What was cooking this year?

From Lebanese to yummy desserts -Kolkata has woken up to a melange of tastesSo we've eaten our way through another year-but the question is, what has been on our plate?
Is it the same old biryani, chilli chicken, paneer butter masala. Not quite. Kolkata has woken up to a melange of tastes and flavours, from Lebanese to yummy desserts.Here's what we found cooking in our kitchens...
FRESH & ORGANIC
It first started with vegetables a few years back. So apart from the regular bhindi, parwal, gobhi, supermarkets started having a separate shelf dedicated to organic vegetables. But in 2014, Kolkata woke up big time to everything organic -from masalas to dal, rice, cooking oils and more. Now even your corner store in the para has started stocking organic stuff. Yes, it's still more expensive than the regular counterpart, but more and more people now realize the importance of eating things that are not loaded with fertilizers. According to food writer Poorna Banerjee, “While organic stuff is not easily available in city markets, a few restaurants are sourcing these to offer organic meals. The number of takers has been growing in recent times.“
HOLA, LEBANESE!
In the beginning was the roll, then came chowmein, and now there is shawarma. In a city that loves piping-hot, tasty street food, Lebanese has been the latest addition to the pop list. The city got its first whiff of Mediterranean cuisine a few years back, but it's only in 2014 that most people have come to realize that shawarma is not a Brahmin surname.The non-veg wrap, first cousin of the kathi roll, comes loaded with grilled chicken, fresh veggies and white sauce -perfect for the palate and the pocket.According to Prashant Menon, owner of a Kolkata-based restaurant, “Shawarma rolls are gaining popularity, while falafels are hot picks among vegetarians.“
FISH IS MORE THAN JUST RUI, CHINGRI, BHETKI
For a tribe that loves its maachher jhol, Bengalis have gone through a silent revolution in the past 12 months.So apart from the rui-katla-chingri-bhetki, you'll find everything from basa to salmon and tuna on their plates now. And much of it has to do with the rising popularity of Japanese food. “People are starting to love various types of sushi and sashimi. They are fresh and easy on the stomach,“ said Shumanshu Biswas, owner of a city-based Japanese restaurant. Add to that the rise of eclectic continental fare -which uses anchovies, squid, mussels and more -and you know why Bongs have something fishy on their mind!
JUST DESSERTS
Which shop makes the best nolen gurer rosogolla? The answer to that is -how does it matter anymore?
Because city gastronomes have woken up to an array of just desserts. So this year people have feasted on croquemboche (a cone of pastry balls held together by caramel), baklava (a Turkish pasty), nolengur pudding and lots more. Add to that a bewildering variety of ice-creams in every flavour known to man, and suddenly , the meal-end sounds more important that the main course. Chocaholics have finally made it to the gates of heaven this year, with specialty outlets serving up varieties like chocolate truffle, nutty chocolate, chocolate crispies and fruity chocolates. Time to say goodbye to good ol' tiramisu?
SO, WHERE'S THE CITY EATING?
Once upon a time, if you wanted to go out for lunch or dinner, you got dressed, slapped on some eau de cologne and went to Park Street. Not anymore. The city has already woken up to restaurants at malls, but if you go by just location, the top trending destinations are Kasba, Sector V and Sarat Bose Road. From boutique coffee shops to trendy lounges, bistros to patisseries, these are the places you go with friends and family for a nouveau sip-nbite experience. The other big eating-out destination in your own para, with the biggest known brands opening smaller outlets all cross Kolkata, from Shyambazar and Lake Town in the north to Garia and Behala in the south.