What’s a drink that you crave?
Shikanji, which is basically nimbu pani (lime juice) but with black salt in it. There’s a shikanji guy next to Kookie Jar, which is a popular patisserie, and his is the best I’ve ever had. I’ve even created a recipe for it in Monsoon. It’s robust in flavor; has a real kick to it. It’s essentially black salt, sugar, crushed mint and lime—the Bengali lime is different; it has a beautiful aroma to it and is very sweet.
The other drink I crave is the hand-churned Punjabi-style lassi at Sharma Lassi Center. Along with a big South Indian population, Kolkata also has a big Punjabi population. We have all these casual roadside Punjabi eateries, or dhabas, and they have unique food items that bridge the cultures— like a dish called chicken bharta. I have never seen it anywhere else. It’s a bit like butter chicken, but it’s shredded meat and they’ve added boiled eggs to it. Bengalis love their boiled eggs.
A splurge meal?
I love the food at Sonargaon in Taj Bengal. If you’re around for Pohela Boishakh, which is the Bengali New Year, that’s when the menu really shines. They do this incredible thali, which is expensive but totally worth it. The shorshe bhekti fish fry, a Kolkata river fish, with a crumb is particularly exquisite. It’s always served with luchi (puffed fried bread), a mutton kosha, which is a goat curry, and alu dam. Then they have a begun bhaja (eggplant) and chutneys and, of course, mishti doi or a rasgulla—all the heritage foods. When I take my cousins out, it’s usually here, and it’s a highlight of the trip. Taj Bengal has a romance to it, a real beauty.
Was there a meal that surprised you?
I had heard about this Bangladeshi restaurant called Kasturi. My husband is Bangladeshi and I’ve traveled there a lot, so I was like, you know, is this yet another Indian twist on Bangladeshi food? But no, it’s the real deal, serving Bengali Dhakai specialities. The standout dish was rui machher kalia or rohu fish in gravy—very light, like a Bengali machher jhol (traditional fish curry) but more Bangladeshi in flavoring.
What food souvenirs did you make sure to bring home?
Oh, definitely the aam shotto, which is another name for aam papad, a fruit leather snack made from mango pulp. I also love bringing back Karorpati Goli (a brand of digestif candy) and meetha supari (a traditional mouth freshener). A real taste of home—plus, none of these leak in your bag.
