I had often heard of the Durga Puja, Mahasaptami bhog that people crave for and even go pandal hoping. It is just not a meal, it is a tradition, a culmination of the best of the dishes from the land of Maa Durga.
This year, I was extremely lucky to have been invited to try the super popular Calcutta Connection that brings the Mahabhoj to your city. The Calcutta Connection 2.0 as it was called this year, saw three authentic Chefs led by Maharaj Pradip Debnath who have been flown especially from Calcutta to treat your taste buds to make the most authentic pujo meal ever. The special menu kicked off with some of the classic evening snacks that you would often have outside the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, thus, these were called the Victorian chaats that started off with the spicy Jhalmuri l, followed by Puchkas and tangy Ghugni. These during the duration of the festival will be available at the live counters in Asia Alive the restaurant at DoubleTree Suites by Hilton.
Bringing to your tables for main course, for Shashti, Saptami, Ashtami, Nabami and Dashami is a variety of signature Bengali treats like Ghee bhat and Luchi, the Bengali styled poori, Katla Macher Kalia- the most famous Bengali fish, Kosha Mangsho is the Spicy Bengali Mutton Curry, Aloo Posto (Potato cooked in poppy seed paste) to name a few.
To those Bengalis who have often mentioned that the Biriyani down south here is not Biriyani, they are in for a treat with the special Aloo Dum Biriyani. The wholesome meal is incomplete without the soul-satisfying desserts like Bhappa Doi, Rosssogolla, Flambed Gulab jamun & many more.
For a first timer like me, I think I am now super addicted to the thali because it gives me my favourite Luchi, Baigun Bhaja, Cholar Dal and much more. The menu has been crafted to create a wonderful sojourn of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. The extravagant spread includes traditional and savory items like Chingri malai curry, a traditional Bengali curry made from prawns and coconut milk and flavoured with spices, Bhetki Paturi- Bengali style Barramundi fish, Pabda Macher Shorshe- a signature Bengali style fish in mustard-based curry.
Ruban Das, General Manager at DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bangalore while talking about the promotion said, “Bengali cuisine is not only about fish, rice or misti doi, it’s more about flavours than spices. Carrying forward the tradition from last year, our purpose is to get back to nostalgia by giving a wholesome experience of food and culture to all those who couldn’t make it to home, back in Kolkata during this time. Besides authentic Bengali food, we have adorned the restaurant with Live Chaat counters, Kolkata Rolls as well as used old traditional décor ornaments.”
The celebration is on until 19th October 2018 for both, lunch and dinner.
Price of the buffet is INR 1199 plus taxes
