Kolkata’s newest luxury property NX Hotel has a fine diner that needs to make it to your Puja itinerary. The boutique hotel’s 70+ cover multi-cuisine restaurant Kitchen 165 has curated a diverse menu featuring global picks and a rather elaborate desi section including some familiar North Indian delicacies and some rare grills that are difficult to score in the city. The Chef’s Special Doora Kebab, for instance, is a fuss-free take on the famous Lucknowi kebab, featuring well-seasoned minced mutton jacketed with crispy, clay-cooked chicken.
“There’s equal focus on Oriental, homegrown and other global picks so we have a varied range of signatures from each cuisine, but our tandoor grills are really exceptional and one-of-a-kind, as are our Asian numbers. The Lat Me Kai, for instance is a bestseller from the shareable plates section, it’s a popular Asian appetiser that features crispy diced chicken cooked over a wok and seasoned with chilli paste, pepper and salt,” chef Amol Mehrotra tells us.
Kitchen 165’s breathy, muted interior set-up is immensely Instagram-worthy, and features accents of grey and baby blue with pastel-coloured, mid-century low chairs and socially distanced dining set-ups. There are three different kinds of seating areas which is an astute way of breaking the monotony of design, and there’s also an impeccable glass-walled area that is perfect for sunny brunches and even offers a clean view of EM Bypass. We dropped in one early afternoon for a quick lunch and started off with some of the chef’s recommendations.
The Lat Me Kai and Doora Kebab are easily the best items on the menu, however, from the main course, the K-165 Chicken Bharta is a must-have and puts a sophisticated spin on the Punjabi favourite. The creamy bharta features tender, shredded pieces of tandoori grilled chicken cooked in a smooth gravy, and should be ideally paired with a crispy Indian bread. The menu also features a few traditional, slow-cooked Dum Pukht biryanis; we sampled a lavish mutton dum pukht biryani cooked with a melange of homegrown spices that serves up a welcoming, mellow aftertaste and also features really tender shanks of meat.
Kitchen 165 is taking social distancing norms quite seriously, and seating set-ups have been styled accordingly; you’ll find disposable menus, frequent sanitisations etc. This Puja the diner is coming up with a lot of new offers and takeaway options for the four festive days. There’s a multi-cuisine Puja buffet which will feature four distinct curations for the four core Puja days, and will include specialties like Classic Mutton Biryani, Dakbunglow Murgi, and more.
Guests can also opt for takeaway options for buffets which is great for house parties. Some of our favourite picks from the menu? K-165 Chicken Bharta and the Chef’s Special Doora Kebab. Hot tip: If you plan to take photos of your lunch for your Instagram at choose a seat by the massive clear glass windows for better lighting. Price for two: Rs 1,000