Stepping inside Sonar Tori in City Centre I transported us to old Bengal with its décor, ambience, and music. As Bhromor Koio Giya played in the background we took our seats to experience the ongoing Aam er Utsob and the famed Bengali hospitality that the restaurant is known for, and it sure exceeded our expectations.
As the season of mangoes took over the city by storm, Sonar Tori also dived into the game with its Aam er Utsob, a specially curated mango menu that brought together old Bengal charm for the contemporary palate. Bhaskar Dasgupta, chef de cuisine, Sonar Tori mentions, “Aam er Utsob is an annual affair. A lot of the recipes in today’s curation are drawn from old Calcutta culinary notes. Say the Aam Posto Bora started around the time of Raja Ram Mohan Roy when widows were fed minimal food. We wanted to uphold old Calcutta eating habits and nostalgia through this festival.”
We started off with the Aam Pora Shorbot. What looked like the same old was indeed very different in taste and texture. Not only did the raw mango pieces add a sour crunch to the drink but the mango skin was also peeled, made into a paste, and used along with the pulp giving it a mix of savoury and sour flavours.
Up next were two starters – Kancha Aam Posto Bora and Aam Kashundi Murgi. The Kancha Aam Posto Bora was a delightful mixture of mango and poppy seeds but what stole our hearts was the accompanying raw mango and coriander chutney with its exquisite taste and smooth texture. The Aam Kashundi Murgi with steamed oval-shaped chicken keema balls in sweet mango pickle-infused gravy gave the right punch. However, it could have been a little less sour for a starter.
When it's Bengali food, can dal and rice be far behind? The Aam Dal made of masoor dal and chunky mango pieces with plain rice was simplicity at its best. The mango chunks definitely added a bite to the dal but did not overpower its inherent flavour.
Proceeding toward the main course was a bowlful of Aam Achar Diye Mangsho. The tender mutton pieces marinated with in-house mango pickle lent the mutton a sour flavour which was a very welcome difference from regular mutton dishes. For mutton lovers, this was the star of the menu.
To wrap up the course came the soft and creamy Aam Payesh made with milk and raw mango pulp. This was a tasty and cooling dessert that had a balanced sweet and sour flavour, making sure neither of the flavours overpowered the other.
A visit to the Sonar Tori to try the delectable a la carte mango curation is definitely recommended till the season lasts.
Till July 15, 2023
Price for two (approx): Rs 1200 +
Pics: Pritam Sarkar