Very few nightlife destinations in the city can cater to the adventurous taste buds of Kolkata gourmands, who are always seeing comfort on their plates. But Refinery091’s new menu is doing just that. Not only is the joint turning out to be one of the hottest, in-demand clubbing zones in the city but also pays a lot of attention to what’s coming out of their kitchen. In fact, their new menu only attempts to streamline our drinking habits by introducing some comfortable platters, easy-to-eat meals and elevated dining experience.
We started with a gorgeous Red Berry Whiskey Sour which had a delicious and even blend of litchi and lime juices which had been mixed with strawberry syrup, dry martini and bourbon. Another one of our major favourites from the new cocktail menu was the Sunrise Blast, which had an unexpected star anise twist; it had been used along with orange juice, basil, lime juice and anise syrup to bring out a really powerful zestiness.
The SOS-Spirit of Sharing Platter at Refinery091 is essentially a Mezze Platter; it’s delightful and well-curated. We found some pita, falafel, hummus and deep-fried veggie delicacies which had been served with an assortment of Middle Eastern-inspired toppings and dips. We were really impressed by the well-portioned Makhani Thali which features dal makhani, a paneer entree and baby-cut naans; the platter finally lets you enjoy some North Indian mainstays with your booze, in an easy, shareable family-style manner.
We also tried their Chicken Ramen which was made with Tom Yum Broth, Kimchi and of course, mini chicken balls; it was hearty and well-prepared and we suggest pairing it with mojito or even a subtly fruity martini. The Seafood Golden Tomato Dolam is a well-planned addition, as it’s elaborate but easy to binge on; the Turkish delicacy was stuffed with a delicious seafood filling and had a little earthy freshness. You can also try some newly-added non-vegetarian dumplings or baos to go with your cocktails.
A must-have for us was the Refined Froyo, which was a gorgeous and homemade blueberry frozen yoghurt dessert, served with some crumble. It will go exceptionally well with a Pina Colada. Refinery091 has also come up with a Sunday Brunch, which is priced really well at just Rs 1,091 (without liquor) and Rs 1,591 (with liquor), between 12 to 4 pm. Our recommendation? Pair the Black on White (Bacardi White, Sambuca and activated charcoal) with a crispy chicken bao or even the Makhani Platter. Price for two: Rs 1,500