Visit Polo Floatel for an wholesome Bengali spread for Poila Baisakh

No Bengali celebration is complete without a hearty spread and especially so, in the case of Poila Baisakh or Bengali New Year. Marking the arrival of new crop (rice), Poila Baisakh sees celebrations in city diners with authentic Bengali dishes and we checked out one such glorious spread at Polo Floatel overlooking the mighty Hoogly river.

The buffet spread, Esho Hey Baisakh, Esho Esho has a menu full of interesting anecdotes. The executive chef of the property, Zaved ul Islam Sekh, tells us that it was a chance encounter with a regular patron, Shyamnagar’s Kanika Mitra that led to a culinary collaboration with her for the New Year festival. “She had told me one day that something was amiss in a particular dish and suggested a little tweak in the recipe. I tried it out, and that addition lent it a unique flavour. We have curated the menu after a year-long trial and error process using pestle-ground whole spices,” Chef Zaved recalls.

“Our age-old cooking processes are being adopted by western countries, while we are discarding them due to lack of time. So, we thought of showcasing the same in our buffet. Depending upon the feedback, we might add a few permanently to our regular menu as well.”

The buffet spread starts with Thanda Paniyo with Paniyo Poros, Sital Jol Gondhoraj Lebu Diye and Pran Sukher Mouri Michri Sharbat — all traditional Bengali summer drinks to cool your body. For starters, there‘s a sumptuous spread of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes like Pora Mishti Lal Aloo Mochar Chop (a delectable banana flower and sweet potato chop), Chanar Anguri, Mangsho Keemar Doi Bora, Pata Mora Murgi and such, moving on to Shil Nora Batas and Bhartas (famed spiced pastes) like Kalonji and Rasun Bata (black cumin seeds and garlic paste), Kucho Mach Bharta and so on.

“Every year we try to make and serve something special, but this time we tried to change the point of view and curated a menu which is not just food, but talks a lot about emotions too,” adds general manager Soumen Halder.

Honestly, the main course comprising sada bhaat and luchi along with a range of veg and non-veg options like Lal Bagh Phulcopi Rezala, Enchor Kalia, Doi Begun, to Saja Mach, Chital Macher Muitha, Birbhumi Murgir Rosholla and many more is bound to take you on an emotional trip. We simply devoured the jackfruit curry and Chital Machher Muitha with plain rice and you can also choose to have Khichuri and bhaja-bhuji if you miss this comfort dish. It‘s heresy if you don‘t give a chance to the three types of chutney and papad, a must-appear on any quintessential Bengali plate.

To end your scrumptious meal on a sweet note, you can choose desserts like Monohora, Sitabhog, Apple Jalebi, and so on. We loved the Apple Jalebi simply for its unusual notes.

Price: Rs 1,699 per person
Available on April 15 & 16 for lunch and dinner