Rice, fish, dishes with loads of shorsher tel (mustard oil), and some sweet and syrupy rosogollas — this, to many, sums up Bengali cuisine. While these delightful ingredients and dishes are certainly important members of the tribe, Oh! Calcutta in Madhapur has been delighting our palates with so many more unique dishes, showing that Bengali cuisine is an exquisite dance of taste and tradition. As the restaurant celebrates 25 delicious years, CE indulged in some tasty dishes and learned more from Phiroz Sadri, chief executive officer, Oh! Calcutta.
Speaking about the food at Oh! Calcutta and its journey so far, Phiroz says, “We take pride in delivering the quality that people ask for.” Pointing to a table laden with ingredients, he reveals that they were used to make the dishes at the restaurant. “We have mocha, a banana flower vegetable. Then there are red lentil dumplings and white lentil dumplings, which are used to garnish the dishes and add a crispy texture,” he says, then gesturing to the Gobindo Bhog rice, which means ‘Food for the God’. In fact, this rice is a staple, consumed regularly in many Bengali households.
Phiroz elaborates, “We have Radhuni masala, which is used in a popular dish called Sukto. Then we have Calcutta mustard or Kasundi, flavoured with vinegar used to finish
the dishes. And we cannot forget the Aam Ada, which is mango ginger.”
At Oh! Calcutta, the classics — like the tasty Malai Curry — do not change. However, the CEO notes that the restaurant has introduced many more dishes from Bengali cuisine. “We have Radhatilak Chingri Pulao and the Paturi, which is fish wrapped in a banana leaf. We also have Jackfruit Tikki stuffed with feta cheese. We also have the Anglo Indian Chicken and much more,” he adds.
We started off with the Jackfruit Tikki, which was full of flavour, before devouring the Anglo Indian Chicken Cutlet, an irresistible dish that you will fall in love with. And when it comes to Bengali food, who can forget the Calcutta Fish Fry? With strong flavours of green chillies, lime juice, and ginger, this dish made for an unforgettable experience and was a treat for our taste buds. The Gondhoraj Maach was delightful too.
We also tucked into other meaty delights, such as Kosha Mangsho with Petai Paratha and Macher Paturi, a dish made with steamed coconut mustard fish. The Prawn Malai Curry with steamed rice is a must-try combination.
A Bengali food experience is incomplete without some good lip-smacking desserts. We satisfied the sweet tooth with Chanar Malpua, a traditional deep-fried sweetened pancake, and Baked Rosogolla topped with Rabri. Needless to say, both were absolutely delectable! If you’re craving Bengali cuisine, this gem in the heart of Hyderabad is worth your tummy’s time.