Speciality eateries spice up Kolkata foodscape

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">KOLKATA: Beckoning the city gourmand and tantalising their tastebuds are a surge of new restaurants dotting the city. If you had speciality restaurants like Mainland China, Oh! Calcutta, Taaja''s and Zaranj to tickle your tastebuds, you now have Wok Inn, Chicky''s, Red Kitchen and Lounge and Marco Polo in China, among the new kids on the block to chose from.<br /><br />"People here are experimental and seek variety in their cuisine.Any restaurant which offers a different menu is sure to be lapped up by the city''s niche gourmand," said Chicky''s director Uday Madan. His 38-seater restaurant at Ballygunge Circular Road which opened it''s doors at the end of September offers typical north Indian and Delhi items. These include kebabs, tandoori and the must have butter chicken, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">kalmi</span> <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">kebab</span> and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">punjabi</span> <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">murg</span> to name a few.<br /><br />Definitely worth experimenting is Marco Polo in China, said its spokesperson Kallol Banerjee, as "the felt need for fine dining and theme restaurants" prompted the restaurant to step in at the eternal food hub – Park Street, despite another north Indian speciality restaurant already running at Sarat Bose Road.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal">Marco Polo in China''s garden theme 154-seater restaurant with grass carpet and cane furniture offers the perfect open air feel as one tucks into chilly picked prawn prepared by chef Margin Lee (a former Chinoiserie). Similarly for owners of the Bengali speciality restaurant — 6, Ballygunge Place — who opened Wok Inn on Ganesh Chandra Avenue, a 88-seater Chinese restaurant on October 1.<br /><br />"Local residents always prefer a speciality restaurant closer home," reasons Wok Inn''s copartner Subhankar Dhar, whose restaurant is frequented by office goers and people from the neighbourhood.<br /><br />Cashing in on this trend are owners of Red Hot Chilli Pepper. The growing success of their Red Kitchen and Lounge joint that opened in July only bears testimony to the fact. "There is no shift of our customers. Each restaurant is attracting a distinct clientele and endorses the city''s love for good food," said chef and co-owner Bharat Dhamala.<br /><br />Be it Lounge 33, Blossom''s Square, Tamarind, Fire on Ice and the expansion of Mainland China last week, the city''s appetite for good food only seems to be growing.</div> </div>