Cellar Door Hospitality with Ola – the popular mobile app for transportation – today announced the return of Restaurant Week from Friday, 16th September to Sunday, 25th September, 2016, featuring the country’s finest restaurants across Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune. Reservations exclusively on http://www.restaurantweekindia.com.

Restaurant Week India gives discerning food enthusiasts the opportunity to dine at some of India’s finest restaurants at a fraction of a la carte rates. The menu items will include gluten free, vegan, low carb and low sugar options for health conscious diners. This year, all Restaurant Week diners will receive complimentary Ola rides to and from their meals in Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune. Diners in Kolkata will enjoy their culinary experience at INR 900 for lunch or dinner. All pricing stated are per diner, exclusive of applicable taxes, service charges as well as dishes ordered outside of the special menu. Signature options over and above an extensive hand-picked menu, giving diners the option of experiencing a restaurant’s signature dish at an incremental cost.

List of Participating Restaurants in Kolkata:

1. Bodega Cantina Y Bar, Park Street*
2. Gucchi, Hyatt Regency Kolkata*
3. La Cucina, Hyatt Regency Kolkata
4. Pan Asian, ITC Sonar
5. Peshawri, ITC Sonar
6. Saffron, The Park Kolkata
7. Smoke House Deli, Ballygunge*
8. Souk, Taj Bengal Kolkata
9. Studio – The Pan Asian Galerie, Novotel Kolkata Hotel and Residences
10. The Legacy Grill, The Lalit Great Eastern Kolkata
11. West View, ITC Sonar*
12. Yauatcha, Quest Mall
13. Zen, The Park Kolkata
14. Kalash, Hotel Hindustan International, Kolkata

I was invited to dine at Peshawari at ITC Sonar for a preview meal and was rather delighted as its one of my personal favorites and they dish out delicious food. Peshawari is famous for its North West Frontier Cuisine and I absolutely love its rustic charm and impeccable service. We visited over dinner and were warmly greeted and escorted to our table.

The RWI Special Menu’s were presented to us which was a formality because I had already checked it out on the RWIWebsite and knew exactly what we were going to eat. Our selection was Murgh Malai Kebab , Mutton Burrah Kebab , Dal Bukhara , Chicken Khurchan , Pudina Lachha Paratha and Butter Naan. While waiting we were served the usual roasted Papad, Onion Salad and Green Chutney which we dove into.

The food at Peshawari is cooked in the tandoor in the traditional style of the Indian North-West Frontier region. This style of cooking requires great skill since the meat is not accompanied by any gravy. It takes a Chef years to master the technique of making the breads that are a vital part of the cuisine, or to acquire the ability to gauge spices, mix marinades, and the most vital of all, to judge the heat of the tandoor and the time necessary for each dish to be perfectly cooked. Another unique feature of the cuisine is the use of prime cuts of meat, marinated with the choicest of spices and skillfully cooked on high heat, while remaining tender and juicy. The world renowned Dal Bukhara is a combination of whole black lentils, tomatoes, ginger and garlic, cooked and simmered over slow coal fires of the tandoor overnight for 18 hours at a stretch! It is one of the longest cooked lentils in the world and I absolutely love it.

While dining, guests are given checked aprons and are encouraged to eat with their hands to experience the food through all their senses. Over the years I have grown rather fond of the apron and refer to it as my bib! The view of the kitchen, with the bustling chefs, adds to the warmth and makes the experience feel rather interactive. The promptness with which the food is prepared and served only enhances the experience.

Our food arrived and it was well worth the anticipation. The gorgeous juicy murgh malai kebab and the burrah kebab were sublime. Tender, bursting with robust flavors, cooked to perfection, the slight smoky char elevating the dish even further. I could write a poem about it! The mutton burrah kebab is my top pick and one of their Signature Dishes on this year’s RWI menu and a must try. I was in heaven… a bite of kebab and a bit of my Pudina Paratha dipped in the delicious Dal Bukhara transported me to a very happy place. The chicken was also excellent, two huge pieces of chicken delicately spiced and cooked with a slight smoky char. The Chicken Khurchan which I confess was very good but I had not much place left for, paired well with the butter naan. However I am partial to the Pudina Lachha Paratha that Peshawari serves. By now we were absolutely full but as always gluttony won over prudence and we ordered up dessert. Kulfi and Gulab Jamun were our selections. The Kulfi was creamy, delicious and perfect after our overindulgence with the mains. The Gulab Jamun was excellent as well, I prefer mine served cold and they were kind enough to oblige.

We were absolutely delighted with our dinner and I highly recommend all lovers of good food to check out the Restaurant Week India website. Fine dining at affordable prices across excellent venues with custom curated menu’s showcasing their fare is too good to be missed.

DISCLAIMER : The Culinary Commentator was invited by the management. The views expressed however are entirely their own.

Picture Credit: Suneha Saha