor experiences we had at Blue Nile and Aafra in CC2. 

On A Date?

It was one of those mundane days in our lives, the kid had left for school, hubby was preparing for office and I was trying to sort things before hitting my workstation, when suddenly I had this realization – we haven’t been on a date for ages!

Thoughts and wishes are not meant to be supressed, so boom! I barged in to my husband’s room and demanded, “When was the last time we took each other on a date?” The poor man was taken aback. However, we continued with some typical overacted husband-wife drama and finally he suggested that we can go to The Orient. The restaurant was still untouched by us, and it was also close by so we could return before the kid was home – everything was just perfect barring the fact that we were SUPER APPREHENSIVE about the FOOD.

The Ambience

The entrance of the restaurant might not allure you much, but from the moment you enter it, you feel the vibes of an authentic Oriental restaurant. It’s a small place which the owner has arranged very strategically. Thought not enclosed within cabins, each table has privacy. The ambiance looks vibrant in the red and black combination with Chinese characters on the walls.

The Food

The food served here has a unique taste, and though the ambience conforms more to Chinese tastes, it serves authentic Oriental food with a tinge of the Chef’s personal style. And the best part is they are open to suggestions and you can customize the food to a great extent to suit your taste buds. Each dish is cooked with utmost care and has optimum use of spices.

Coming to the dishes that we would recommend:

Philippino pork ribs adobe

Consists of 90% pork fat and is a delicacy for pork’s fat lovers. Each bite melts in your mouth leaving a lingering felling of richness. Not suitable for health geeks!

Ginger and Pepper Fried Rice

Since we were in a mood to try out spicy food, this food perfectly suited us. The burnt smell is perfect for people who are ready to try something beyond the typical fried rice.

Lobster in Garlic Pepper Sauce and Red Wine

The juicy lobster is served in the most mouth-watering manner, and is cooked with apt amount of spices. If it was not for the cost, I would love to visit this place again and again for this particular dish.

The showstopper – Ice Cream

It’s a flower with chocolate petals which blooms slowly as the hot chocolate is poured over it and slowly reveals the white ice cream bud at the center. We were so mesmerized by the presentation that for a while the taste took a back seat – just like when Aishwarya used to be on the screen, we used to be so zapped by her looks that we could hardly bother about her acting (Disclaimer: that was her in the starting days!). Having said that, it’s a perfect dessert for people with a sweet tooth.

Buffet

Timing: 12:30 pm to 4 pm

                With unlimited soft drinks – INR 799

                4 pegs of hard liquor or 2 pints of beer- INR 999

The Service

The staff is courteous and while they respect your privacy, they also make sure to attend you promptly. We visited on a weekday, so it was nearly empty when we entered and we received a very warm service. One of the best aspects of their service was that they gave a patient hearing to our requirements and once they understood it, they suggested us dishes which perfectly satisfied our taste buds.  

Would you like to try a Bengali and Continental Fusion Platter to stimulate your taste buds? Read our review on Bohemian Restaurant to guide you better.

The post The Orient – Presentation is a Taste Enhancer appeared first on KolkataFusion.

So, for our meet, we zeroed in on this cafe in Salt Lake, Kolkata where you can discuss, have engaging conversations or listen to live gigs over food with your choice of coffee or tea. In short, Calcutta 64 has the ambience of the quintessential Bengali Adda.

At the right corner of the entrance gate, there are a few wooden benches and desks serving as the waiting zone or smoking zone of the patrons entering the café. As we entered, we were greeted by a small showcase displaying luring cupcakes and muffins. On the other side, there were the seating arrangements comprising of sleek tables and chairs, just enough to keep your book, planner or laptop on them while having your food.

At the rear end of where we sat, there was a wide space with some stools and guitar testifying the live musical events which take place here, at times. There was a cute book rack, too, but since we were focused on our meeting, we didn’t dare to look at the rack lest we fall in the trap and start reading the books instead of discussions.

At first, we ordered an Americano and a Second Flush Tea because one of us like coffee and the other one had a bad headache, so a strong liquor tea was something she wanted then. Both the drinks were just in place, perfectly done. Two tiny miny cookies were also served with the tea.

Up came our laptop and planner and we started discussing our blog. Being foodies, we obviously couldn’t focus without food, and we wanted to try out varieties. So, one of us ordered mixed chicken sizzlers and the other ordered chicken steak with mashed potatoes. The sizzler tasted good, the pepper was a bit on the higher side but then our palates got conditioned and certified it as umami. We guess that’s how it should taste like though we had a problem with the high pepper due to personal health reasons. The steak platter tasted awesome. The chicken pieces in both the dishes were juicy and tender, instantly melting in our mouths.

Both the dishes were pretty filling. The quantity served was absolutely great. We would also like to mention the service, which was polite and quick. We stayed in that place for about two and a half hours, took our own time to discuss and savour the food in the meanwhile. Just when we decided to call it a day, we ordered a fresh lime soda and first flush tea. The fresh lime soda tasted usual but the first flush tea emerged as the winner. The leaves were perfectly steeped. The quantity was great, too.

One of us left Calcutta 64 with a pack of little chocolate cupcakes wishing that they would bring smiles to her little one’s face.

If you are arranging a get together with your friends, or brief work discussions with your team or client, Calcutta 64 can be your next venue. The hot cuppa coffee and thin-crust pizzas, or sandwiches or all-day breakfast or a chosen sumptuous lunch, can add new dimensions to your meet. Bon Appetit!!

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