The year was 1996. The Kankurgachhi-Salt Lake stretch was a far cry from the hep hub it is now and folks wanting to dine out had no option but to head to Park Street. Subrata Das’s family owned a bulb factory in Kankurgachhi and when it was shifted out, he thought of starting a restaurant there.
“I had gone to Subhas jethu (former minister Subhas Chakraborty’s) FD Block house for some work where I happened to meet filmstar Mithun Chakraborty. He overheard my plans for the restaurant and announced that that year he would be cutting his birthday cake at my new place!” recalls Das.
Broccoli Patty, Lemon Grass Mahi Tikka, Pahari Banjara Kebab, Chicken Cheese Reshmi Kebab. (Right) Jaipuri Chicken and Mutton Biriyani
That was in April and almost nothing was ready. But with Mithun’s birthday as the deadline, they worked on war footing. “We got on board the legendary chef Raju Gomes, of The Conclave, as consultant and on June 16, 1996 The Rose indeed opened with Mithun coming over,” he says.
“Word had spread and traffic was thrown so out of gear that the police nearly arrested me for not informing them beforehand that Mithun would be coming,” Das laughs in retrospect. “For years after that, in fact, people thought this was Mithun’s restaurant.”
Over the years, they opened two more branches and a confectionery. The flagship Kankurgachhi branch was shut for a few months for renovation and reopened on Monday, Mithun’s birthday. “At a time when other eateries have shut shop we step into our 30th year,” smiles Das.
Looking ahead
Along with sleek new interiors, new dishes have been introduced too. They have retained signature menus like Kali Dal, Paneer Butter Masala and Chicken Bharta that were curated by chef Raju Gomes but new dishes have been added for the cosmopolitan palate.
Among Indian starters, the Broccoli Patty Kebab stands out. “Broccoli and green peas are blanched and sautéed with sesame seeds, black cumin, chopped chilli and ginger, and added to mashed potato, seasoned, and shallow-fried,” explains chef Md Mustaque. “We’ve also created an Indian take on the classic corn cheese ball with spices like cumin, coriander, and small cardamom.”
Mithun Chakraborty opens The Rose restaurant in Kankurgachhi on his birthday, June 16 in 1996
The Fish Jaituni (Rs 462) is a fusion dish of bekti in thick, mildly flavoured gravy of brown onion, cashew, watermelon seeds and olives,” says Mustaque, explaining that jaitun means olives in Hindi. The Jaipuri Chicken with Bone (Rs 378) is a spicy number of onion, ginger, garlic and Jaipur chillies. Their biryani too is flavourful but light.
Chinese chef Arun Das recommends the Dragon Roll, featuring chicken, three types of vegetables tossed with cashew and a concoction of ketchup and hot garlic sauce, for a sweet-and-sour note. The roll is crafted from flour, cornflour, and egg pancakes. “The Korean Rice differs from Chinese Fried Rice as it uses ginger. It also has mushroom, broccoli, and bell peppers,” he notes.
Continental chef Sabuj Majumder recommends Paneer Strips — soft and sweet with a filling of cashew, raisins, and cheese — and Fish O Fish (Rs 431) — betki fried in thin panko coating. Sizzlers, an old favourite, continue to feature on the menu.
