Check out the Bengal-flavours-inspired cocktail and food menu at this Kolkata brewery

At time when more people are exploring international flavours than ever before, the Greek-themed brewery Olterra has curated a special cocktail menu, In Search of Bengal 2.0, which takes a deep dive into the rich culture, tradition, and history of West Bengal, successfully weaving a story that blends the art of mixology with the state’s near extinct cultural elements.

Each drink, which we paired with nibbles that complement the drink even more, is crafted with the intent to tell a story, evoking memories of a time when our roots were deeply intertwined with the fabric of our homeland.

As we soaked the winter sun on the terrace, Tales of Mangrove, paired with Kachalanka gondhoraj murgi tart arrived at our table. This cocktail attempts to preserve the biodiversity of Sundarbans by using honey from the local beekeeping community, which in turn contributes to the conservation of the Royal Bengal tiger. A sweet and sour cocktail with a slight dominance of gin and an intense caramel-like flavour of honey, tasted good when paired with the savoury tartlets, which had a slight tang from the gondhoraj and a spicy kick from the chillies.

The 7th Mile cocktail came next with Kalimpong cheese dim sum. The cheesy mushroom dim sum with the cocktail has a fruity touch from passion fruit extracts with tartness from gundruk. Take a bite of the salty cheese on a skewer to enjoy a complete contrast of flavours in your mouth.

Macher Vol-au-vent, a Bengali-French fusion using Bekti along with aam ada (mango ginger) cooked with béchamel, herbs and capers, had our hearts. The bite-sized flaky wonders paired well with Falls & Tribes, using indigenous ingredients like lal kudrum and piplash leaf, to create a refreshing highball paired with vodka. A little strong on the palate the finger food, with an imli chutney base, created all the magic.

We ended our day with a Cossimbazar cocktail and the best Mochar croquette that we have ever tried. The chhanabora-flavoured sweet whisky-based cocktail was paired so well with a crispy-on-the-outside, cheesy-on-the-inside banana flower croquette, served with kasundi. The hint of chilli in this, really hit all the right spots!

Meal for two: INR 1,600+

Timing: Noon to 11.45 pm

At Park Street