Authentic Bengali restaurant Kewpie?s is holding a food festival till November 14 to celebrate Diwali, Kali puja and Bhai Phota. ?We?ve altered certain items on our menu along festive lines,? says Rakhi Purnima Dasgupta of Kewpie?s.

The menu has also undergone seasonal changes, and improvisations are being made to make the most of the luscious winter fruits and vegetables. The emphasis is on oranges, which have just come into season. In the vegetarian section, Phulkopi Komla is being served up. A delectable range of sweets include Komla Koi, Komla Kheer and Komla Payesh.

so part of the festive menu are Rakhi?s Kabiraji Cutlet and Kewpie?s Chingri Cutlet. Bhai Phota specialities are Muri Ghonto, Laljar Jhal and Moricher Pathar Jhol.

If you have a formidable appetite, try the Jamjamat Thala on offer, which includes rice, luchi, dal, Shukto, bhaja and a choice of vegetarian and non-vegetarian items, ending with a choice of two desserts.

While the Amish Thala is priced at Rs 345, the Niramish Thala comes for Rs 300.

The festive spread at Kewpie?s. Picture by Rashbehari Das

Feast fare

True-blue Kashmiri cuisine has remained rather elusive to the Calcutta diner, but there is now one caterer specialising in Wazwaan, the formal feast of Kashmir.

?Wazwaan is the exotic treasury of secret recipes from the renowned family of Waza, the master chefs of Kashmir. It supposedly dates back to Timur?s invasion,? says Shanker Kaul, owner of the catering service Bouin.

The elaborate tradition has not found favour in any restaurant in Calcutta as it is tedious to prepare, with everything done by hand. The cuisine comprises 36 courses. It calls for days of planning and hours of preparation, but the final result is worth the effort.

Kashmiri recipes for delicacies like Gushtaba, Rista and Lahabi Kebab are very closely-guarded secrets.

?There are many misconceptions about the cuisine due to lack of awareness,? says Anju Munshi, who has penned Healthy and Delightful Kashmiri Cooking. Traditionally, Wazwaan is served during special occasions in Kashmir.

Owing to the time-intensive and expensive nature of this kind of cooking, Kaul sticks to orders for corporate luncheons and private parties only. ?It is difficult to prepare Wazwaan for a large gathering,? admits Kaul, who boasts clients like Duckback, Hutch, Hindustan Lever Ltd and Deutsche Bank.

The cuisine owes its freshness to spices brought down from Kashmir. ?The mouli flower, which is used to add colour, is only available in Kashmir. The bark of the chinar tree, used to pound the meat, is also brought from the Valley,? reveals Kaul, now keen to take the plunge in the marriage market.

The vegetarian platter costs between Rs 200 and Rs 400 and the non-vegetarian platter ranges from Rs 250 to Rs 600. Going by the book, mutton is what makes the meal, but fish and chicken are used for diet-conscious diners.

What?s more, Wazwaan is building up quite a fan following. ?I enjoyed the food and found it unique. I have not come across this anywhere in Calcutta,? says Milan Chhetri, medicine consultant, Apollo Gleneagles.

?Though the cuisine might be on the heavier side, if you are consuming it once in a while, it should not pose any threat. Anyway, no Indian cuisine is completely devoid of fat and spices,? he adds.

Web watch

With more eligible men and women logging on to the Internet to find the partner of their dreams, there are growing concerns about authenticity of e-claims made by those trying to increase their value in the marriage market.

So prevent unpleasant untruths from putting a spanner in the nuptial works, BharatMatrimonial.com, one of the leading marriage portals, has launched a new service, Veriprofile.

?This allows members to verify personal and professional claims made on the site,? explains S. Suresh, business head, BharatMatrimonial. The company has tied up with ONICRA, a reputed credit rating agency that will handle the logistics of the verification exercise. The service costs an additional Rs 250.

A member can also have his or her own profile verified, for which a certificate is attached to the cyber resume.