A glimpse of Chhote Nawab at Circus Avenue. Pictures by Rashbehari Das and Bishwarup Dutta

Karim’s style food here in Calcutta? Enter, Chhote Nawab.

Don’t go by its name — the senior ustads here have years of experience. There is Chef Md Subhedaan, who has worked with Delhi’s Karim Hotel for 25 years and with him is Chef Dilnawaz, whose careergraph includes two years at Moti Mahal, also a landmark on the capital’s culinary map. Along with four others, the team of six has been brought to Calcutta to open Chhote Nawab, a Mughlai and Awadhi restaurant at 7 Circus Avenue, located under the AJC Bose Road flyover.

The initiation, spearheaded by Pranav Trehan and brothers Arush and Anshul Dhawan, opened doors on June 6. “Our main motive was to introduce authentic cuisine in the city. There are many Mughlai restaurants that don’t really serve the real stuff,” say the trio.

The air-conditioned restaurant is compact, with 38 covers and is spread across 1,100sq ft. “Since the building is very old, we renovated the room but tried to retain its character,” says Arush. So the Victorian windows remain although the main wall has been painted red, with an eye-catching display of photographs. “Some of them are old prints of purani Dilli while the others are of a lighter nature, like movie posters of Anarkali or Mughal-E-Azam and of course, the 1961 Chhote Nawab film,” says Nimisha, the Dhawans’ sister-in-law who helped with the graphic design.

A quick glance at the menu and there is no guesswork required — the names are familiar although the flavour is distinctly unique. The Chapli and Mutton Seekh Kebabs make great starters but the Mutton Bara deserves a special mention with its meatilicious pieces marinated in spices to perfection. Move on to the main course with dishes like Chicken Stew, Chicken Dum Biryani, Laham Do Pyaza, Paneer Korma and Dal Makhni. Replace the standard naan and roti with flavoured ones like the Khameeri Roti or the Warqi Paratha — tear its thick crispy edges and the soft dough inside will still be warm off the tandoor. “The ingredients most important to Mughlai cuisine are korma mirch, dahi and brown onions that are first fried in oil and then grounded extremely fine,” says Md Subhedaan. “We use low cholesterol vegetable oil and our spices come from Delhi,” adds Pranav. A meal for two would cost between Rs 600 and Rs 700 (taxes extra).

Karo Christine Kumar

Traditional treats

If you’re craving some chatpata khana this summer, head to The Street, at The Park. The popular street meal destination celebrates Johari Baazar, a Jaipur food festival till June 26 with a range of snacks, meals and drinks inspired by the city.

Begin your journey with the Dhungarihui Chhass. Spicy, light and refreshingly cool, it scores over the traditional lassi on many counts. Unlike the malai-loaded lassi, it doesn’t fill you too much and helps you digest your meal. Another must-have is the Rajasthani Dahi Vada. This one’s spicy too, and is prepared with moong dal and a dash of asafoetida because the vada is supposed to be a little “grainy”, explains chef Punam Chowdhury. Move on to the Pyaaz ki Kachori, a perfect snack for a rainy afternoon or the classic Dal Baati Churma. “Traditionally, the salty dal is mashed with the sweet churma and the mix of flavours is what is enjoyed in Rajasthan,” says Punam.

Non-vegetarians can try the Machhi Ke Seeley, where the fish cubes are painstakingly marinated in ginger, garlic, chilli and lime for a minimum of three hours and then grilled. Another Rajasthani classic, Laal Maas, is being served — an elaborate dish made from 26 different spices! Meant to be fiery hot, The Street’s version has been adapted to suit the average Indian palate, and can be best teamed with a platter of Aloo Parathas.

Finally, end with the real stars of the festival — the desserts. Be it the deliciously nutty Thandai Kulfi, a syrupy Aam Roll, with candied slices of pumpkin stuffed with mango or the Aam Chhenna, a baked dessert comprising of rosogollas and mangoes — those with a sweet tooth will have a tough time picking a favourite! A meal for one should cost around Rs 400 (taxes extra).

Malini Banerjee
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