Located at 14B Anil Roy Road in Southern Avenue (a stone’s throw from Sabyasachi), a new restaurant has made its entry into the south Kolkata food scene with a catchy tagline — ‘dawn of Bengali cuisine’. The menu features flavours of Bengal with both traditional dishes, and some special dishes have a modern touch to showcase innovation in Bengali food. My Kolkata dropped by to explore the space and try some of their chef’s specials
All photos by Soumyajit Dey
Up next on the starters were Mourala Machher Peyaji and Chingri Aranchini Balls. The ‘peyaji’, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, had a generous amount of fish, while the Italian Arancini rice balls got a Bengali twist with aromatic Gobindobhog rice, and a creamy filling of prawn and mozzarella cheese
Next on the tasting table were some meaty delights. First was a flavour-packed Jeere Morich Roast Chicken. A generous cut of chicken breast was coated with a coarsely ground spice mix and roasted. THe result? A juicy chicken dish with a unique texture from the spices. Following the chicken was Makhon Morich Diye Kankra — a dry, stir-fried dish, with a spicy and mildly sweet flavour. The aroma and taste from the combination of butter and crab were the highlight
For the mains, the Bengali ‘basanti’ pulao got a makeover with a light blue colouring from butterfly pea flower, fitting the name Neelkanta Pulao. To go with the pulao, was a tangy and spicy Chingrir Jhaal Peyaji — jumbo prawns cooked in a tomato and onion gravy. We also tried the Ada Mourir Mangsho, which was mutton cooked in a white, light gravy flavoured with ginger and fennel seeds
For dessert, chef Sohini Bhattacharyya, culinary consultant, served up a bold choice — Mangsher Halua. The dish has mutton pounded to almost a paste-like consistency and then cooked as a sweet halwa. If not told, one couldn’t tell it is a non-vegetarian dessert. Next, on the sweets table was a quintessential Shorbhaja paired with a Bandel cheese ice cream (in picture)
Usha is the vision of (left) Jayanta Chatterjee, an F&B consultant and entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Speaking to My Kolkata, Chatterjee said: ‘We wanted to keep the place subtle and sophisticated, while the menu is a fine balance of both the traditional and modern world. There is something for everyone.’ Jay Ghosh, co-owner of Usha, brings his family’s ‘pice hotel’ legacy of the food business into the restaurant while (right) chef Sohini Bhattacharyya leads the kitchen, bringing her background in star hotels and sustainable cooking to the table
As Usha makes its entry into the culinary scape of the city, we spotted city socialities enjoying a hearty lunch.In picture: (L-R) Fashion analyst shoot conceptualiser Jyotirmoy Ghosh, actress Payel Mukherjee, Paromita Ghosh, musician Dipannita Acharya, model Madhabilata Mitra and fashion designer and influencer Indroneel Mukherjee with team Usha. ‘I loved how Usha has redefined traditional Bengali food,’ said Payel, while Indroneel summed it up adding,‘The fusion was too good. My favourite was Jeere Morich Roast Chicken and Laupatay Bekti Paturi’
