Oh! Calcutta, Church Street, Bangalore Bengali Restaurant

Restaurant Name: Oh! Calcutta, Church Street, Bangalore
Phone: +919379544302
Address: 14, Church Street 2nd floor Above Mainland China, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560001 India
Time: 12 Noon – 3:30 PM, 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM
Meals for two: Rs. 1,800
Cuisines: Bengali, Seafood, North Indian
Facilities: Home Delivery, Full Bar Available, Table booking recommended, Indoor Seating

As I opened the containers holding my home delivered meal from Oh! Calcutta I found myself awash in nostalgia for a moment. I remembered when this brand first came to Bengaluru, opening on St Mark’s Road, bringing an elevated Bengali food experience to the city. The interiors sparkled, the service staff was among the best and I quickly became friends with the managers, getting a heads up when the ilish was going to arrive. I have been at tables hosted by pioneering restaurateur Anjan Chatterjee, enjoying engaging conversations about food and restaurants.

So much has changed in recent times and even established restaurants are struggling to stay afloat. I couldn’t help harking back to the days of excellent new restaurants opening to a great response and the good times we’ve had in these. In this nostalgic mood, I want to say ‘thank you’ to all the restaurateurs and their teams who gave us those memorable experiences and continue to strive, even in the most difficult circumstances, to do that.

Oh! Calcutta, Church Street, Bangalore: Food

I began my meal with the Chingri Cutlet (₹ 425), with the minced prawns spiced up with green chilli and ginger and crumb-fried. With pungent kasundi to dip into, it was very good. Then, Maacher Paturi (₹ 495), which I thoroughly enjoyed. The fish was bhetki, slathered with mustard paste that packed a punch, all of it wrapped in a banana leaf square and steamed.

The Chingri Malai Curry (₹ 645) ticked all the boxes: fresh prawns, fragrant spices, the creaminess of coconut and just the right hint of sweetness. I wrapped up this Bengali feast with Kosha Mangsho (₹ 565) and Kaju Kismis Pulao (₹ 235). The kosha mangsho is one of the stars of the Bengali kitchen and when it’s done right, one of the best mutton dishes you can ever eat. Oh! Calcutta’s version was superb, the meat tender and enriched by slowly browned onions that lent their caramel sweetness to the dish. This was indulgent, extravagant and utterly delicious. The pulao was a tad too sweet for my taste. You can pair the kosha mangsho with plain rice or luchis as well. For dessert, I had a small square of Bhapa Sandesh and felt utterly contented.

I look forward to dining in at Oh! Calcutta, tasting more dishes — the vegetarians specials of Jhinge Aloo Posto and Chana Aam Kasundi Paturi, for instance — and enjoy the warm hospitality of the place as well.