India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (386 page)

Sonargaon
BENGALI/NORTH INDIAN Exposed stone masonry, a well, whitewashed walls, wooden tables, tribal wall hangings, a separate fish-market kitchen (where guests can watch their fish being cooked), and enormous storm lanterns set the atmosphere for this upmarket take on village-style North Indian and Bengali dining. Order a large glass of the most delicious
ganne ka ras
(fresh sugar cane juice) to go along with a traditional Bengali thali (multicourse meal; it’s not on the menu, but you can order it in advance), served on a silver platter, and give yourself plenty of time to recover; diners tend to leave with full stomachs. For an excellent starter, get the melt-in-your-mouth
kakori kebab
(tender minced mutton kebab blended with rose petals, cardamom, saffron, and secret spices), introduced by Sonargaon to Kolkata 15 years ago. Leave space for
rossogolla payesh,
a Bengali dessert made from
paneer
(cheese) and thickened sweet milk or the innovative
Baileys kulfi
(frozen thick ice-cream-like milk dessert flavored with Baileys Irish Cream).

Taj Bengal, 34B Belvedere Rd., Alipore.
033/2223-3939;
www.tajhotels.com
. Main courses Rs 395–Rs 800. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 12:30–2:45pm and 7:30–11:45pm.

Zaranj
NORTHWEST FRONTIER Named for a hamlet in Afghanistan, this upmarket restaurant is one of the city’s most opulent dining options, where miniature waterfalls and plush seating provide a warm, luxurious atmosphere. The
Raphael Lounge
is an ideal spot to kick off the evening in style, with its fine selection of imported wines and champagnes. Affable manager Protik Dey will help you pick fare to suit your taste buds, but if you like lamb, his hands-down recommendation is the Zaranj
raan.
Other popular dishes include
macchli masala
kebabs (
bhetki
fish mixed with the chef’s secret spices), tandoori prawns
(jhinga),
and
dahi ka
kebab, prepared in the display kitchen behind a wall of glass. For dinner, be sure to reserve in advance, or you’ll be watching the city’s movers and groovers feasting while you wait.

26 Jawaharlal Nehru Rd.
033/2249-5572,
-9744, -0369, or -0370. Reservations essential. Main courses Rs 200–Rs 525. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 12:30–3pm and 7:30–11pm; closed at lunchtime on Tues.

Zen House
ASIAN This is the second notable offering from The Park: Bangkok-born master chef Nut Kunlert serves Asian specialties like lemon-grass fish, barbecued prawns, double-fried pork in chili garlic or excellent duck in hoisin sauce with the delicious green tea tiramisu as a perfect ending. The ambience is informal with a very active open kitchen that dishes out a whole lot of aroma and orchestrated sizzle and pop of culinary creation.

The Park hotel, 17 Park St.
033/2249-9000.
www.theparkhotels.com
. Main courses Rs 350–Rs 995. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily (except Mon) 7:30–11:45pm (last orders); additional lunch on Sun 12:45–2:45pm.

SHOPPING

Kolkata is also renowned for its fashion designers. Look for garments by the promising local
Sabyasachi Mukherjee,
who is taking Kolkata’s fashion industry to new heights (there’s an outlet at 37/1C Hazra Rd.;
033/2285-2381
). Another name to reckon with is Anamika Khanna, recognized for her flamboyant fashions for both men and women. If time is short, drop in at
85 Landsdowne Road
(
033/2486-2136
), a one-stop shop stocking all the major Indian labels like the two mentioned before along with others like Kiran Uttam Ghosh and Ritu Kumar. However, if you’re looking for something very ethnic and traditional, you should head to
Shamlu Dudeja’s
workshop (4/1 Alipore Park Rd. near Taj Bengal;
98-3002-6288;
call for appointment). With a team of rural women (SHE-Self-Help Enterprise), Shamlu has successfully revived the art of Kantha embroidery, making it into a much sought-after craft both locally and abroad. Smaller but also worth visiting are
Women’s Friendly Society
(29 Park Lane;
033/2229-5285
) and
Good Companions
(13 C, Russell St.;
033/3292-9612
) for hand-embroidered linen from the villages of West Bengal—both can be done when you head out to explore the New Market or if you are staying at The Oberoi or Peerless Inn. In fact, a few steps from here will also get you to the government-operated
Central Cottage Industries Emporium
in Chowringhee (7 Jawaharlal Nehru Rd.;
033/2228-4139
or -3205) where you can pick up a wide range of Indian curios, along with everything from saris to silk carpets. But the place to visit if you are madly interested in textiles is Darshan Shah’s brainchild
Weaver’s Studio
(5-1 Anil Moitra Rd., Ballygunge Place; from Garihat road, take a left at the Industrial Training Institute;
033/2440-8937;
www.weaversstudio.com
). Other than a fabulous resource center for all kinds of Indian textiles, thousands of hand-printing wooden blocks and books, you can also watch the intricate processes of weaving, printing and natural dyeing, which makes the final shopping aspect very special, if not altogether enlightened (
note:
You can only visit the factory by appointment). If scouting around The Park, visit
Bengal Home Industries
(11 Camac St.;
033/2282-1562
) or
Sasha
(27 Mirza Ghalib St.;
033/2252-1586
) for Bengali handicrafts, In the same area, hop into
Dolly’s Collection of Earthcraft
(18J Park St., next to Petercat) for natural products—a hole in the wall but with some simple and sweet items like mats made out of banana fiber or tiny terracotta turtles with cocky grins. You can pick up a wide range of Indian curios, along with handlooms and handicrafts, from
Dakshinapan
(2
Garihat Rd.), an open-air shopping complex (on the same lines as Dilli Haat in Delhi). It’s a great place to browse, and while there, you absolutely must pop into the 20-year-old
Dolly’s Tea Shop
(G62, Dakshinapan), which has become an institution by itself. Other than having a cuppa, you can also purchase excellent quality tea and as Dolly herself will tell you, “India has the best tea in the world, so why look elsewhere?”
Hugli
(Hastings Court, 96 Garden Reach Rd.;
033/2489-2104
) and
Khazana
at the Taj Bengal hotel are two good options for handicrafts as well; although the prices are high, quality is excellent. If you feel you can lug some heavier stuff back home, drop in at
Minnoli
(Karnani Estate, Unit G-I 209, AJC Bose Rd.;