Howrah - Crawford Market (Mumbai)

Having lived in Kolkata (erstwhile Calcutta) all through my childhood and adolescence, I often refer to myself as a Malayalee by birth and a Bengali at heart. That city, which is truly a melting pot of unique culinary styles, is also responsible for my foodie avatar! There is such a variety of tasty delicacies in that city, which I shall reserve for a dedicated post.

Bengali cuisine sits high up on my list of favourite cuisines that I’ve tried. Many years away from the city has only heightened my longing and fondness for its delightful fare. Any mention of a joint serving Bengali food makes me sit up, pay attention and ask for directions!

In Mumbai, so far, I've only heard of two places, popular enough to be widely recommended – Oh! Calcutta and Howrah. The former is on the expensive end of the ‘cuisine-price-index’ while the latter is perched comfortably on the reasonable end.

SD, a foodie friend and I decided to give Howrah a try on a hot Saturday afternoon. Only true-blue foodies could make the effort to travel all the way from Bandra to Crawford Market in sultry conditions for a taste of some awesome fare! Howrah is a collaboration between Retro Foods and Hotel New Bengal, purportedly Mumbai’s oldest Bengali hotel, and is located at Crawford Market with landmarks like the JJ School of Arts and Metro cinema nearby.

I had expected Howrah to be a typical run-down joint that served up authentic cuisine, untouched my modernization and glitz. Well, I discovered that it’s an establishment that’s chosen the Middle Path – just the right mix of heritage and an avant-garde approach. SD had been there before on several occasions but this was my first time and what I saw after climbing a short flight of stairs, impressed me. We walked out onto an outdoor setting very well sheltered from the sun, with numerous British-era ceiling fans airing the placing out. Patrons do have a choice of outdoor seating or air-conditioned environs. We chose the former.

One look at the names of the dishes listed in the menu brought back fond memories of good ‘ol Kolkata. We began with drinks to cool off after the trip and placed orders for Musambi (sweet lime) juice (for SD) and Aam Porar Sherbet (a fantastic coolant – burnt green mango juice laced with roasted and ground coriander, cumin, black pepper, sugar & salt). I just couldn’t get my eyes off the menu – especially the seafood section. One has to first choose the type of fish and then choose the style of preparation. I liked the concept. With a choice of 8 types of fish and 12 styles of preparation the task was daunting. But then we finally settled for Rui Maach (a freshwater fish from the carp family) in Jhol style (light watery curry), Chingri Maach in Malai style (Shrimp in Coconut milk) and Lamb Kosha (semi-dry Bengali lamb).

Among the Indian breads available (Luchi, Paratha and Radhaballabi) we settled for Luchi (deep fried flatbread unique to Bengali and Oriya cuisine). As no Bengali meal would be complete without steamed rice, we called for a portion. The spread looked impressive but we didn’t waste any time admiring it and unleashed ourselves upon it immediately.

The Malai Chingri beat the other dishes hands down. Light, just the right texture and a fantastic after-taste when eaten with the Luchi. Was disappointed with the Lamb Kosha. Although the meat was tender it just wasn’t cooked right – very pedestrian. The Rui Maach also did not meet our expectations. Although the ‘jhol’ was quite delicious the fish pieces were tough – not fresh but the cold-storage variety! The desserts Rossogolla (cottage cheese balls in syrup) and Chenar Payesh (Cottage cheese in milk) made up for the disappointments in the main course, though. To elaborate on Bengali sweets I'll need an entirely new post!

In a restaurant like this one, which serves authentic regional fare I usually expect the waiters to converse in the regional language when prompted. Was a trifle disappointed on this front at Howrah. Maybe I’m being unreasonable. But that’s the essence of ‘experiential cuisine’.

Overall, a satisfying experience – a special mention goes out to the ambiance of the outdoor section.

Restaurant Class: Mid-range

ADDRESS:

Howrah Bengali Restaurant

Hotel New Bengal

Dr. D.N. Road, Crawford Market,

Mumbai - 400001

Tel: 022 2342 4693, 022 2340 1976, 022 3330 3131

Free delivery: Cuffe Parade to Mumbai Central / Byculla.

For delivery beyond Mumbai Central / Byculla, minimum value of order should be Rs. 1000/-

Here’s the best part – Goan food !

Goan cuisine is the sort of cuisine that sounds really exotic but in reality is rooted in local culture. The mouthwatering dishes which we outsiders feel are concocted up to satiate the appetites of tourists are really part of every Goan household – their daily bread, nothing fancy. But for us invaders from the Big City, the fresh catch of crustaceans and fish, the assortment of spices, the marinated meats and local spirits all blend into one heavenly experience.

On a previous visit to Goa, a friend and I had visited North Goa, the more commercialized half of Goa, with beaches crowded with an almost equal measure of white and brown skinned bodies, beach shacks and beach chairs. Grabbed the opportunity to savour some great food at some of the famous joints like Infantaria Bakery (renowned for its breakfast spread – the Chocolate Banana Pancake tops the taste quotient) and Brittos (delicious pastries and desserts – the Alpine Mousse is a must-try). We devoured lots of pastas and a variety of chicken dishes from a whole heap of assorted eateries including several shacks on Baga beach.

This year’s trip with office colleagues for Goafest (20th to 22nd May) was to South Goa, the fairly unadulterated half. We were put up at the 5-star Majorda Beach Resort (South Goa’s 1st 5-star hotel), an impressive property. It had a very earthy feel to it unlike the overtly sanitized environment of new-age 5-star properties.

Between shuttling to and from the fest venue, I did find time to savour some classic local fare. The spread at the venue, though of extremely high quality, felt like regulation Indian wedding fare, especially considering the fact that this was Goa. A couple of colleagues and I headed off to a nearby shack on Cavelossim beach and placed an order for Battered Prawns, Battered Chicken, Deep Fried Calamari, Seafood Spring Roll and Golden Fried King Prawns. I must make a special mention about the Battered Prawns, which were extremely light in texture and the batter did not overpower the taste of the succulent prawns.

The next day we went full steam ahead and sat down for lunch at Raj’s Pentagon, a restaurant about 100 meters from our hotel. I was'nt too kicked about this place as something about it was beginning to put me off. Maybe it was the name (which did not sound local enough) or maybe the tardy service. But as soon as the food started trickling in, I sat back, relaxed. This was going to be good meal! For starters we ordered for Beef Chilly Fry (marinated slices of local beef stir-fired with spices and onions) and Fried Goan Sausages (this delicacy sure needs an acquired taste). The main course consisted of Prawn Curry and Rice. We finished off with out-of-this-world stuffed pancakes – the Pentagon Special Pancake (pancake stuffed with assorted fruits and flambéed), Banana Pancake and Butterscotch ice cream. Sheer delight!

I know that I have only scratched the surface of Goan cuisine. But then again it is this, along with the absolute beauty of this land that will draw me back to this former Portuguese colony again.

Viva Goa !

Pictures courtesy colleagues at Contract, Mumbai.

Goafest 2007

Boy! What a weekend – away from Mumbai’s madness and chaos in serene and sylvan Goa. Or should I say Gooaah!!?

I had gone there with colleagues from my office to attend Goafest, organised by the Advertising Agencies Association of India, which celebrates excellence in advertising in India. Word around the block though, is that Goafest was started to challenge the authority of the Ad Club of Mumbai, organizers of the Abbys – advertising awards. A handful of reputed agencies stayed away from this fest almost in retaliation to the absence of all the other big-league agencies from the Abbys. Although this rivalry is carefully camouflaged, it does leave a bad taste in the mouths of all concerned.

Setting aside factionalism and politics let me move on to other, more important topics like the idyllic weekend.

Goa is like soothing balm on a painful bruise or a calming antidote for frayed nerves. The mere thought of spending a weekend in Goa drives away most of the ‘stress demons’ residing in me. Spending time in Goa takes care of the rest.

Goafest is young. This is only its 2nd year, but I was totally floored with the setup and the way the festival was organised. The venue was a large strip of beach across the road from the Old Anchor Hotel in Cavelossim, Salcette, South Goa – a 20 minute drive from Madgaon. Tents and outdoor umbrellas were pitched across the length and breadth of the beach alongside long ramps which led to the main bar and display areas. A large, air-conditioned enclosure, which rose above the main bar, was where all the seminars and sessions were conducted. With additional, branded bar counters (sponsored by Romanov vodka, Black Dog whisky, Bacardi rum and Kingfisher beer), souvenir counters and arrangement for water sport activities, the whole area looked completely ‘out-of-this-country’, very international.

Enjoyed every moment of the fest – most of which were firsts for me, like the Rain Dance, open air dance floor on the beach open till 2am , water sports (jet ski in particular) and the awards ceremony.


While serious issues like achieving an industry growth of Rs. 50000 crore, streamlining of the integrated marketing communication functions and greater client participation, were discussed during the run up to the fest, the fun element was'nt forgotten. After 363 days of sheer madness and stress our industry rightly deserves a timeout of 2 days at the Goafest.

Pictures courtesy colleagues at Contract, Mumbai.