After the inauguration of the viewing gallery at Biswa Bangla Gate on January 31, the restaurant was opened to the public on February 9.

Calcutta mayor and urban development and municipal affairs minister Firhad Hakim inaugurated the restaurant along with actress Paoli Dam and Hidco chief Debashis Sen.

“Like people go to Delhi to see India Gate they will now come to Calcutta to see Calcutta Gate. In just a week it has drawn so many visitors that I have requested the authorities to increase the number of visitors per time slot from 45 to 50,” said Hakim.

Paoli was captivated by the New Town skyline visible from the top. “People travel around the world to visit restaurants with unusual food and architecture. So I’m sure they’ll flock here too,” said the lady, accompanied by her husband Arjun Deb, who runs a restaurant in Guwahati.

The food, by Cafe Ekante, is being prepared in a kitchen on the ground floor and sent up in a service elevator. “The menu is multi-cuisine. It includes Indian, continental and Chinese,” said additional general manager Snehasis Sinha. “A meal for two would cost within Rs 1,000.”

Sen added that many foreign delegates to the Biswa Bangla Business Summit, held at the convention centre last week, visited the Gate. The restaurant will be open from 7pm to 10pm and reservations need to be made over phone beforehand.

The viewing gallery is open to 45 minute slots from noon to 5pm and visitors can enjoy the view as well munch on snacks. The charge is Rs 100 and bokings can only be made online. The Gate is shut on Mondays.

The Biswa Bangla Gate, now open to visitors and diners. Sanat Kumar Sinha