Get a glimpse of Taki Taki in Kolkata

Those who keep a tab on the ever-bludgeoning niche food scene in the country must be thrilled at the arrival of Taki Taki in Kolkata. Opulent interiors and good food define the Oriental hotspot that has already won the hearts of the discerning gourmands in Bengaluru and Mumbai.

Taki, which translates into “falling water”, has a Koi fish as its logo. Inspired by the traditional Asian folklore of success that follows perseverance and hard work, Taki Taki imbibes the spirits of the Golden Koi and Geisha. Serving the finest Japanese and Pan Asian cuisine, this diner can also draw you in for a tipsy night out! While the daytime ambience has complementary tones of earthy palettes, the scarlet lights along with groovy music turn it into a groovy option for a night out.

“We’ve curated a sensory journey intertwining flavours, atmosphere, and service, turning each visit into an unforgettable experience,” says Dawn Thomas, MD and co-founder of V&RO Hospitality, partners and franchise owners of the brand. An engaging chat with chef Bobby Recto, the man behind the lip-smacking menu, gave us an insight into the curation of the menu. Born and brought up in the Philippines, the Naga guy is a master of Pan-Asian cuisine and specialises in Japanese food. “Kolkata has a discerning palate. So, I tried curating a menu that people would come back for. The menu is pretty extensive with lingering flavours,” says the soft-spoken Bobby.

The imposing interiors flaunt a giant geisha face, a cherry blossom tree, the mezzanine floor and Japanese paintings on the wall. We settled in with a glass of Tsurai, a spicy cocktail made with Japanese whiskey infused with shichimi, homemade ginseng butter and brown sugar. A slice of Taki Taki artisan roll, and California explosion constituting crab string, cucumber, spicy herb, avocado and tobiko, went well with the drink. The Edamame beans with sea salt and truffle oil sambal charred butter garlic pairs great with a light but flavourful Taki & Tonic that has jasmine pearls infused gin, basil, Japanese yuzu, organic honey water and tonic. We also tasted the unusually crispy, vegetarian artisan roll craftily called Gold digger, which boasted of vegetable tempura, soy reduction, avocado, citrus truffle and gold dust. And it turned out to be one of the show stealers from the menu. These were followed by a plateful of melt-in-mouth Yin Yang cream cheese dim sums, and a Truffle salmon aburi with marinated salmon roe, citrus hollandaise and lime zest.

The Salmon tiradito has an interesting taste and if you like curated Sashimis, definitely go for this. The salmon sashimi dunked in Amarillo sauce and topped with jalapeno, micro greens, sesame seeds and smoked garlic chalaquita, is a real revelation. In Japan, slurping Susuru (soup) and certain other foods is interpreted as a compliment to the chef expressing gratitude for their hard work. We too slurped a bowlful of comforting Nikudango loaded with chicken meatballs, tofu, scallion, crunchy shimeji mushrooms and cabbage.

For the mains, we chose to go with the bestsellers — Malaysian Malak noodles, a spicier version of our favourite hakka noodles and a classic Moon fun rice offering a melange of exotic mushrooms, a secret spice mix and king chillies. While each of the sushis and sashimi has exotic, newer flavours, the mains tasted a little familiar.

However elaborate it might be, no meal is complete without something sweet, but the ending could have been even sweeter if there were options beyond the usual offerings like Tiramisu and Tres Leches.

Price for two: Rs 3000+

Pictures by Anindya Saha