Thursday, October 01, 2009

Pan Asian in Kolkata

Pan Asian KolkataKolkata has been home to some of our country's earliest immigrants from China. During childhood days, I remember stories of the most exceptional handcrafted shoes in Kolkata's China Town - the only Indian city to have one. And later in life, I would be constantly directed to the Tangra area in China Town for the best Chinese food in that city. Some interesting blog posts on those Chinese who have remained behind can be found here and here. Sadly, what remains now is a dilapidated area inhabited by a decreasing number of the older generation.

Pan Asian continues this heritage by bringing its eclectic mix of Chinese, Japanese, Mongol and Korean cuisine under one roof at the ITC Sonar in Kolkata. Interactive kitchens with seating around them encourage contact with the chefs with bespoke culinary options. The Chinese kitchen features delicacies from Sichuan and Beijing provinces. The Mongolian Brazier facilitates the cuisine of the Mongols dating back to the days of Genghis Khan, whose soldiers grilled meats on their battle shields heated over charcoal. You can choose combinations of meats, seafood and vegetabls with seasoning and sauces. Then there is the Japanese Teppan Grill featuring Teppanyaki and the Korean Bar-be-que and Hot Pots with in-built grills in the tables. If that is not enough, there is a Japanese sushi and sashimi Bar.

Tonight I began with a small plate of salmon sashimi and then followed with a Mongolian stir fry: fish, spring chicken, spring lamb, pork tenderloin, shitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, carrots. Salad oil and the chef's condiments. Noodles.

The sashimi seemed fresh and tasted pretty good. However, without Japanese chefs at the bar tonight, the cuts weren't the same calibre. Also, the wasabi wasn't the best - far less intense than the real thing.

The Mongolian stir fry was excellent. Lots of seafood and meat and the right amount of spices and condiments. Completely filling too!

For dessert, I tried the amazing jasmine tea creme brulee. Vanilla bean ice cream on the top. Bewitching! A thin layer of creme brulee with specs of carmalized topping and a large dollop of home-made ice-cream. I strongly recommend this dessert to anyone who visits here.


The restaurants at the ITC Sonar have some of the friendliest waitstaff, especially in their speciality restaurants. I also enjoyed some very Bengali selections during breakfasts such as Radhabollobi with Cholar Dal on one day, and Kochuri with Ghugni on another. Finally, the Kayakalp spa is luxuriously laid out across lotus ponds and swaying palms.

10 comments:

Lakshmi said...

Ive heard there is a chinese newspaper out there as well

Nagesh.MVS said...

Really ?
Chines Paper. Who's gonna read that ?
Work From Home

indicaspecies said...

I like the way you have introduced this post with a bit of history. I'd like to try the Mongolian stir fry if I reach there.

Btw, have you been to Mongolia?

HAREKRISHNAJI said...

we again went to Courtyard Marriott in Hinjewadi on my birthday i/o Sayaji. My son wanted to go there.

Shantanu said...

@Lakshmi: Yes, there is actually one!

@indicaspecies: Nope, not Mongolia. When I met a girl from Mongolia recently at Singapore airport, that was the closest contact I have had with that country.

@Harekrishnaji: Glad you had fun.

Vamsee Modugula said...

That mongolian stirfry looks delicious! Should try this place when I am in Calcutta next.

Sorry I was away from the blogging world for a while - too much work and too much travel. I finally forced myself to post this week.It is about a place close to Pune.

Shantanu said...

@Vamsee: Yup, the ITC Sonar has quite a good collection of restaurants. The stir fry was as good as it looks.

Abhishek N! said...

I managed that restaurant between Jan. 2008 to Aug. 2009. Since It was my first restaurant assignment It will always be close to my heart!

Shantanu said...

@Abhishek: Nice! Thank you for sharing here.

Santi said...

I also went to this restaurent and spent my hard earned rupees 8000...but the food was like eating goat shit...please avoid this restaurent at all cost