Bengali Brilliance.
September might not bring an Indian summer (and frankly, after July and August’s searing temperatures, we’re ready for a little autumnal chill) but it does promise authentic Indian flavour, with the much-anticipated opening of Little Kolkata in Covent Garden.
After moving to Britain in 2006, Prabir Chattopadhyay found himself longing for a taste of home and started using his favourite traditional spices and ingredients to create Bengali-style feasts for friends. After teaming up with business partner Biswajit Deb Das, dinner parties became sell-out supper clubs, and now, a permanent restaurant on Shelton Street – further proof that there’s never been a more exciting time for foodies in Covent Garden.
As a nod to Prabir’s upbringing in Kolkata and Biswajit’s ancestral roots in Bangladesh, the menu encompasses a range of Calcuttan and Bengali specialities including macher cutlet (cod served with a typical Calcuttan mustard sauce), as well as the rather special chicken liver with Bengali spices, served with truffle paratha.
The sweet toothed are catered for with a decadent dessert menu – the cardamom coffee brownie with rose ice cream is inspired by the famous Kolkata patisserie, Flurys. And a signature cocktail list pays homage to Indian cookery with the likes of Saffron Spritz. It’s guaranteed to beat your average tikka masala takeaway.
51-53 Shelton Street, WC2H (07712 124868; littlekolkata.co.uk)