It is seldom that a restaurant can bring in the best in all categories of customer satisfaction viz. food quality, ambience, staff service & response, music, assortment in Menu et al. Oh! Calcutta in Pune manages this feat with great assurance, building a unique character around itself, which you long to experience time and again.Located in central Pune in Dhole Patil road, Oh! Calcutta is a part of the restaurant chains which is a brainchild of the restaurateur Anjan Chatterjee (The Company, Speciality Restaurants, was started as a restaurant in 1991 in a tiny, studio-like space in central Mumbai along with friends. They called it Only Fish. The idea, as the company's name suggests, was to create sharply differentiated speciality brands. For the full aricle read: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/life/2006/07/21/stories/2006072100060200.htm). Others in the chain are Mainland China (http://www.mainlandchinaindia.com), Sigri, Haka, Mostly Kebabs, Machaan, Shack and Sweet Bengal (more about these in forthcoming writes since each comes with its own character and uniqueness).
The Victoria Memorial sketched at the entrance draws you to the atypical Kolkata culture right at the onset.
As you enter the hall and make yourselves comfortable you will notice yourself surrounded by various artifacts from Bengal. A wall beckoning to the B&W era of Bengali movies depicting Satyajit Ray, Uttam, Soumitro and Suchitra; a library boasting of Robindranath Thakur books; a central dome that houses an old world charmed chandelier; a striking wall clock, the wooden finish floor, seatings and windows all add to a classical ambience.
The Menu is a mix of post colonial Kolkata and a contemporary one; a healthy mix of Nawabi, Bengali and Continental. This is rightly so because of the influence of Nawabs and British alike on the Kolkata cuisine from the pre and post colonial era. Even though the USP is the Bengali dishes but I reckon the others are equally savoured considering the mix of customers you see around. You will find a range of dishes from Mutton Rezala and Lucknowi Biriyani to Bhapa Ilish (Steamed Hilsa), Mochar ghonto (Flower of Babana), kosha mangsho (Saute’ed Muton/Chicken), bati posto (Khus Khus), chingdir malai curry (prawns cooked in coconut milk), golda chingri, Gondhoraj Bhetki (Bhetki fish), paabdaa and many more. The fish portions are soft and tender cooked and are the chief delicacies. Items like the gondhoraj lebu (fresh lime) is something you will not find in any other restaurant. The drinks menu does not lag far behind and match up to the meals with a variety of cocktails, mocktails and liquor.
The serving staff is friendly and prompt in asking for a re-serve more often than not. If you are a non-bengali and are ignorant of the Bangla dishes and you take the suggestions of the staff to decide on the Menu, I would say you are reasonably safe.
From our experience: Try out the Mochar ghonto (cooked in an odorous sorser tel that drives up your nasal way), Aam porar sorbot(roasted mango pulp juice), Bhapa ilish (Steamed Hilsa), and Luchi (Puri, a little oily though the last time we had been) with a Mutton Rezalla. Chingri dishes (malai curry) has always been a
favourite but have never tried out (will perhaps try out on the next visit since I am obsessed with the Hilsa dishes and rub my hands in excitement as soon as I see it their menu; the soft and tender Hilsa just melts in your mouth wanting you to have more). The sweet dishes hold their own rights to attention with the Bhapa Sondesh (Steamed Sondesh)and the Rosogolla to name a few. On our last visit we were also surprised by a Mishti Paan (Betel Leaf with sweet stuffing) served along with the receipt. The bill wasn’t sweet though! (For more suggestions read the Time Food Guide, Pune 2009 ed):
The Robindro Songeet in the background (most of the time with an occasional adhunik) adds to the Kolkata flavour.
Overall a great treat (haven’t tried the lunch buffet yet and is next on the cards, to experience the gamut of dishes).
Rating: 4.5/5
[The wait time is usually a little more than your comfort level]
The Victoria Memorial sketched at the entrance draws you to the atypical Kolkata culture right at the onset.
As you enter the hall and make yourselves comfortable you will notice yourself surrounded by various artifacts from Bengal. A wall beckoning to the B&W era of Bengali movies depicting Satyajit Ray, Uttam, Soumitro and Suchitra; a library boasting of Robindranath Thakur books; a central dome that houses an old world charmed chandelier; a striking wall clock, the wooden finish floor, seatings and windows all add to a classical ambience.The Menu is a mix of post colonial Kolkata and a contemporary one; a healthy mix of Nawabi, Bengali and Continental. This is rightly so because of the influence of Nawabs and British alike on the Kolkata cuisine from the pre and post colonial era. Even though the USP is the Bengali dishes but I reckon the others are equally savoured considering the mix of customers you see around. You will find a range of dishes from Mutton Rezala and Lucknowi Biriyani to Bhapa Ilish (Steamed Hilsa), Mochar ghonto (Flower of Babana), kosha mangsho (Saute’ed Muton/Chicken), bati posto (Khus Khus), chingdir malai curry (prawns cooked in coconut milk), golda chingri, Gondhoraj Bhetki (Bhetki fish), paabdaa and many more. The fish portions are soft and tender cooked and are the chief delicacies. Items like the gondhoraj lebu (fresh lime) is something you will not find in any other restaurant. The drinks menu does not lag far behind and match up to the meals with a variety of cocktails, mocktails and liquor.
The serving staff is friendly and prompt in asking for a re-serve more often than not. If you are a non-bengali and are ignorant of the Bangla dishes and you take the suggestions of the staff to decide on the Menu, I would say you are reasonably safe.
From our experience: Try out the Mochar ghonto (cooked in an odorous sorser tel that drives up your nasal way), Aam porar sorbot(roasted mango pulp juice), Bhapa ilish (Steamed Hilsa), and Luchi (Puri, a little oily though the last time we had been) with a Mutton Rezalla. Chingri dishes (malai curry) has always been a
favourite but have never tried out (will perhaps try out on the next visit since I am obsessed with the Hilsa dishes and rub my hands in excitement as soon as I see it their menu; the soft and tender Hilsa just melts in your mouth wanting you to have more). The sweet dishes hold their own rights to attention with the Bhapa Sondesh (Steamed Sondesh)and the Rosogolla to name a few. On our last visit we were also surprised by a Mishti Paan (Betel Leaf with sweet stuffing) served along with the receipt. The bill wasn’t sweet though! (For more suggestions read the Time Food Guide, Pune 2009 ed):The Robindro Songeet in the background (most of the time with an occasional adhunik) adds to the Kolkata flavour.
Overall a great treat (haven’t tried the lunch buffet yet and is next on the cards, to experience the gamut of dishes).
Rating: 4.5/5
[The wait time is usually a little more than your comfort level]
