THE BIRYANI COMPANY - Biryani & Kolkata equals food orgasm..

Being an quintessential Bong, i prefer to call myself a biriyani connoisseur.. Especially, people in Kolkata are very particular about their preferred taste of Biriyani.. Hence, when i first heard about THE BIRYANI COMPANY - i thought that this will be yet another addition to those hundreds of restaurants which claim to serve the so called Kolkatar Biriyani but thankfully this one is different because it actually serves an authentic version of the Kolkata biriyani..

It is located near Mudiali club - 24, S.R DAS ROAD, Kolkata - 700026. It looks minuscule from outside however once you enter the restaurant - you get a very spacious vibe - doesn't look cramped from any angle. The decor is pretty simple yet very elegantly done..

We were greeted with a glass of buttermilk - it was yum!! to say the least - one of the best that i have tasted till date with a very distinct flavour.

Next in line were ULTE TAWA KE PARANTHE & MUTTON GALAWTI KEBAB - The kebabs were supremely delicious and for a change, one can feel the meat along with the spices when tasting the same as it melts in your mouth unlike most other places where the whole thing just melts and you don't get to feel the meat.. The parantha was a good add on..

We were then served with CHICKEN TANGDI KEBAB - very well prepared and left a good flavour on our taste buds.

It was time for the main course - we started off with MALABARI PARANTHE and MUTTON REZALA and CHICKEN CHAAP.. Firstly, i feel those paranthas were a great alternative to tandoori roti which is generally served with these two dishes in most eateries - Chicken Chaap was upto the mark (nothing special) and so was the Mutton Rezala but the addition of Malabari paranthe made all the difference ultimately.

Finally, it was time for the real deal - MUTTON BIRIYANI.. Deliciously made and was certainly a mouth watering experience. The aroma of the spices used in the biriyani which they import from Iran did set the tone perfectly even before we could dig in - the potato (a very important ingredient of Kolkata biriyani) was cooked to perfection and the mutton was juicy and very tender which complimented the fine rice quality as well..

Last but not the least, it was time for a dessert and what better than a delicious FIRNI served to you - it tempted us to dig in immediately and man we were really content to say the least - it was super yummy and a perfect end to an amazing dinner undoubtedly.

As the saying goes in Kolkata - if your biriyani is good - nothing else matters in that restaurant - it applies here as well and the icing on the cake is that everything else was also pretty good at this place.. Visit now -  you won't regret..

Verdict : STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.. 

Feel free to FOLLOW, COMMENT, LIKE and SHARE if you find the review worthwhile..

Happy eating friends,

Somek Choudhury..

You can reach me @ 9004490413 or somekc@gmail.com

Facebook: https://facebook.com/epicureancinetrotter/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/epicureancinetrotter/

LIPSTICK UNDER MY BURKHA - a tight slap on MALE CHAUVINISM..

#LIPSTICKUNDERMYBURKHA - is not a fim actually - it's an honest mirror to Indian society and #MEN at large - no, let me put me more bluntly - it's a #TIGHTSLAP on #MALECHAUVINISM and the fact that we claim to treat both genders equally.. Thank you #AlankritaSrivastava for directing a much needed film potryaing the true colours of #MOSTMEN and #Indiansociety at large.. I feel every man needs to watch this movie and then hopefully stand for equality amongst both genders in all respects.. We need to realize and accept that every girl or every lady has a right to dream and make those dreams come true in life (which they are already doing inspite of every resistance possible)..

The narrative constantly talks about this fictional character "ROSY" but i feel it is the story of almost every girl or lady in India unfortunately - the moment she tries to go out of the set pattern - we try everything possible to clip her wings.. #WHY - are we insecure that they might overtake us (they are already)??  Damn right - we are - how unfortunate though - #SHAMEONUS.. It's high time we stand up for each other irrespective of our gender - i am sure India will only become a much stronger country and a much better and healthier place to live in if that ever becomes a reality.. #WAKEUP before it's too late - that's all i can say to every man around and myself too.. All the actors played thier respective characters to the tee but #RATNAPATHAKSHAH &  #KONKONASENSHARMA showed yet again why they are a class apart.. Kudos to the producer for putting their money into such a so called controversial subject.. But the biggest #THANKYOU is reserved for the #INDIANCENSORBOARD for helping this film big time with the much needed #FREEPUBLICITY..

#MUSTWATCH if you haven't already..

China Wok - you got to be there whether you love Chinese or not!!

Indians and especially Bengalis have always had a special love for Chinese food suited to Indian palettes and off late, we seem to be developing a love for Thai food as well.. It seems i am no different either which is why it was one of those rare occasions on 13th July, when i went to a pre-planned Chinese cum Thai dinner at China Wok with fellow foodies although most of my luncheons or dine outs are generally unplanned.. Little did i know then that i will fall in love with Chinese and Thai food yet again by the time i leave that eatery courtesy the lavish spread of food that was waiting for us..

It was a quaint restaurant situated at 37/1, Purna Das Road, Hindustan Park (i have aptly named this street the food hub of Kolkata because of the sheer variety of eating joints situated here which also signifies cut throat competition amongst them to stand out from the rest).. 

We started off with CORIANDER CHICKEN SOUP - it was a coriander flavoured thick soup with generous chunks of chicken and garden fresh vegetables - nothing special about the taste but not too bad either.

Next on the list was SPINACH and BLACK PEPPER DUMPLINGS (chicken) - the first thing that you will notice about these momos are it's unique green colour which attracted my attention instantly. They tasted good as well being steamed with a sauce containing pan glazed soy and mushrooms. However, the SMOKED RED OIL DUMPLINGS (chicken) was clearly the more tastier one amongst the two - these were red in colour owing to the fact that they were topped with fresh Krakow sauce with generous fillings of chicken inside.. 

Then came the moment of surprise for a carnivore like me - the STEAMED VEGETARIAN DUMPLINGS topped with a sauce of pan glazed soy and mushrooms clearly appealed to me more than it's non veg counterpart and in fact, we requested for a repeat serve of the same.. It was actually that good..

HUA HIN HIGHWAY ROLLS (chicken) - Thai crispy rolls stuffed with Vermicelli, Kaffir lime, peanuts and roasted butter along with chicken.. These looked like the usual spring rolls but tasted a thousand times better - very crispy yet very soft on your tongue..

The last two dishes on the list of starters were PAD NAM PRIK POW (Thai crispy vegetables with Kaffir lime and Lemongrass) and PRIK KAI SOT SAI THOD (Chicken wings tossed in Thai sweet chilli sauce with Kaffir lime and Lemongrass) - both were yummy taste wise especially with that lemongrass effect however, the vegetarian dish was the clear winner yet again.. 

After an extensive list of amazing starters, it was time to try out the main course which started off with PIA GO TIEM (sliced fish tossed with black pepper and Basil sauce) and KHAO PAD KRATIEM (thai smoked oil and burnt garlic rice). Both the dishes complemented each other well however, they were pretty usual taste wise - nothing out of the box certainly.. 

KUNG POO CHICKEN (chicken served with Kung Pao sauce, bell papers and cashew nuts) along with CHILLI GARLIC NOODLES was next on the list - the chicken tasted good and the noodles were same as elsewhere..

The best of the main course was served at the end - THAI CHICKEN CURRY WITH STEAMED RICE.. It was delicious and that lemongrass flavour lingered on my taste buds for a long time. Everything seemed to be perfect about this dish - certainly the best Thai Chicken Curry that i have ever tasted anywhere till date..

It was time for the dessert after a hearty meal - CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM SANDWICH.. As someone said somewhere that one should always save the best for the last - this was indeed an icing on the cake.. It looks tempting and tastes equally yummy as well.. One bite and you will feel like in heaven irrespective of whether you like chocolates or not - it just melts to perfection inside your mouth and leaves you wanting for more..

Overall, it was one hell of a dinner which will stay on with me for a long time to come.. Drop in to this wonderful restaurant with a welcoming owner and you will come out happy and gastronomically satisfied for sure..

Verdict: Strongly Recommended..

Feel free to FOLLOW, COMMENT, LIKE and SHARE if you find the review worthwhile..

Happy eating,

Somek Choudhury..

You can reach me on 9004490413 or somekc@gmail.com

An Iftar food walk - lip smacking to say the least..

Well, i am back again after a long hiatus by my standards.. To me, the celebration of Eid signifies great food and what better way to enjoy good food than going out on this food walk.. Hence, thought of sharing my experiences with you all.. Please note that this blog is 70% about beef and 30% about chicken and desserts..

The location of the walk is pretty simple - take a metro (Central station) or bus or cab or bike to the starting point - Nakhoda Masjid gate (opp Muhammad Ali Park - famous for it's Durga Puja) - wouldn't recommend driving down in your own car since parking is a big headache. 

Best time to start the walk is around 6pm.. Be prepared to walk through dingy lanes, dirty streets and eat mostly while standing.. One needs to enter the Nakhoda Masjid gate and start walking on Zakaria street all the way to Phears lane to reach the first destination of the walk which can be located via Google GPS easily.. It is a shorter walk for someone coming from Central metro station..

1. ADAM'S KABAB SHOP

A mouth watering experience awaits you at this nondescript shop at Phears Lane going back almost a hundred years.. This elderly gentleman will serve you the most amazing Suta Kababs that you may have ever had anywhere else on earth.. The beef kababs are so soft that they need to be tied around the skewer with a thread - it just melts once you place them on your tongue and takes you to paradise.. His Boti Kababs are equally delicious - beef kababs chopped to perfection which will give you an heavenly experience to say the least.. Pocket pinch is just 25 bucks per kabab stick - yes, you read that right.. Your expectations from the food walk will instantly rise after this experience and a short walk will take you to your next destination.

2. DILSHAD LAZIZ KABAB

From one food heaven to another - again a nondescript shop just opposite the entrance of Phears Lane without even a proper name plate which will serve you with the finest kababs you might have ever tasted till date.. This one prepares five different beef kababs however i will strongly recommend trying out two of them since the rest are pretty average.. Start with the Suta Kabab - it is crispy yet smooth enough to melt in your mouth.. The star of the menu is the Malai Kabab - this is a sausage shaped beef kabab smothered with butter resulting in an absolute foodorgasm to say the least once it melts in your mouth.. I fondly call it the baap of all kababs taste wise.. Icing on the cake - any kabab you try is just 20 bucks a stick - sounds unbelievable but it's true.. After an overdose of beef and kababs, it's time for a change of taste and hence you head to the third destination of the evening - again a short walk straight down that same road.

3. MURADABADI LAZIZ KABAB

This Eid special temporary food stall on the pavement of Phears Lane and Zakaria Street crossing will serve you one of the most outstanding Chicken Fry  - generous pieces of chicken breast or leg deep fried and is still extremely juicy and tender to eat.. The taste will linger with you for a long time.. The otherwise boring chicken suddenly became very appealing to taste buds.. Pocket pinch - just 50 bucks per plate for a generous quantity.. It's time now to move on towards the fourth destination of the evening.. 

4. DILLI 6

This is one joint at Zakaria Street which takes the taste of chicken to a different high altogether through their signature dish - Chicken Afghani.. I can bet that chicken has never tasted so appealing to you till the time you take one of those succulent pieces of chicken sunk in a thick white cream gravy in your mouth and it simply melts away to leave you wanting for more and more of it.. I will describe this one as yet another gastronomical orgasm to say the least which will cost you a mere 90 bucks per plate.. Now, it's time to head over to the fifth destination of the evening and it's back to beef again..

5. BOMBAY HOTEL

It's a proper restaurant with a seating arrangement for a change at Zakaria Street dishing out Mughlai fare.. There is just one dish out here to die for - Beef Chaap with Tandoori roti.. By this time, your appetite is almost nil due to over eating but this particular delicacy will plead you to stuff as much of it as you can because as they say - the best is saved for the last and this is certainly the best of the lot till now.. Let's simply say that one spoon of that minced beef gravy will transport you to a gastronomical paradise to say the least - no comparison with anything else at all.. Yet another foodorgasm which will cost you just 60 bucks a plate.. Now, that you are overloaded with food, it's time for desserts at our sixth destination just across the road..

6. TASKEEN

After so much of non veg food, it's high time to try out a dessert and what better way to enjoy that than tasting the famous chilled Taskeen's Faluda at Zakaria Street.. It's the perfect sweetener after stuffing yourself with beef and chicken.. Thick and creamy custard served with dry fruits - gives an epicurean feeling to say the least.. Comes at just 45 bucks per glass..

Optional: In case if you still have space in your tummy (chances are next to impossible), feel free to drop in at HAJI ALLAUDDIN SWEETS (Phears lane) for their yummy Gulabjamun and Kalakand and at HAJI FALLAUDDIN SWEETS (Zakaria Street) for their delicious Barfi at throwaway prices..

Verdict: This is undoubtedly one of the best food walks that one can ever undertake in Kolkata - where else will you manage to get all that lip smacking fare spending just about 250 to 300 bucks in total.. *STRONGLY RECOMMENDED* for every carnivore out there.. 

P.S: No need to wait till next year Eid - you can go on this food walk anytime throughout the year.. 

Happy eating friends and feel free to share your valuable feedback regarding the same..

Cheers,

Somek Choudhury..

Mob: 90044 90413

Email: somekc@gmail.com