South Kolkata is seeing a lot of new cafés and restaurants dotting Hindustan Park, and its neighbour, Deshapriya Park. A little further ahead, at Jodhpur Park, Cafe Drifter beats the cacophony of buzzing vehicles, to serve delicious European as well as Indian food. Nestled in a small by-lane opposite South City Mall, the café adds to the list of being one of the many restaurants that have opened recently to introduce people to world cuisine, with the likes of lamb burgers and even the classic spicy chicken hot wings on offer.
After the success of its two other outlets in Hindustan Park and Baghajatin on either side of the city, owner Rajroop Bhaduri decided it was time to move closer. “While the other two cafés are bigger, I chose to make this one smaller because I wanted it to be more personal, and more about connecting with each other, because that is what I have grown up with,” says the 30-something filmmaker, who has donned many hats including music engineering for the Blue Frog live music venue, when it opened in New Delhi.
The interiors of the 25-seater feature the map of Kolkata on one side, as well as framed pictures of locals as seen through street photography. Rajroop tells us, he wants to extend the space to upcoming artists in the city, to showcase their work. Amidst all this, we start to sip on the Guava Jhatka, a fizzy cocktail, with a strong punch of guava, tabasco sauce, chillies, pepper and a dash of lime. The Amritsari Fish Bites followed and we devoured them as soon as they appear on our table. The bites are served with an Indian salad comprising local veggies and mustard sauce and make for an easy choice while deciding what to have next.
We weren’t surprised that the next dish turned out to be one with fish in it. The Grilled Fish is served with a coat of lemon butter sauce and is as appetising as it looks. The tanginess from the lemon sauce gives the fish a delicious flavour, which made us enjoy every bit of it, as it is served with potato wedges and salad on the side. The café relies on signature desserts, so we finished with a classic Hot Chocolate Brownie, drizzled with hot chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream.
Meal for two is Rs 1,000 + taxes.