The Yellow Turtle has found a new home in the eastern part of the city. Earlier housed in a property overlooking the wetlands on Ring Road in Sector V, the dining destination now sits by VIP Road in Baguiati.
“Even after rooftop eateries across town were allowed to reopen, the property we had rented was found to have issues with some licences. So we had to shut down there. Since then, we had been looking for a ready-to-move-in space to cater to our clientele in the eastern part of the city,” said Apeksha Lahiri, owner of The Yellow Turtle.
“This place has a bar licence and an adjoining banquet hall that can host about 150 guests. Though our catchment areas are Baguiati and Dum Dum Park, it is just 10 minutes from Chinar Park, so we can offer our home-catering service to residents there as well,” she added.
From June, the Baguiati branch, along with the Hindusthan Park outlet, has introduced a menu inspired by the streets and home kitchens of South-East Asia, with experimental flourishes by chef Arun Show.
The 45-seater serves Pan-Asian and Indian cuisine.
In the few days since launch, the biggest draw has been the Charcoal Cheese Dimsum in Thai Green Curry. The jet-black parcels, infused with edible charcoal powder, create a striking contrast against the vivid green curry. Soft and creamy, the melt-in-the-mouth dimsums soak up the flavours of the sauce, while the wrappers are gathered into neat top knots.
Kushiyaki grilled chicken with Jasmine Rice and salad
“We have 10 types of dim sum, each with a different fold and often a distinct colour. The colours come from natural sources such as beet extract and soya. The varied appearances are visually appealing and also help our staff quickly identify orders,” Lahiri explained.
The green curry paste is made in-house using ingredients ranging from lemongrass and basil leaves to kaffir lime and galangal. “The taste differs markedly from ready-made pastes,” said the chef.
Another standout on the new menu is the Spinach-Mushroom Pizzette. The three-inch square pizza comes topped with mozzarella, sauteed mushrooms, spinach, roasted broccoli and zucchini. Instead of the expected crisp and chewy savouriness, the base offers a soft, sweet note.
Chef Show reveals the secret. “We use pancake instead of a pizza base. It’s very popular with children,” he smiled. A barbecue chicken variation is also available.
The Indonesian fried rice, Nasi Goreng, features on the menu as well, served with skewered glazed chicken yakitori and salad. The highlight is a pair of prawn crackers made by blending fresh prawns with tapioca starch, steaming the mixture into a dough, then rolling, slicing, dehydrating and deep-frying it. Bite into one and you encounter pieces of prawn rather than just prawn flavour.
“Yes, you can order extra crackers,” Lahiri replied when asked for a second helping.
The restaurant also offers a selection of kushiyaki grills in mushroom, tofu, chicken and pork.
“These can be called Asian char-grilled kebabs. There is a choice of sauces too — the slightly sweet teriyaki, earthy umami-rich miso and spicy hoisin,” said Lahiri.
A live charcoal fire in a clay cup adds a touch of theatre to the presentation.
There are eight varieties of bao on offer — four vegetarian and four non-vegetarian. Other additions to the menu include fried tofu cake and sesame prawn dumplings.
Keeping the summer heat in mind, the drinks menu features refreshing options in Iced Teas and Jelly Coffee.