The restaurant is housed inside an unassuming residential structure —with an unusual logo — a submarine sitting on a plate — displayed outside. But as soon as you open the door, you will find yourself inside the engine room of an erstwhile submarine — where pipes and nautical meters adorn the iron sheets welded together. Instead of white lights, they use incandescent bulbs which gives a dim look to the interiors.
There are framed photographs and diagrams of real submarines all over the place and a periscope too. But unlike a real submarine, the place is quite spacious and has comfortable chairs and couches, which can accommodate 96 people.
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Rishi Singhal and Mohit Harlalka, the duo who started India’s first aircraft-themed restaurant in India, called Fly Kouzina in Salt Lake launched the multi-cuisine restaurant in October. It is the third property from the Kouzina Francishee, after Fly Kouzina and Kouzina Mining Company.
“We always wanted to give something different to the people of Kolkata, because having a different theme always intrigues people. We have a strong customer database that travels all the way from Ballygunge, Alipore and Howrah, to see what the place looks like,” informs Rishi, director of Kouzina Marine.
Rishi and Mohit, were both engineers, before becoming business partners. “We left our jobs five years ago and shifted to Kolkata. I was working in Hyderabad for a bank called Wells Far Go and my partner was working with Infosys,” added Rishi.
While Rishi comes from a family of confectioners, Mohit’s dad is an ex-hotelier and it was a chance meeting at a party, after which they decided to become entrepreneurs and start their first venture together “We try to adapt the ambience and educate kids by having these screens on the walls and ceilings, which show life underwater. It took us approximately four months to build this space,” added Rishi.
The 24-page menu has everything from Continental, Indian to Oriental food with separate starters, mains and desserts, for each cuisine — along with mocktails. They also deliver food online. We tried a Green Bao, Veg Mandarin Dim Sum, Asparagus Risotto with Cheese and Garlic Bread, and Cottage Cheese Steak and Barbeque Sauce. The vegetable filling of Green Bao, with gari and wasabi has a sweet and smooth texture, while the bread is soft and fluffy.
The pepper and garlic dip with the dim sum complements the natural flavours of baby corn, celery and nuts, and the Asparagus Risotto seasoned with cheese is creamy to taste. The Cottage Cheese Steak is a good option for those who prefer Indian cuisine but wouldn’t mind experimenting.
Other popular dishes on the menu include Dal Makhani, Palak Kofta and Multani Tukra and Asparagus Soup with foam, and homemade ravioli among others. Among the desserts, the sizzling brownie, Oreo Cheesecake, baked yoghurt and white and dark chocolate mousse are quite popular. Deep-fried ice-cream with Orange Candy and Chocolate Crepes will also be introduced in the coming months. “Our vision is very clear, we want to have 10 to 12 brands of Kouzina, all having very different, quirky themes,” adds Rishi, with a smile.
Price for two Rs1,200. At Salt Lake City.