Ballygunge’s latest address Serenity Café de Bistro is just a walk away from some of Kolkata’s most revered educational institutions in and around Ekdalia Road, Ballygunge. Helmed by two women, this café was weaved out of their passion for food and feeding gastronomes. “It is a one stop solution for a diverse range of cuisines such as continental, chinese and mediterranean and we also want to come up with some Bengali specialities. We have a lot of repeat customers who keep coming back for our sizzlers, fondue and pizzas,” shares Aparna Bhattacharjee who runs this café with her sister in law Monjula Roy.
This 32 seater café overlooks a residential neighbourhood, and can be spotted from afar for its wall to floor bay windows and aesthetic glow sign. Stepping in, expect to be greeted by a plethora of books curated by the owners, some lent by visitors who grew fond of the place. The entire space is lit in amber hues, thus lending the ambience some comfortable warmth. As we settled in one of the wooden benches, we were welcomed with a frothy tall glass off Oreo Shake followed by their signature dish Kung Pao Chicken. Replete with spring onions and nuts, this delectable stomach filler comes topped with a star anise. For a spicier appetising alternative, you may settle for their Tangy Chicken Wings that comes with six pieces for each serving.
Moving on to the mains, it must be mentioned that the offerings are a meat lovers’ paradise full of options that range from authentic Bhetki, to chicken and pork. We settled for the Baked Bhetki with Spinach Sauce and one Chicken and Ham Milanosa Pizza, and both of them were surely delights that will keep foodies coming back to the bistro for more. The baked Bhetki sits on a bed of creamy spinach sauce and is served with steamed potatoes and vegetables, topped with a slice of cheese and is enough for one to complete a meal. To speak about the Pizza, what we liked best was the bread that was served straight out of the oven and was soft enough to melt in our mouths. The slices were just perfectly baked that ain’t too crunchy yet just enough to bring in that added texture.
For a vegetarian alternative, you may call for a Creamy Broccoli Casserole.