Good food and great friends are the perfect combination. Throw in some delicious cocktails and a festive mood with Diwali being around the corner and you have an absolute winning hand. The Kolkata Food Fanatics had their monthly meet at Smoke House Deli, Kolkata and we had a super fun evening.

We ordered from a delicious list of cocktails and picked the Tangerine Mojito and Melon Sangria. The citrus flavors of the Tangerine Mojito were really refreshing. The Melon Sangria was made with musk melon and white wine and I really enjoyed its crisp notes. A refreshingly different sangria and wonderful for those who don’t want something too strong. From the mocktails I sampled the Orange Tamarind Tango and it was lovely.

Then followed a whole lot of starters. B-B-Q Chicken Wings and Lamb Kibbeh were the stars of the show for me. Absolutely delicious and I look forward to going back for more very soon. The Seafood Cake was also nice and subtle and liked by most people. For the vegetarians there were Paprika Puffs with Wasabi Salsa, Jerk Tossed Potato Wedges and SHD Assorted Bruschetta all of which were nice but not extraordinary. I felt the Wasabi Salsa was a bit of a letdown because there was barely any punch from the wasabi in it. Three salads followed – Oak Ash Chevre with Californian Orange , Soba Noodle with Asparagus and Minted Zucchini and SHD 3 Bean Salad. The Soba Noodle Salad was the one that I liked best. The other two were nice enough.

Two varieties of Pizza were served next, Sun Dried Tomato with Artichoke & Cheddar and Nicoise Style. Both Pizza’s were thin crust with generous toppings and I enjoyed them both. By now we were pretty full but our mains were due and the dish I was waiting for was Sautéed Tenderloin Strips & Shitake, this was served up on a bed of mashed potatoes and was excellent. Perfectly cooked, juicy strips of tenderloin with earthy shitake mushrooms and the mash made for a mouthwatering dish. I absolutely loved it as did all my co-diners who ordered the same dish. The great part about eating in a big group is you can share and taste far more dishes. I also sampled the Leshun Chutney Marinated Red Snapper which was nicely done and the fish was fresh and perfectly cooked and the Five Spiced Chicken which was quite good. To be honest however the Tenderloin Strips stole the show in my opinion. It is certainly the dish I would go back for.

Of course with our dessert course due despite our bursting bellies we heroically ordered. My choice was my old favorite at SHD , the Bitter Chocolate & Orange Ganache Torte served with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. I loved it ,Chocolate and Orange are one of my most loved flavor combinations. My co-diners also ordered the Philly Cheese Cake which I feel was not as good as it usually is. The service was warm and attentive and the SHD Team took great care to make our evening a happy one. My thanks to all of them.

It is always wonderful to catch up with my foodie family the Kolkata Food Fanatics. I love the madness and fun that we have whenever we meet. Hope all you folks had a Happy Diwali ! Cheers to yummy food and wonderful friends.

Picture Credits : Suneha Saha