Fusion food has clearly turned a page, and in this new era of fine dine and globalisation, a fresh wave of glocal food is the big thing of the moment. What exactly is ‘glocal’ you ask? Well, it’s a mix of global dishes with locally produced and sourced ingredients and vice versa. It’s all about giving a fresh take to popular dishes. To explore the trend further, we went around the city and got you 11 fresh and fiery dishes. Check it out!
1. Chèvre Chicken Tikka @ What’s In D Name:
Juicy and tender chicken cubes take a different flavour path with a marination comprising goat’s cheese, cream and cardamom. Served with a bell pepper beetroot coulis along with an aam aada foam, the dish at this Camac Street lounge is a winner! @Rs 475-plus
2. Baked Bay of Bengal Bhetki at Trapeze:
The Russell Street pub serves the humble shorshe maachh with its own twist. Well-charred bekti is served with mustard potatoes, wilted pui saag, white wine emulsion and capers. The good old baked fish takes a dip in our very own Bay of Bengal it seems.
@Rs 625-plus
3. Deconstructed Kolkata Biryani at The Glenburn Penthouse:
Chef Shaun Kenworthy gives a 360-degree spin to the Kolkata biryani. Pureed biryani rice is served with a cut of lamb cooked for 12 hours, alongside a soft-boiled egg, confit potatoes cooked in the same juice as the lamb, and some crispy fried onions. The dish is a part of the eight-course tasting menu at the Russell Street penthouse.
@Rs 3,800.
4. Green Pea Hummus, Truffle, Edamame and Feta Puchka at The Salt House:
This uniquely flavoured puchka at the Shakespeare Sarani eatery is unlike anything that we’ve eaten in the city. Creamy green pea hummus and feta cheese is balanced by the fresh crunch of edamame and a powerful hit from the truffle oil is the right surprise in your mouth. Just one is enough to have your taste buds singing. @Rs 525-plus
5. Oregano Kulcha and Truffle Butter Chicken at Please Don’t Talk:
This Delhi staple dish puts on an Italian cloak. Soft and flaky kulchas flavoured boldly with oregano are served with a sweet and hot butter chicken gravy that incorporates a strong punch from the truffle oil to create a melt-in-the-mouth bite at the Ho Chi Minh Sarani pub. @Rs 595-plus
6. Dal Burrata at Jalsa:
The traditional Indian kali dal recipe takes shape by slow-cooking the dal for four to six hours while being stirred continuously over low flame. Topped with a freshly made burrata blob, the cheese adds the creamy mellowness to this otherwise punchy lentil preparation. A well-thought fusion, we’d say, at the Camac Street restaurant. @Rs 595-plus
7. Anticucho Himalayan Mushroom Sliders at One8 Commune:
These sliders at the Ho Chi Minh Sarani restaurant take the classic Peruvian anticucho sauce and give it a local twist using bell peppers, local green vegetables roasted over charcoal and pureed. The patty is made from Himalayan mushrooms sauteed in thyme lending it the ideal umami flavour. @Rs 465-plus
8. Malabar Paratha Quesadillas at Farzi Cafe:
The classic Mexican quesadilla takes a trip down South India at this Ho Chi Minh Sarani dine den. Roasted vegetable khurma with aromats from South India is served on flaky, crispy Malabar paratha that is smeared with red chilli and tomato chutney along with processed and cheddar cheese. The filling gets a zingy hit from a mustard and curry leaf tadka.
@Rs 425-plus
9. Mushroom, Parmesan, Gobindbhog & Black Rice Risotto at Sienna Cafe:
This Italian staple dish houses our very own black and Gobindobhog rice sourced locally from Amar Khamar, a Kolkata-based indigenous grains and pulses store. The rice fits as the right replacement for the usual arborio used in risotto. Locally sourced oyster mushrooms and Parmesan cheese add the right balance to this dish served at the Hindustan Park cafe. @Rs 550-plus
10. Bombay Chowpatty Keema Pizza at Club Fenicia:
Typically Italian thin-crust pizza base is smeared with a spicy Bombay-style keema that is served normally as a dish with pav, and cooked in the in-house wood-fired pizza oven at the Sector V fine diner and lounge. An interesting fusion worth a try, says The Telegraph.
@Rs 465-plus
11. Burnt Garlic Burrata Saag at SKAI:
The humble palak saag and roti get a fresh makeover in this new special at the rooftop lounge at Quest. Spinach is cooked in burnt garlic for added flavour, and served with crisp Malabar parathas. The burrata on top of the spinach gravy lends it a velvety touch, and the chilli oil creates a balance with added heat.
@Rs 700-plus
Pictures: B. Halder
