If you are looking for some authentic Bengali fare at a surprisingly fair price then Ichamotee is a great discovery. The nattily done diner at the bustling Marquis Street adjacent to Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road stands out in a crowd of Bengali outlets for the deliciously filling portions. Each item in this well-lit 90-seater cover is slow-cooked under the expert guidance of its chef-cum-owner Mitasree Chowdhury.
"Both my husband and I have our roost traced back to the other side of Bengal and thanks to that I have inherited some precious authentic recipes from both my mom and mom-in-law. I have introduced a few such rare dishes in my diner apart from the ones I have discovered over the years that you can hardly get anywhere else," says Mitashree.
We were impressed by the eclectic variety that vied for our attention and among them, Megh Shutki -- a rare delicacy -- bowled us over. It requires an acquired taste to get used to the raw smell of the sundried fish cooked with a liberal dose of green chillies, garlic and onion. We devoured the same with piping hot rice.
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Among the other dishes which caught our fancy, Kash Kochu Chingri rustled with yam leaves meshed with prawns and slow cooked in a thick gravy of coconut and mustard paste was the show stealer. You can literally polish off a whole bowl of rice with it.
We were also impressed by the sheer taste and size of the pure Bekti Paturi. Steamed to perfection with a balanced marinade of mustard paste and green chillies, this large portion of the coveted fish is a must-try. Mutton Nabami Bhog, is another much-loved dish relished by every Bengali worth his salt. A signature item of the outlet, it has an optimal mix of all the spices. Try it with plain white rice or Basanti pulao. We ended the main course with some mandatory chutney-papad session and their pulpy raw-mango chutney is nothing like the ones served in other spots.
Though there was no room for any further experiment, we couldn't overcome the temptation to try a few traditional sweets from the dessert section. The plain Bangali Payesh with a hint of cardamom was such a respite from the ubiquitous kheer reeking of the scent of saffron. You may also try Chusir Lahari, Rasho Malai and kitchen-made Mishti Doi which are equally irresistible.
Right from the starters to the mains and desserts, we savoured everything at Ichamotee, where it's genuinely difficult to pick up any one special favourite and we guess the reason is simply that Mitashree cooks them with so much love.
16, Marquis Street.
Meal for two: Rs 1,000+. 8 am to 11.30 am