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Bengalihotel
Beingabengali,borninKolkata,Ihaveacertainmentalblockageagainsteatingbengalifoodatarestaurant.IalwayscalculatementallywhichshcostswhatattheshmarketandwhatpriceIampayingforitattheeatery.Solely,duetothisreason,IpreferaPiceHotelthanaposhauthenticbengalirestaurantanyday.
Now,whyitscalledapicehotel?Asfarasmyknowledgegoes,thisconceptstartedafewdecadesback,intheerawherethingswereavailableinpaisaandthenafullmealhere(thebasicones)wereavailableatthecostofafewpaisa.Hence,peopleusedtocallthempaisahotelpaishotelpicehotel.Dontworryplease,theseareprettycheap(commercially)andVFMhotelseventoday.
Firstthingsfirst.Today,IllsharemyexperienceinoneoftheoldestbengalipicehotelinsouthKolkatatheAdarshaHinduhotel,gariahatmarket
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Howtogoandwhentogo?
ABong'squest..
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OnceinKolkataandespeciallysouthKolkata,youcannotmissthehugegariahatmarketcomplex.Enterthesameandgotothefirstfloorofnewcomplex.Askanyoneforthepicehotels,andyoulllanduphere.Thisplaceoperatesonalldaysandisopenfrom9AMto4PMandagain630PM930PM.
Thehotel(astheycallthemselvesandnotarestaurant)
Thisisalmosta60yearoldplace.TheownersnameisKalipadaMaitywhoisthesecondgenerationbusinessman.Theyserveyoufreshcatchofthedayfromthemarketbelowandhencealltheingredientsarefresh.Aquaguardwaterisserved,henceyouneednotworryonthat,howevermineralwaterisavailableataprice.
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Rulesinapicehotel
Thereisnoformalmenucard.Yougetina,seewhatsavailableandgetyourfood.Rice,dal,aloobhajaisstandardfareandotheritems,youvetoorderseperately
Donotfaintifsomeonecomesandsharesyourtablespace.Here,tablesdogetshared
Ifyouareavegetarian,youmayoptoffonesuchplace.Thejewelsofthisplaceareitsnonvegdishes
Tipthewaitergenerouslywhileleaving.Hellrememberyouonyournextvisit(importantforthe
sizeofthefishpiece)
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WhatIgot
AssoonasIsatdownwithmyfriends,wegotservedanemptyplatewithbananaleafcoveredandwaterinearthenbhands.Heaskedforthestandardmeal,whichweorderedconsistingofrice,dal,aloobhajaandpanchmeshelisabzi(mixedveg).
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Thericewasservedhotandofagoodquality.Dalwaspreygoodandofahomelytaste.Wemovedtowardsournextdish(Amixedsabziwithpumpkin,brinjal,slicedpotatoandmourolash).Itwasnotveryspicybuttastyenoughtogulpitdownhungrily.
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Nextcamethevarietyofnonvegbrigadeforwhichthisplaceisfamousfor:
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Weweresupposedtohavethisvetkifrywithdalandaloobhajaandwasservedhotfreshfromthekadai.Itswasapprox150grminsizeandgoodforsharingbetween2persons.
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NextwasonehellofaTengrash..Thisisakingsizedoriginaltengracookedinamoderatelyspicyoilygravy.Simplyyummyandwasnishedinnotime.
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The(pabdashinmustardsauce)wasgoodbutpersonallyIfeltisaslessspicythanitshouldbe.Fishpiecewasgoodthoughandthequalitywasawesome
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NowthisisonekoishdishthatIreallyliked.Itscookedinthesameoniongravyastengrabutthetengrawasmoresaunfavoredwhereasthekoiismoregarammasalaavored.
(https://mohamushkil.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/boalmachherjhol.jpg)BOALMACHHERJHOL
Afterallthesespicydishes,thestomachneededsomerestandthenextdishprovidedthesame.ItscalledTheboalshiscookedinalessspicymannerwithpotatoandispreygood.Theboalwasmidsizedandnotveryoily..butokyoucanthaveeverything.
Thenext2itemsareextremelypopularinanybengalicuisine/partyandiseasilyrecognizable.
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anextremelypopularmildprawndishcookedwithcoconutmilkandgrated
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anextremelypopularmildprawndishcookedwithcoconutmilkandgratedcoconut.Galdaprawnisusedhere.Againamismatch.Ipersonallypreferthisprawnmalaicurrywithoutonion,butthisonehadonioninitandisohoks0whattypewithme.Thefreshnessoftheshsavedthedayformebutmypartnerslikeditthoroughly.well,personalchoice!!!
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Itsbasicallyamildavoredmuoncurrywithpotatocookedwithtenderlambalabengaliishtyle.Thespecialtyofthisdishisithastobelessspicy(yes),hastobewithlessgarammasalaandcuminavored(hellyes)andtobecookedwithpotato(wearebongsremember?)
Well,wearefullandprobablyneedacranetotakeusoutofthetable.Thebill?wishalltheaboveitems,with3vegthali(remembertherice,dal,aloobhaja.)cametoarond720/.Happywewereandblessedthesepicehotelowners.Weleftforthedayfullandhappy..
Icanbereachedat9903528225/[email protected]
Pleasefeelfreetocommentandshare.
Bonapetite!!!
44JJANUARY9,2015ANUARY9,2015BYBYINDRAJITLAHIRIINDRAJITLAHIRI#AUTHENTICBENGALIFOOD#AUTHENTICBENGALIFOOD,,#BENGALIHOTEL#BENGALIHOTEL,,#BENGALIPICEHOTEL#BENGALIPICEHOTEL,,#FISHRESTAURANT#FISHRESTAURANT,,#GARIAHATMARKET#GARIAHATMARKET,,#KOLKATARESTANRANT#KOLKATARESTANRANT+
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