After winning the hearts of city gastronomes with Lord of the Drinks and Veneto, Vanita Bajoria and Amit Bajoria added popular restobar Warehouse Cafe Kolkata to their illustrious list of F&B joints. Unlike most other overcrowded pubs, this incredibly spaced out gastropub on the fourth floor of South City Mall, doesn’t make you feel claustrophobic. The 22-feet high ceiling, the 30-feet long bar with a background facade of a coal mine, the interesting sculptures of monkeys and birds perched atop in strategic corners and the cushy well-laid-out seating arrangements in shades of brown and beige – everything adds class to the lounging experience at this 4,500 sq ft spot.
We had a taste of the same as we ambled into the restobar to cool our feet on a tiring summer afternoon. Immensely popular among its patrons in Delhi for its choice in music and food, here too, Warehouse had us impressed with the retro playlist that we simply couldn't stop tapping our foot to.
“We thought of glamming up the place a little with an amalgamation of things symbolic and antique. We wanted to create a place where people can simply relax with friends and family over some great drinks and good food. Like all our other outlets, the food options here too have been caringly curated with the best available seasonal ingredients,” tells Vanita Bajoria, owner of this 150-seater luxe pub.
The relaxed ambience set the tone right for the sampling to begin and we flagged off the hour-long fest with a gallant spread of kebabs. The kebab assortment comprising fish, chicken and paneer looked more enticing, arranged in a golden bird cage and the portions were truly filling.
The well-curated diverse menu covers almost every kind of cuisine ranging from Indian, Continental, Middle Eastern and Italian to even Japanese and includes such popular numbers as Crystal Dumpling, Tacos and Quesadillas, Pao Bun and Rolls, Sizzlers and Pasta Bowls.
We simply loved the gooey Lucy Cheese Wonton, a part of the WHC Cheese Basket from the Small Plates (starters) section. The crisp exteriors of these sinful wontons belie the oozing of molten cheese that simply fills your senses with pure bliss. The cheese basket is so yummy that it actually needs no accompanying condiments and is an equally irresistible option for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.
From the mains, we settled for a satiating Bowl of Soul – a hearty Mexican entremet that includes rice layered with refried beans, tomato salsa, roasted corn, pepper salsa, red slaw, crunchy leaves, homemade guacamole, house pickle, and pumpkin seeds. For those who love their greens on the plate, there’s the healthy Green Land Pizza and comforting mushroom Ravioli too.
If your meal is incomplete without something to guzzle on, then the bar menu has some of the most quintessential cocktails besides some exquisite alcohol options to impress. But what really got us stumped was the inimitable dessert Tres Lechhes. A delectable house-baked butter cake soaked in milk, condensed milk and heavy cream, this delicacy is doused in pistachio and saffron milk. It’s highly recommended and we had not tasted something like this in any of the local diners in recent times.
With a vibrant atmosphere, and great food and drinks, Warehouse Café Kolkata can well be your choice of destination for a quick lunch, dinner, brunch or a hollering get together with friends at any time of the day.
From 12 noon to midnight.
Meal for two: Rs 1,200 (without alcohol)