Hashtag Kolkata– the newest kid on the food block – seems to have cracked the code to success with its great food, swish interiors, quick service and a mind-blowing view of the city scape. Post a great stint in Siliguri, where Hashtag opened doors in 2016, friends and foodies Nitin Agarwal, Praveen Mundra and Ankit Tibrewal launched it here on 50, Chowringhee Road, and the gastropub is already winning over the city’s young elites, who are always on a prowl for ritzy, cool spots.
The highlights of the gorgeous interiors of this lavish 300-seater property spread over 16,000 sq ft include the stony brick walls, cast iron railings, and fiberglass wall art, that give out a classic British vibe. The stunning 14ft x 35ft elevated glass ceiling allowing a deluge of sunlight, makes the place even more vibrant. We loved the elevated decks, the very creative wall art narrative depicting extinction of angels and Cupid from Earth, the well-done-up Hello Charlie private dining area with a separate staircase leading to it, and the breezy and sprawling rooftop area -- a perfect choice of seating on any balmy evening. The rooftop gives you the most spectacular view of the iconic Victoria Memorial Hall, St Paul's Cathedral, the Birla Planetarium and Vidyasagar Setu that’s possible.
We happily snuggled by the glass pane windows for some sunshine on a chilly afternoon as we considered options from the extensive menu. Unfairly biased towards all things meaty, we would have given a few green gems a miss, but for Ankit, who insisted we try them before delivering our verdicts. In two minds about settling for some Water chestnut cream cheese dimsums, we were stumped by the foreplay of flavour and texture that the filling of molten cream cheese and water chestnut had on our palate. The dish reasonably turned the tide in favour of the oft-ignored green brigade. Much to our relief, Hashtag has consciously stayed miles away from the usual suspects like the crispy chilli baby corn slathered in sauce or the oily spring rolls.
We also loved the addictive Rumali papad. The crispy wafer, made with roomali atta, looks like a large bowl and is liberally sprinkled with mozzarella, and a spice mix comprising red chilli, aamchur, cumin, chat masala and rock salt. It was an easy winner among all the nibbles accompanying our drinks.
Try their crunchy Spinach black bean corn cylinder and the Arabian Lebanese mezze platter, which is a filling option for a group of four. The irresistible Potato Bravas -- a classic Spanish style fried potato dusted with chef special spices – simply took our hearts despite the calorie count.
From the non-veg section, we decided on a comforting bowl of Jhol momos and the classic Pan seared bekti fillet. The dumplings doused in a spicy broth reminded us of the hot bowls of Manchow soup from China Town. The Bekti served on a bed of lemon butter was soft and fresh and the sauce didn’t have sharp citrusy notes. We washed it down with house special Liquid Desire crafted with kitchen-made organic herbs redux – just perfectly light and breezy for the afternoons.
A tempting plate of hot churros, brushed with cinnamon sugar and accompanied by a gooey chocolate dip, brought the curtains down on this toothsome trail.
Meal for two starts at Rs 2,500+. Open from 12 Noon till 1 am on weekdays and till 2 am on weekends
Photographs by Pritam Sarkar .