Eclectic delights beckon at Pan Asian Galerie

By Soumyadip Banerjee

Kolkata: Savouring the taste of delicious pan-seared bhetky, gai tahakrai, special Japanese noodles, Thai green curry and other mouth-watering dishes from various Asian geographies as a niche eatery here raises a toast to the mouth-watering spread that the continent provides.

Aiming to serve some of the best pan-Asian food to the denizens of the eastern metropolis, Novotel has started Studio – the Pan Asian Galerie – which churns out not only all-too-familiar Chinese items but also kitchen delights from countries like Indonesia, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam.

One can begin by tucking into some spicy starters like pan-seard Bhetky that contains a mix of five special spices, or a Thai chicken delicacy called gai tahakrai, as also prawn manti, braised chicken and chicken mushroom.

The soup bowl includes an amazing tom yum caviar, that comes with a salty-lemon flavour.

"We add some very fresh Asian ingredients and that makes our dishes very special and fresh," Novotel Kolkata executive chef Neelabh Sahay told reporters.

"We interpret the traditional Asian food delicacies in a modern way. At the same time, we place all the food items on the table which is a very good Asian tradition," Sahay said.

For the main course, one can gorge on a special Japanese noodle and Thai green curry along with a very tasty egg fried rice and deliciously-made steered chicken.

Those open to novelty can turn to nasi goreng (Indonesian fried rice) or bamee goreng (Indonesian stir fried noodles) or even Vietnamese rice paper balls.

For dessert, one can opt for the classic Asian flavour of salted caramel curd and chocolates.

"People here have traditionally preferred Chinese food. There are as many, if not more, Chinese eateries, as those providing local dishes. Here we have provided more choices for the people from more Asian geographies," Sahay said.

"And each dish that we serve has a different take," Sahay added.

The ambience is nothing less than exotic. Comfortable wooden seats, with a view of the pool and a prismatic kitchen made of coloured glass through which people can view the dishes being cooked.

The approximate cost for a meal for two people is Rs 2,500. (IANS)