Food food: The Changing Palate of Kolkata

The world is now on our plate…Literally!

Food preferences of the Calcuttan, or Kolkatan as they say now, have changed and how! People are experimenting with new forms of cuisine like never before.

Of course, the average Calcuttan has always been adventurous as far as trying out new food is concerned. We adopted chicken noodles and pork dumplings as favourites, long before the rest of India did. Continental stuff like sizzlers, steaks and lobster thermidor were long on our list of favourites. We love the Punjabi saag as much as the Kerala appams, Chicken Chettinad rubs shoulders with Dum Biriyani, Gujarati Khaman dhokla is as popular as Schezuan dosas.

But a revolution of sorts has taken place in the last decade or so. With food blogging and the popularity of global cuisine on the rise, thanks to TV programs and restaurant reviews, people are hungry for change.

The Bong palate is really evolving! Hitherto unheard of food items have made their way into the
Calcuttan’s plate in hotels and restaurants. Till a decade back, eating out in Kolkata meant digging into a plate of mutton biriyani, or the ubiquitous egg chowmein, or pork momos. Then slowly, Bengalis started warming up to pizza and pasta in various sauces. Thai, Italian, American, even Mexican cuisine gradually became popular and translated into comfort food for the average Calcuttan.  

Today, these are no longer happening or cool. What’s trending on popular social media sites, like Instagram and Facebook, are the hip ‘n’ happening Mediterranean/Greek/Japanese/Burmese/ Lebanese/Turkish/Russian food that was quite unheard of even a few years back. The average Calcuttan is travelling more, zipping off to international destinations at the drop of a hat. This has also led to more experimentation in world cuisine.

Add to that the easy availability of exotic food items, courtesy the friendly neighborhood bistro, or food delivery apps that are easily downloadable on mobile handsets. You have the world at your fingertips!

Fancy some shashimi? Drop in at the new Japanese joint in your neighborhood. Craving baklava or moussaka? Why, there’s a café nearby specializing in Greek cuisine. Feeling adventurous and want to try squid or octopus fry? Check out the sea-food joint two blocks away. Watching your weight? Bite into a chicken shawarma instead of having a greasy roll or samosa. Interested in checking out the buzz about Baba Ganoush or other Lebanese delicacies? What about some sea-food risotto or paella for dinner? Why not? Place an order on Swiggy or Food Panda, which will bring you freshly made exotic delicacies right at your doorstep.

So does that indicate a wane in the Calcuttan’s appetite for old favorites like biriyani or hakka noodles?

Chill!! No way!!

Kolkata has expanded its appetite for newer cuisines, while keeping its love affair intact with Mughlai and Chinese delights. Who can deny enjoying a plate of steaming mutton biriyani with egg and aloo, or digging into some spicy Schezuan fried chicken? Recipes for instant mood lifts, there is no danger of these all-time favorites being forgotten easily.

And let’s not forget, after binging on exotic global food for a couple of days, you return home craving for some good old aloo-sheddo bhaat, plain musoor dal, or a runny machher jhol!

Bon Apetit!