A rendezvous with the culinary delicacies from the yesteryear of undivided Bengal @ Baraanda.!

With a fine addition to the list of gastronomical rendezvous in the city of Kolkata, Baraanda is setting its class apart with its array of delectable dishes of yesteryears, from the then eating culture of the undivided Bengal. Trying to revive and retain of what’s almost lost and easily forgettable, Baraanda offers mouthwatering and hearty Bengali and Bangali cuisine combined with an unmatched Zamindari ambiance. As one enters this vintage palace, the first thing which strikes the attention is the pair of golden lions guarding the gates. A much to do of the Rajbaris which one may have seen, with these lions standing as a symbol of strength, pride and humility.

The interior décor and arrangement is minimal and offers respite and solace, yet at the same time transporting you back into the colonial era with a touch of royalty and vintage. While you may be eying the lucrative swing hanging from the top for a quick trip to childhood, you may suddenly feel awestruck by the rustic chandeliers, the vintage wall clocks, the earthy and rustic looking furniture from the colonial era and even the brass crockeries. The white flowers, the hanging lamps, the black and white photographs of the erstwhile Bengal and its people, or even the eyecatching Jamini Roy photographs or patachitras, every minute detail is bound to elevate the aura and vibe of this place to a whole new level.

To begin our culinary journey, we started off with Gandhoraj Lassi. A perfect thirst quencher in this summer, the refreshing drink gets elevated with the addition of a zing of Gandhoraj Lebu. For starters, we tried the Gandhoraj Fried Chicken. Boneless trips of chicken, flavoured with mint, coriander and a dash of Kaffir Lime. The chicken was juicy and succulent, and we had no problem emptying the plate within few seconds. Moving on to maincourse, we tried steamed rice with Dal Ray Bahadur along with Morola Maacher Piyaji and Roshogollar Dalna. Dal Roy Bahadur was ideally a Moong Dal preparation with vegetables, which was flavoured with cashew nuts and raisins.

One of the iconic dishes of Bengal, Morola Maacher Piyaji, a fried preparation of Morola Fish along with onions was a perfect accompaniment to Dal Roy Bahadur, along with Roshogollar Dalna, a rather similar dish to Chanar Dalna and Bahari Bati Chochchori. The sweet Roshogolla turns into a savory avatar, in the form of a curry prepared with tomatoes and cashews. For our non-vegetarian affairs, we tried Kosha Mangsho, Aam Kashundi Ilish, Kosha Murgir Mohima and Dab Chingri along with Basanti Pulao and Thakur Barir Pulao. The Aam Kashundi Ilish had the king of fishes, Hilsa cooked with mustard paste and mango sauce. The Dab Chingri was a lovely light concoction of mustard and coconut paste, with the prawns soaking up all the lovely flavors from the gravy.

Both the meat preparations, the Kosha Mangsho and Kosha Murgir Mohima paired pretty well with both the versions of the pulao and Luchi. The Mutton was tender and cooked pretty much in a Bengali style, while to me the Kosha Murgir Mohima was a clear winner with its aromatic flavour and the lovely zesty touch infused within it. The stars of the evening were however Baked Fish Patricia Memsaab and Fish Cordon Blue. This hails from a section named as Sahebiana within the menu of Baraanda, which comprises of anglo-indian dishes having local influence and cooking techniques. Fish Cordon Blue had fish fillets accompanied with cheese and mushroom, and then crumb fried to perfection.

Baked Fish Patricia Memsaab happens to be a wonderful example to showcase the colonial influence, with it having chunks of fish coated in Indian spiced, baked to perfection and served with vegetables. Ending the meal, we tried the lovely Tomato Chutney, which wasn’t overtly sweet, yet provided a lovely soft ending to our gastronomical journey. With its impeccable mix of both colloquial and fusion Bengali food, this place deserves to be on the must-visit list.