With years of exposure to tacos and quesadillas, Kolkata gastronomes don’t need much persuasion to settle for a weekend full of Mexican delights at the comfort of their homes. The difficult part, however, is to get a variety of dishes that are authentic and beyond the familiar tastes of the typical Mexican nibbles. Chef Urvika Kanoi finally bridges the huge gap with Café Duco. Originally conceived as a quaint little Latin American and Mexican place in Mumbai, Urvika opens it here in cloud kitchen format, after tasting success in the Arabian shores.
“In Café Duco, we actually strive very hard to serve authentic Mexican food, exactly the way it’s supposed to be served. We wanted to bring the flavours to Kolkata as well, since people here are well-travelled and Mexican food is comfortable on their palate,” says Urvika.
The gourmands can expect fresh flavours and a large extensive menu where you have everything right from the tacos to quesadillas, small and large plates, dips and desserts, to make it a whole meal. Even the health buffs can happily have their picks from the menu.
“Tacos are our star dish apart from the Ceviches and cold plates. The small plates like Picante Chicken and large plates like Roast chicken with Peruvian green sauce, burrito bowl and guacamole are extremely popular with our customers,” adds Urvika.
We chose the very creamy yet light Bebe Elote from the small plate section. The yummy cobs of deliciously smothered corn with Ancho Aioli and Parmesan chilli crumb simply elevated the otherwise plain item to another level. The churros too are crispy outside and soft inside with actual chocolate sauce in it.
We were also floored by Roast chicken with Peruvian green sauce made with chicken breast accompanied by Charred sweet potato, roast onion, and cilantro. The watermelon ceviche, a highly recommended dish for the health conscious from the cold plate section, had a unique flavour punch created by a judicious combination of coriander, crispy quinoa, avocado, quick pickle onion and soy. It’s a lightweight moodlifter that’s such a relief from the ubiquitous watermelon feta cheese platter.
Urvika feels that it’s a year of funk flavour and she definitely tries some out in her creations too. “Food having funky flavours or smell, if handled properly, can really add a punch to the dish. Take fish sauce in papaya salad for example. One can also elevate a dish with fermented ingredients like pickles. Even ingredients in natural forms, like anchovies, pack so much flavour and umami into a dish, making it a flavour bomb. I feel hot pepper, different kinds of mushrooms, and vegan and local ingredients will see a rise in demand,” informs the stylish chef.