Kolkata has warmed up to gastro club culture terrifically, and the new pubbing haunts are obviously fitting in nicely; and yet only a handful of the new joints can ace dining and wining simultaneously. Sly Fox Gastro Club located at Sector V’s Globsyn Crystals Building is definitely among the few names. In fact, once you step into the plush, classic setting and walk past the candelabra-decked ceiling, it’s easy to tell that the eatery caters to keen fine diners.
Needless to say we were excited to drop in as Sly Fox just rolled out a new menu, featuring a medley of European entrees, fantastic sushi and some adventurous fusion food. The joint has earned great cred for the spectacle with which they serve their ‘foxtails’. The Ultimate Liit came in a bulbous tumbler featuring rum, gin, vodka, tequila, orange liqueur on ice, topped with a semi-submerged bottle of beer. We don’t know about you, but for us, it was hard to say no!
In the Small Bites section, we suggest you go for the calamari without a second thought; perhaps the best calamari appetiser you can score in the city, Sly Fox’s Crunchy Fried Calamari Rings are a batter-fried wonder we still can’t get over; perfectly textured, un-oily and served with garlic aioli and sweet chilli sauce, the Calamari should pair well with a crisp red wine.
One of the newest in-house specialties is the fiery fish steak with Kaffir lime; though kaffir lime has turned out to be a tropical staple in every fine dining menu, chef Naresh tells us his version makes use of Japanese ginger to incorporate a well-balanced spiciness to counteract the smooth lime.
Sly Fox’s new steak additions surprised us with the curation of flavours, but also with the fresh produce that was used. The Herb Crusted Salmon Fillet is impossibly fresh, spruced up and had an uncluttered creaminess, courtesy the lemon caper butter sauce which is topped with roasted root veggies and some delicious mash.
Another great entree is the juicy Roasted Lamb Shoulder on a bed of Polenta served with Grilled Vegetables in Red Wine Black Pepper Sauce; you can pair it with something breathy like the non-alcoholic gooseberry ‘foxtail,’ The Rising Sun which also features apricot, mandarin, yuzu and basil.
Sly Fox has also introduced a selection of vegetarian and non vegetarian sushi; we spotted some popular favourites like sesame avocado and some classics like steamed prawn and smoked salmon sushi. For dessert, we settled for some dreamy and cheekily exaggerated Blueberry Crumbled Cheesecake served alongside a gigantic ball of candy floss; it’s quirky, delicious and was made for Instagram. Our recommendations from the new menu? Definitely the Crunchy Fried Calamari Rings and Herb Crusted Salmon Steak paired with a sharp rum-based Foxtail. Price for two: Rs 1,500.