Glamourous is the first word, which will come to your mind as you walk in to the new Milee Droog Coffee and Bistro. Milee Droog means ‘dear friend’ in Russian, so this one is dedicated to the Russian-Indian relations and gives the city of joy a magnificent, modern and posh place to hang out. Being 110 years old, the Romanian palatial house, which was in a dilapidated condition, has now been transformed into this beautiful cafe and bistro. The interiors, designed by Indranil Gupta, have been kept fresh with multiple open spaces and enclosed sitting facility. Few of the interiors of this old Kolkata house have been kept intact to retain the neoclassical and colonial vibe. The modern interpretation of the art deco culture has been given a twist by the new interior. The interior of the building features checkboard floors, white floral designs, and lime-hued pastels. The pandemic didn’t deter Satyaki Manna from considering growth strategies for his brand. In fact, the innovative mindset led to a new beginning and this time with the help of his business partners Rohan Sarkar, Avik Mukherjee, along with Antik and Amit.
The menu of Milee Droog is carefully crafted from the Slavic regions, primarily Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Poland, Azerbaijan, Turkey, along with some Spanish and Mexican influences. To suit the local palates, there is a section dedicated to the diverse flavours of India. Among their specialities are Russian Blinis, Borscht, Tuscan Grilled Polenta, Coffee Licked Lamb Chops, Chettinad Chicken Keema and Bengal’s Bhappa Bhetki, to name just a few.
The cafe has been modernised to enable consumers to relate to the warmth of the brand. The brand intends to create a new benchmark for the cafe-going experience for the gastronomists in the city. So be it a brunch with family and friends or a beautiful date or even just a cup of nice coffee with yourself, Milee Droog has it all.
The Telegraph gets you all the details.
What: Milee Droog Coffee and Bistro
Opening on: November 14
Where: 34, Kavi Sabitri PR Chattopadhyaya, Deshapriya Park
Timings: Noon to 11.30pm
Meal for two: Rs 1600-plus
THE ZONES
The pretty terrace includes the open dining space as well as an enclosed glass indoor seating space. As you walk down the flight of stairs of each floors, you will find beautiful hand-painted acrylic canvases done by students from art schools covering the windows. The floors and railings of the outdoor seating arrangement have been restored from the original house.
The Victorian chandeliers light up each and every corner of the bistro to add the colonial and cultural vibe to the place.
The first floor is where the rose gold bar is and the sitting area, which includes plush chairs, checked floors and the walls, are kept in pastel and lime-hued shades to give a more Parisian vibe. A perfect place for a brunch!
The colonial-style heritage building painted in white, which spreads across three floors, part indoor and part outdoor. The sprawling bistro boasts a seating capacity of almost 210 people. The Romanian architecture, with large pillars, holds the structure straight up in the air.
The ground floor is dedicated to coffee aficionados who can choose from an extensive menu. With the checked floors and pastel shade furniture, the cafe is determined to make artisanal coffee and brews.
The private enclosed glass house with rose gold metallic borders and dark green cushioned sofas. Here you can host a birthday bash, parties or corporate meetings.
Available only for private bookings.
SIP AND BITE
Go Russian with the specialty, Russian Style Crab Salad made with Atlantic crab meat, peas, carrots and cooked eggs tossed in homemade mayonnaise, garnished with greens and basil oil drizzled on top.
Grilled Butterflied King Prawns, perfectly grilled, served with butter garlic parsley sauce and a dash of Australian lime juice. Comes on a bed of classic Italian favourite Spaghetti Aglio e Oilo, topped with lemon foam and balsamic caviar.
A unique mix of flavours, Coffee Licked Lamb Chops has lamb that is flavoured with freshly ground coffee, served with mint coriander chutney, raw papaya relish and smoked coffee bean sauce; garnished with orange caviar and edible flowers.
Iced Matcha Frappe is a perfect blend of Japanese matcha green tea, iced milk topped with sweetened whipped cream.
Never knew that rose and coconut could go so well together. The Refreshing Rose is made with refreshing tender coconut water combined with dried red rose.
Milee Droog, which means ‘dear friend’ in Russian, was born as a result of managing partner Satyaki Manna’s (right) devotion to his wife Irina Manna. He says: “We are serving not only our Russian cuisine but also modern Indian dishes and drinks. As we have a lot of open space, which makes the place more breathable, we will be hosting concerts, poetry sessions and many more to keep on the cultural vibe.”
Pictures: Pabitra Das