OVER THE LAST 365 days, The Parking Lot has made an impressive impact on city gastronomes who are given to parking themselves quite happily in this 80- seater gastro pub for many hours at a time. Continuing to mete out the same experience, the only hot spot in Park Street with gaming stations has curated a new menu that showcases the mastery of chef Sumeir Raghuvanshi.
Giving us a heads-up on the refreshed menu, the chef says, “The menu speaks the language that Kolkata understands, which is basic yet complicated, interesting yet on a level that people connect with. I have tried to indulge with Asian and Conti, cuisines that are accepted, and played with their flavours.” An expanded menu here will give you more choices in the nibble section. There are more chicken recipes as well and brownie fans have more reason to binge.
Our first bite from the updated menu was the Chilli Fish with a fruity twist. Topped with thin slices of apple and pak choi, the spicy decadent preparation with sweet notes of apple w a s a fine teaser of the new menu. Another twist that came our way was a fun collaboration between two favoured street foods — singhara and momo, served with a spicy dip. We even tasted their Pesto fondue served with an assor tment of munchies — Vegetable balls, potato fries and croutons. The pesto twist makes this ve getarian appetiser a delight. Another pesto preparation that gave the traditional tandoori chicken a distinct lift was Pesto Tandoori Chicken. Also worth mentioning is the Gourmet Tikka, with a flavourful chicken tikka topped on mash and presented with a piquant turmeric mayonnaise and papad. The desi tikka with a modern presentation will appeal to the food connoisseurs.
From the dessert section, we sampled a traditional Rajasthani sweetmeat — ghewar, with chef ’s delectable twist. The crunchy Oh!! Wow Ghewar served with pomegranate thecha (ground) spiced with the punch of ginger, and macerated pineapple, is an experience in itself. There are four varieties of brownies and the chef, a brownie fan, is planning to add six more to the menu. Talking about the new menu, co-partner of The Parking Lot, Aditya Mehta says, “It’s been a roller coaster ride. Our next phase will be more interesting, with mobile apps replacing the system of a wristband and liquid dispensing machines coming in. As a neighbourhood bar, we have made the menu fun and interactive, keeping some best sellers intact. Our bar menu also has some new potent mixes.”
Meal for two `800 +taxes