 |
| Iced Kahwah at Cafe Pranah |
Cafe Pranah is easy to locate in Kolkata – it is smack dab on Ballygunge Phari, right opposite the old faithful – Chinese Pavillion – a few doors down Ballygunge Dhaba. Location wise, it can’t be more perfect. The cafe is divided into two parts – there is a nice bookshelf inside, with a diverse range of books, and you are invited to peruse and pick up whatever you like, and read while you eat and drink.
The place is pretty laid back, and the food is mostly DIY – you have the option of eating as healthy as you can, or you can add calories to it by adding as much dressing as you possibly can fit into the big salad plate. There are lovely hangings of Tibetan prayer flags outside, and Buddhist chants play in the background as you sip your tea.
Speaking of tea, I must admit, there are a huge list of teas available here, and although I am not much of a fan of teas, I do find myself strangely drawn to the Kashmiri Kahwah, flavored with cinnamon. A hot cup of it is perfect in this cold weather and for chasing away the blues.
 |
| Kashmiri Kahwah (hot) – S poses for me |
There are plenty of fun stuff on the menu. For example, the aloo chat, or Dilli 6’s Aloo Sensation, which is toned down in calories to ensure that you can eat as much chat as you can, guilt free. The spicy potatoes are topped with their house-made dressings, made with natural ingredients like hung curd and coriander.
 |
| Dilli 6’s Aloo Sensation |
My favorite appetizer is, however, the Amritsari Tikki. These are served hot, topped with some of the tangy yoghurt and sweet tamarind and jaggery dressing, and they are absolutely more-ish, if I may say so.
 |
| Amritsari Tikki |
To go with the food, there is an array of iced teas on offer. The green tea lemon mint iced tea is delicate and cold, if a bit too heavy handed on the ice for me.
 |
| Iced Green tea with mint and lemon |
I am more of a fan of the orange iced tea, with its citrus notes, which is refreshing.
 |
| Orange Iced Tea |
With the orange iced tea, the Chowpatty papdi chat is perfect – the oat “papdi” base is again, house-made, and there’s plenty of chana and a little bit of potatoes to make everyone happy. I kept on popping these into my mouth.
 |
| Chowpatty Papdi Chat |
The salad is a completely DIY affair – so are the burgers – you have to choose from their huge array of dressings, and none of them are the usual vinaigrette either. There’s eggless Mayonnaise, Thai Curry and Coconut, Olive and Jalapeno, Kashundi Vinaigrette, Pepper Yogurt, Herby cheese, homemade salsa to name a few. I was given a taste of the dressing and asked to pick favorites, and the Kashundi and the Olive-Jalapeno were memorable to me.
 |
| Dressing galore |
As for the salad, you get to pick five vegetarian toppings (the lettuce is added as a mandate), and I picked some mixed nuts, cucumber, red bell pepper, olives and beans. Then comes the addition of protein, and you get to choose from vegetarian or chicken options. I ended up with herb roast chicken, and topped with my favorite dressings. The nutty crunch was a welcome addition.
 |
| DIY Salad |
CAFE PRANAH GIVEAWAY DETAILS
Disclaimer: This contest is sponsored by Cafe Pranah and is only open to residents of Kolkata. The contest vouchers will be sent to the winners.
