When visiting a new eatery, two elements immediately set the tone for us: a compelling view, especially if it is a high-rise, and food that gets the fundamentals right. It doesn’t always need to be overly experimental; freshly made, comforting, and delicious is what truly resonates.
The newly launched ZOI Cafe & Lounge captures this balance perfectly. Designed as a serene pause in the middle of the city, its panoramic skyline backdrop provides an instant sense of calm. Its thoughtful menu delivers the warm, comforting dining experience to match.
If you’re securing a spot at ZOI, claim a window table early. The eight-floor vantage offered front-row views of Kolkata’s most iconic landmarks, setting the stage for a relaxed evening, as we sat with a glass of the rich, dessert-like Berry lava mocktail and the standout Nadru in China, featuring crispy lotus stems tossed in a bold, chef ’s-special, spicy-tangy glaze that retained its addictive crunch throughout.
However, the Mexican cottage cheese shashlik was definitely our favourite. While we expected basic paneer skewers with a spice rub, the chef surprised us with flavourful paneer chunks tossed in onion and bell peppers and doused in a smoky, spicy chilli, paprika, herb, and tomato marinade. Served with toasted slices of bread, lathered with butter and parmesan cheese, we scooped up the sauce clean. Even though it was spicy, we just couldn’t let go of it. After a fiery dive into spicy flavours, we craved something deeply comforting and landed on two contrasting plates: Carrot truffle cream cheese dim sum and Afghani murgh tikka.
While the chicken kebab was juicy, bathed in a rich blend of hung curd and fragrant Afghani spices before being grilled to Carrot truffle cream cheese dimsum perfection, the dim sum proved to be the true star of the table, elevated seamlessly by the subtle crunch of chili crisp and flavourful scallion oil.
We also sampled the Egg Kejriwal, a brilliant blend of simple, honest flavours. Featuring a fried egg with a gooey, cheesy centre and a bright topping of Indian salsa sandwiched inside soft pao, it delivered pure nostalgia with a lively street-food kick. Thoroughly satisfied and happily full, we wrapped up the day with an Arabian pistachio molten lava cake, its warm, salty-sweet pistachio core paired beautifully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce.
Meal for two: Rs 1,000++.
Timings: Weekdays: 12 pm to 12 am, weekends: 12 pm to 2 am.
At Agarwal House, Maidan, Hastings.
For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.