With over 13 lakh Bengalis living in Bengaluru, new Bengali-cuisine restaurants opening up is no big news. From fine diners and confectioners to holes-in-the-wall and pop-ups — the cuisine is celebrated in the city year-long. However, there has always been a void of places that offer delectable fare at affordable prices. With an aim to bridge the gap, restaurant The Clay Hut recently launched its first outlet in Koramangala. Excited to see what the new place has to offer, we dropped by for dinner on a weekend.
As the name suggests, the restaurant’s theme is inspired by the clay huts found in rural Bengal. From the traditional alpona (rangoli) and tulshimawncho (tulsi katti) at the entrance to the terracotta vases and dokra (metal-cast figurines) sculptures inside — every visual element reflects the meticulousness with which the décor has been planned out. The space boasts two private seating arrangements — one of them with a round table where you can sit legs folded, just like in rural households. It also has several two-and four-seaters, where we finally seated ourselves.
To begin with, we ordered the drinks Gondhoraj Ghol (sweet buttermilk with a dash of kaffir lime juice) and Aam Pora Shorbot (sweet-and-tangy drink made with roasted, tender mangoes). Although the former impressed us with its refreshing citrus undertone accentuating the creamy texture, the latter won our votes with its on-point sweet-to-tangy ratio. We wished both were a little less sweetened but they left us rejuvenated, especially after the long drive.
For starters, we sampled the classic Fish Kobirajee — bhetki fillet coated in egg-whites and fried. The crispy exterior gave way to succulent meat, which when coupled with the piquant mustard sauce and salad, resulted in a burst of flavours and set us imagining if anything else could surpass this!
We finally plunged into the main course with Steamed Rice, Macher Matha Dal (moong dal cooked with fried fish carp head), Jhuri Aloo Bhaja (fried shredded potatoes) and Postor Bora (poppy-seed fritter). A morsel of dal-laden basmati rice with the crispy fries turned out to be the most wholesome treat we had had in months. The authentic taste of the savoury bora would satiate a Bengali palate but its slightly bitter-sweet taste profile might not be a winner with everyone.
Is a meal even Bengali if it does not include fish? We tasted Rui Jhol (rohu fish curry) and Bhapa Ilish (hilsa steamed in mustard sauce), pairing both with rice. The former came with comforting, diced baby potatoes and was a tangy treat but the latter piquant and savoury delicacy won us over. The fish was seasonal — hence fresh — and we polished off our plates so clean that our hosts might have been saved the trouble of washing the dishes!
Rational minds would put a stop here but we could not resist the temptation of ending the dinner with Bengali desserts. Soon, three of them arrived at our table — Mishti Doi (sweetened yoghurt), Kheer Malai (small roshogolla simmered in milk cooked with dry fruits) and Nolen Gur (date palm jaggery) Ice cream. While the first two were traditional delicacies, the last one was relatively experimental. What sets the restaurant’s version of the desert apart is the mashed-and-sprinkled nolen gurer shondesh, which lets the caramel taste linger on our taste buds for longer by adding a chewy texture to the dish. We highly recommend at least one meal at this quaint, cosy restaurant, unless you fall in love with the food here and become a regular.
Meal for two: INR 800 onwards. At KHB Colony, Koramangala.
Email: prattusa@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @MallikPrattusa