At first glance, The Westin Kolkata would probably not be too impressive – it is only when you get inside and start exploring the enormity of the place strikes you. Upon entering, I quickly took the lift up to their 24/7 restaurant, Seasonal Tastes, where the settings are modern, with a twist of tradition, lines written in Sanskrit incorporated into the design. The designer and architect played quite well with light, with huge open windows on one end, to facilitate natural sunlight and a rather pretty view, opening out to Eco Park.
AR meets me here, and we walk to our right, towards a slightly more private corner. Here we are met with Chef Debayan Chakrovorty, who mans the kitchen, and promises me an Italian repast. His menu is clean and simple, playing on subtlety and balance of flavor. The buffet menu seems quite good as well, with plenty of cold cuts and interesting titbits on offer, but we move away, leaving it for another day.
We seat ourselves, and a tray of freshly baked bread is served with an assortment of butters – classic and seasoned. I slather a generous amount of it on a warm, seedy roll, and am served the amuse bouche – a whole, stuffed olive, covered with cheese, crumb fried, with a small puddle of marinara to add to the tang. The overall effect is enough to get me interested, and I straighten my spine in culinary anticipation. A quick look at their menu revealed quite a few gems, including the fact that they have Congee (rice porridge) for breakfast, which is something I miss constantly in India.
A small portion of a rather creamy asparagus soup, with grated Parmesan on top is next, the familiar flavors comforting and delicious.
The mushrooms are stuffed, baked, and served with scrolls of zucchini, topped with a small handful of rocket and micro greens, over a bed of Arrabiata, that continues with the play of clean flavors.
The duck ravioli is succulent, the pasta perfectly al dente, on a saffron-infused cream, and crisps to add to the textural contrast. Hints of Balsamic caviar contribute a pop of acid to balance out.
The Chicken Breast is available as an a-la-carte option from their menu, and it features chicken floss on top of a perfectly poached chicken breast, with morels cooked in butter and strewn across, blanched asparagus spears that begs to be dipped into the egg yolk. I let the egg break on top of the compressed chicken leg cutlet, which is denser in texture and crunchy, and scrape the last of the chicken jus with a little bit of bread.
- Chicken Breast
We linger over coffee afterwards, a latte for me while AR chooses from their assortment of green tea. For desert, the chef wants me to try their berry cheesecake, which is served with a banana caramel ice cream. I am generally not a fan of banana, but the cheesecake is light and satisfying, bringing the meal to a rather interesting end.
Seasonal Tastes also apparently features a Sunday brunch that is pretty impressive, and I would probably return for that and more.
Disclaimer: Poorna Banerjee was invited to The Westin, Kolkata by the management.
One Response
Very appetising!