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14-12-2005
The Telegraph Metro
MIDNIGHT IN MOROCCO
31st Night BASH
Exotic belly and pole dancers from Marrakesh and Casablanca, bongo drummers, fire guzzlers and fortune-tellers. Open tents with laid-back low seating, an elaborate spread of lip-smacking delicacies, the choicest finger food to go with the single malts and enchanting music to embellish the magic milieu.
Midnight in Morocco, the theme for Shisha’s first-ever outdoor bash to mark this New Year’s Eve, will transform Nalban into a typical Moroccan souk, recreating its attendant hustle and bustle through a clutch of characteristic elements.
“We decided on a Mediterranean theme since Shisha essentially dwells on a Mid-East concept and the December 31 night party is an effort to replicate a larger Shisha outdoors. Nalban gives us just the right setting for the theme with its courtyard gardens, trees, plants and patios to recreate a Moroccan market ambience,” says Arvind Bhatnagar, head of operations, Grain of Salt, which runs the popular hookah bar.
The venue will be done up in Moroccan style with low seating, bolsters, cushions and comfortable pillows to seat guests informally and ensure the Shisha connect.
A huge dance floor is being created to accommodate the 2,000-plus guests expected, with Shisha’s resident DJ Girish manning the console from his perch 15ft above the ground to catch a bird’s-eye view of the audience and gauge its mood.
“We want to give the people of Calcutta an all-new party experience by delivering higher standards and making it a night to remember with an eye on every minute detail,” promises administration head Pankaj Tandon.
While the cuisine will primarily be Northwest Frontier, rice and noodle bars will encourage interactive cooking on the last night of the year.
“It’s not very pleasant when you have paid your way into a New Year’s Eve bash and have to wait in a queue indefinitely for your drink or dinner. By setting up ample food and beverages counters across the venue, we will ensure zero waiting,” declares Tandon.
While DJ Girish will use a melange of the usual Shisha fare to trace the evolution of popular dance music, a fireworks display will light up the night sky at the stroke of midnight.
“We will fly in an expert team from Mumbai to handle the fireworks, since those 10-12 minutes are extremely special and evocative as guests embrace each other and usher in 2006. The pyrotechnics must be suitably sensitive,” stresses Bhatnagar.
The Grain of Salt management, which has had the Nalban menu specially crafted by master chef Sanjeev Kapoor, is confident its core competence in F&B would set the big-bang outdoor bash of Shisha apart.
“Our experience of catering to a doctors’ conclave of 4,000-plus and a software major’s annual meeting of 3,500 makes us confident we can deliver a product that could well become a signature tune in Calcutta’s party echelons,” says Tandon.
23-11-2005
Going ga-ga over grapes
Going ga-ga over grapes
Anumita Ghosh, Riddhima Seal
Celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor with Rachna Sharma at the inauguration of the Californian Grape Festival at Grain of Salt; (below) Pictures by Rashbehari Das
An unusual combination of Californian grapes blended with exotic Indian cuisine — that’s the latest offering from celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor’s multi-speciality restaurant Grain of Salt.
Kapoor was in town to host a cookery workshop on the terrace of the 22 Camac Street restaurant and also inaugurate the Californian Grape Festival.
“Quite a bit of research has gone into exploring the kind of ingredients that would help bring out the real taste of the grapes. Though exotic, all the preparations cater to the Calcutta palate,” said chef Kapoor.
The renowned chef also presided over a cookery workshop with around 250 participants lapping up recipes of Mozzarella Cheese and Red Grapes Bruschetta, Meerutwalli Tiki, Kaju Mushroom Dum Biryani, Hariyali Paneer Makhani and Choco Jamun. “While some are innovations, others are popular items women would like to know,” added Kapoor.
Sourced from the California Table Grape Commission, they come in varieties like Autumn Royal and Red Globe. “These fruits are available between September and February. They are rich in Phytonutrients that help guard against various ailments. They are a good source of vitamin C too,” says Rachna Sharma of The SCS Group, representing the California Table Grape Commission in India.
On till November 27, the festival platter offers dishes like Angoori Jal Jeera, Angoori Murgh Chat (tandoori chicken salad with Californian grapes, tossed with hot and sweet chutney), Murgh Tikka Angoori Potli (chicken breast stuffed with fine Californian grape chutney and chopped grapes, steeped in chilli hot marinade, grilled in tandoor), Angoori Paneer Tikka (paneer stuffed with hot grape chutney, marinated in creamy marinade, grilled in tandoor), Fried Fish with Grape Tartar (fried fish served hot with chopped grape tartar sauce).
These are accompanied by the Kale Aur Lal Moti Ka Pulao and Fresh Californian Grape Raita.
To end on a sweet note, go for the California Grapes and Rice Kheer.
17-11-2005
Cooking with the master chef
Imparting a “twist” to the traditional makhni with a green-tomato gravy that elicits reactions of “why didn’t I think of it?” from the rapt audience. Introducing a special tikki from western Uttar Pradesh to a city that has “always loved its chaats”. Whipping up an “express soup” that requires no grinding or straining, and marrying the gulab jamun with chocolate…
All during a high-octane three hours of interactive culinary trek that gives Calcuttans a platform to rub shoulders with the country’s most celebrated chef and grill him while in action.
Sanjeev Kapoor, whose Khana Khazana is Indian television’s most successful cookery show, loves coming back to this city, because “Calcutta’s passion for food fascinates” him.
This Saturday, he will conduct his annual cookery workshop at his signature Camac Street world-cuisine stop Grain of Salt (on the terrace gardens from 4 pm). To be held for the fourth year on the trot, the extravaganza gives participants the chance to witness live demonstration of five to six recipes that encompass an entire meal — from appetisers to main course to dessert, culminating in high tea and wine.
“People want to actually learn how to cook and they want to learn it live. But more importantly, this interface provides us with a vehicle to reach out to our diners, listen to them and build a bond. It helps us in cuisine correction and also in initiating new diners to our format,” the master chef tells GoodLife from Mumbai.
Calcutta has always been extremely open to experimentation with its food, feels Kapoor. “It’s not fair if we say the Calcutta market has evolved over the past few years. The market potential was always there, the opportunities weren’t. Now that the city has been exposed to so many different kinds of eating-out formats, it’s lapping it up with elan,” he observes.
Kapoor
stresses that Grain of Salt (in picture above) has been “an eye-opener”, and that he had underestimated Calcutta’s capability to adopt and embrace new concepts. He rates the city next only to Mumbai on the culinary acceptance count (see box).
“We were trying out alien elements and were understandably apprehensive. For instance, we were a fifth-floor restaurant and without a view. The décor was minimalist and the spread a blend of global cuisine. But Calcutta showed its true colours and gave us an emphatic thumbs-up, which shows it was up and ready for it,” he declares.
At the same time, chef Kapoor is alive to the need to constantly reinvent. “As you go ahead, the gap may reduce. Nonetheless, if a correction is required, no matter how minuscule, it has to be carried out. That’s another reason why customer feedback is so important. Calcutta is compassionate and will give you a second chance, but you must be aware of your quality commitment as well,” he points out.
The cookery show in town, which attracts 250-300 participants every year, is a recipe repartee the chef looks forward to.
“They have shown great awareness and the questions are more often than not quite intelligent. Sometimes, I know they are testing my knowledge, but I love it all the same. It’s great fun,” he signs off.
SUBHRO SAHA
4-11-2005
The Telegraph Metro
Safety first for food stop
SUBHRO SAHA
The magic of a munch or a meal outside has mesmerised Calcutta, evident from the plethora of dining dens mushrooming every month.
Now, the best practices being embraced by the city’s restaurant trade have been recognised with a triple-crown accreditation for a home-grown outlet that puts it top of the pile, nationally.
Grain of Salt, the Sanjeev Kapoor-signature world cuisine stop on Camac Street, has bagged the trophy triumvirate — ISO 9001:2000 for quality management systems, ISO 14001:2004 for environment management systems, and HACCP for the highest international food-safety norms.
“The implementation of the above three systems is the first for any standalone independent restaurant property in India,” says Pankaj Tandon, head, administration, Grain of Salt.
An external audit and a two-day on-site verification by a national team of auditors were part of the assessment drill.
Saluting the feat, the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) awarded Grain the prestigious Environment Champion Among Independent Restaurants title at its golden jubilee annual convention in Chennai last month.
ISO refers to an International Standards Organisation, a means of verifying that a proposed standard has met certain requirements for due process, consensus and other criteria by those developing the standard.
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis at Critical Control Points, an internationally recognised and recommended approach to food safety that anticipates and prevents hazards associated with ingredients.
In the lead-up to the evaluation, a rigorous six-month implementation routine was drawn up.
It involved the creation of a 130-page integrated quality manual, two detailed product manuals featuring recipes and process flows, rigorous training schedules, staff motivation exercises, supplier ratings and more.
Equipment calibrations, water controls, energy savings, validation and verification of critical control points, defining environmental aspects and their impacts, creation of standardised formats and controlled documentation on site safety besides various quality and environment enhancing activities were also undertaken.
The F&B industry in Calcutta feels the awards, coming close on the heels of the top Icra ratings for city real estate developers, would go a long way in enhancing the metro’s image and set “standards for other cities to follow”.
“This is extremely significant for the entire restaurant trade in Calcutta, since the international food-safety norms could soon become mandatory. Grain has done us proud,” says S.K. Khullar, owner of Amber and vice-president of FHRAI, representing the east.
Nitin Kothari, owner of Mocambo and Peter Cat and vice-president of the Hotel & Restaurant Association ofEastern India, concurs it’s a feather in the cap for the city. “This is a marvellous achievement, more so since it’s been clinched by a standalone restaurant and not a star property,” says Kothari, also a managing committee member of FHRAI.
The management at the popular Camac Street rendezvous feels the national recognition is “just reward” for the hard work put in by the city’s food business to upgrade standards in recent years, while acknowledging the support and feedback from the consumer.
“We are encouraging our guests to be actively involved in our environment initiatives and have an integrated training programme for our employees, which includes aspects of environment, quality and food safety,” offers Arvind Bhatnagar, head of operations, Grain of Salt.
4-9-2005
The Telegraph Metro
B’day blast at hookah haunt
PRATIM D. GUPTA
Smouldering vanilla hookahs and shimmering prawn cocktails. Charging Balmoral cigars and cappuccinos with a whiff of cinnamon. Trickling Irish cream and sluggish chocolate mousse...
Shisha celebrated its second birthday on Thursday night in style.
With the bash spilling over from the lounge to the revamped Grain of Salt and the tranquil Platinum Lounge, the entire fifth floor of the 22, Camac Street address reverberated with the buoyant spirits of the b’day guests.
Choosing a weeknight to avoid the weekend rush, the party was limited only to regular revellers at the hookah haunt. And that was more than a handful, since Shisha has easily been one of the most-frequented nightspots in the two years that its doors have been flung open.
The invitees started pouring in around 10, but it was only around midnight that the wooden floors started throbbing with infectious energy and the music switched from the Buddha Bars to the Bunty Aur Bablis.
And they all came in — models, restaurateurs, consular crowds — to make it a night to remember. The Chivas Regals and Jack Daniels in hand, the Paneer Tikkas and Pepper Prawns in demand, they wished the managers, greeted the waiters and patted the deejays, egging them on to more glorious Shisha nights ahead.
The birthday greetings over, it was time to grab a bite at the special midnight buffet, which also marked the opening of the revamped lifestyle restaurant — Grain of Salt in its new avatar.
With elaborate cold cuts and salads in place and an intimidating array of main-course items, it was the live Mongolian counter that was a clincher and the hub of all gastronomical activity. While the wild peach and lychee ice-creams were inviting, it was the Shisha birthday cake that found maximum takers.
Before rekindling the high spirits post-dinner, many preferred a stroll across to the adjacent Platinum Lounge for a puff of the Cuban cigars and a sip of the coffee. But it wasn’t long before everyone got back to the epicentre of excitement — the modest little Shisha floor.
And it was time to let go. Even as the familiar silhouettes shone and swung on the red walls, like any other night, it was time to raise a toast — to the whole new generation of party people born out of the looking glass named Shisha.
1-9-2005
The Telegraph Metro
High on the hookah
SUBHRO SAHA
Raima and Riya Sen lead the party people at Shisha, which turns two this month. Pictures by Rashbehari Das
Sipping exotic malts, tucking into myriad Mediterranean delights like the Kebab-e-Kohat or Shish Tawook, enjoying a drag or two of flavoured Arabian hookahs, or just chilling to lilting lounge, R&B and classic rock riffs…
Partying in Calcutta has never been the same since September 20, 2003 when Shisha — The Hookah Bar, the first-of-its-kind hookah bar and night lounge in the city, opened its doors at 22, Camac Street.
Since that ceremonial launch (by actress Neha Dhupia), Shisha, an offering from the Sanjeev Kapoor-signature Grain of Salt stable, has become one of the city`s hottest party pads, contributing considerably to the birth of the Wednesday and Friday night concept of partying that is so hip now.
As the popular den gears up to mark its second anniversary in style, the management, while taking a bow to acknowledge the “unbelievable response”, vows to keep reinventing the rendezvous for the city’s lounge lizards.
“It was during one of the routine brainstorming sessions of the directors that we hit upon the concept. Grain of Salt was already an established world cuisine restaurant and we were trying to figure out what could be done to take the property a step forward,” recalls Nitin Kohli, director.
There was a proposal from a director to do something with the bar, which at that point of time, “wasn’t a very popular choice”.
The core team agreed, and the hunt for new ideas and concepts to be “different from the rest of the gang” was on in earnest.
“There was quite a bit of recognised competition and we were entering a new kind of service experience. One of the directors suggested a hookah bar and it was a novel concept for the entire management to chew on,” says Pankaj Tandon, administration head.
After a scramble for information and extensive travel in West Asia to fine-tune the format of the new place, the impression of the hookah bar was finalised. “We decided to name it Shisha, simply because it means hookah, just spelt differently,” says Kohli.
Once the concept was frozen, Ajay Arya of A Square Designs was assigned for design solution and interiors. “We researched extensively and also studied Calcutta’s preferences before settling for an exotic Mediterranean menu, suitably mutated to suit the local palate,” says Tandon.
The fare at Shisha includes Arabian specialities like Shish Kebab, Mishwi, Pitta Sandwich, Samak B’ Tahini, Falafel, Baba Ganouj, Humus Bi Tahini and Fatoush…to go with the hookahs, the exotic flavoured tobaccos and the over 21 types of Scotch and other liquor.
“We also have a specially-appointed adviser to educate the guest on the flavoured tobaccos for hookahs, etiquette like not lighting a cigarette from the hookah coal and how flavoured tobacco is filtered through water,” says Arvind Bhatnagar, head of operations.
Shisha has over 25 flavours of tobacco for the hookahs like cherry, pineapple, mint, rose and peach. The hookahs, made of glass, with the chillum (the container holding the hot coal), were initially specially imported from West Asia along with the flavours, but are locally available now.
For many regulars, though, it’s the music that makes the place, and over the past two years, Shisha has cultivated dedicated sets of clientele for different nights of the week through its set themes. If Wednesdays and Fridays are more about lounge, R&B and hip-hop, Saturday sees a spin of house and Bollywood tracks.
Sunday is more of straight-ahead classic rock to “ease stressed-out minds and prepare them for the week”. While typical lounge strains like Karunesh and the Buddha Bar series rule till around 10.30 pm, in-house DJ Girish swings to more innovative stuff after that, switching from psychedelic to trance to hip-hop, gauging the mood.
“We really owe it to the people who frequent this place. They have given every theme night a defined identity. While early evening is mostly light lounge, we have noticed guests often like it pumped up a bit around midnight and so we do some dance beats as well. The fundamental premise is not refusing a request, but we have tried to ensure the quality isn’t diluted,” smiles Girish.
Bursting at the seams (Saturday night footfall often tops 700), Shisha has felt the need to double its space on Saturday nights by including the adjacent banquet to accommodate its growing list of Platinum members and party guests.
“From March next year, we will permanently increase the accommodation two-fold,” promises Kohli.
5-8-2005
THE BIG BITE
THE TELEGRAPH METRO
Sunday, July 31, 2005
Large is lucrative, and restaurateurs around town are in a mad rush to sink their teeth into as big a piece of the pie as possible. Following the recipe of gargantuan oldies Amber and Bar-B-Q, Mainland China had pioneered the big-format revolution south of Park Street with 140 covers on Gurusaday Road. Now, every new place that fires its chullah, is planning big.
“The moment you think on a wider canvas, the investments are high. So you must have the confidence to offer quality food and service consistently,” points out Anjan Chatterjee, director, Speciality Restaurants Pvt Ltd, which owns the Mainland China and Oh Calcutta! brands.
And it’s not just about number of covers but also nature of cuisine. With restauranting no longer meaning just laid-back lunches, the spectrum is automatically widened — steaks and soufflés and single malts take up more square feet.
“The Calcutta cognoscenti now looks for multiple entertainment solutions — dining, lounging, pubbing — under a single roof. The focus thus is on multifarious F&B outlets that have all the hospitality features,” says Arvind Bhatnagar, head of operations, Grain of Salt.
The Calcutta diner today is well travelled and knowledgeable, seeking service and ambience that match international - or at least national standards. “I’ve seen at Kurry Klub that it’s tough to get good clients into a small place. People want five-star comfort and ambience at lower prices, and it’s also important who sits at the next table. The classy atmosphere can only be created if you have the space,” observes Pradip Rozario, chef-owner of the 95-seater KK’s Fusion.
Catching the headwind, Cinnamon Restaurant & Lounge, the latest entrant on Park Street with a Mediterranean menu, has announced its arrival with a bang, offering 132 covers in the restaurant and 70 more at the forthcoming lounge.
The fast-food caravan that’s rolled into town is also buoyed by the big bite. If Pizza Hut at 22 Camac Street opened with a whopping 156 covers in June 2002, KFC, from the same stable, has come in with an expansive 75-seater restaurant to City Centre, generating similar euphoria.
“Calcutta today has a significant population of young Indians who have an aspirational lifestyle and are on the lookout for variety. We get footfalls of about 2,000 a day, going up over the weekends, which vindicates our choice of scale,” says Sharanita Keswani, director marketing, KFC, Yum! Restaurants International.
Metro on Sunday breezes through a few eateries for whom size does matter.
Mainland China
Where: Gurusaday Road
How big: With the latest extension of the basement, this extremely popular Chinese haunt now boasts 210 covers
Platter picks: Speciality cuisine from the popular regions of China like Cantonese, Sichuan, Hunan, Peking and Shanghai
Weekend high: 600-plus
Restaurantspeak: “Not only can we take large bookings because of the size, we have also ensured proper backend support infrastructure to take that load” — Rajesh Dubey, chief corporate chef
Sourav’s
Where: Park Street
How big: The ‘multiplex’ eatery has 350 covers spread across One-Day (24-hour coffee shop), Over Boundary (cross-country cuisine), Maharaj (vegetarian restaurant) and Prince of Cal (lounge)
Platter picks: Stir-fry specialities to Lebanese kebabs, royal vegetarian gourmet to north and south Indian delicacies…
Weekend high: More than 1,000 diners
Restaurantspeak: “The availability of so much variety under one roof, our principal USP, would not be possible in a smaller place” — Saikat Sarkar, general manager
Cinnamon Restaurant & Lounge
Where: Park Street
How big: The newest entrant on food street is also one of the largest, with 132 covers in the restaurant, and another 70 lined up in the lounge set to open by Pujas
Platter picks: Mediterranean spanning Italian, Turkish and Lebanese and Indian offering tandoori and curries
Weekend high: Though just opened, the restaurant is doing near-capacity covers during weekends
Restaurantspeak: “The space has enabled us to lay the tables in an uncluttered format, which is often the criterion for a repeat visit” — Asish Chakraborty, director
Grain of Salt
Where: 22 Camac Street
How big: The Sanjeev Kapoor signature F&B house seats 209 at the restaurant, Shisha (the hookah bar) and The Platinum Lounge; also, two banquets can hold another 500 diners
Platter picks: Indian to world cuisine to Oriental
Weekend high: 400-plus covers
Restaurantspeak: “We were the first fine-dining restaurant with allied services in the form of bar, lounge and banquets in India” — Arvind Bhatnagar, head of operations
Pizza Hut
Where: 22 Camac Street and City Centre
How big: 156 covers at Camac Street and 80 covers in Salt Lake
Platter picks: The trademark Pan Pizzas to the latest Freshizza crusts, Indian toppings like Chicken Tikka and Spicy Korma and mouth-watering salads…
Weekend high: Around 3,000 at Camac Street and 2,500 in City Centre
Restaurantspeak: “Pizza Hut is committed to growing the market and Calcutta is important for us” — Pankaj Batra, director, marketing, Indian Subcontinent, Yum! Restaurants International
KK’s Fusion
Where: Next to 89 Cinemas, Swabhumi
How big: Close to 100 covers, including the first-floor lounge
Platter picks: A cross-culinary global trek spanning Indian, Italian, Greek, Mexican, Chinese, Thai and fusion food…
Weekend high: Close to capacity for dinners
Restaurantspeak: “Today, guests dining out want a five-star ambience in standalone places at a lower price. That can be provided only if the property is large” — Pradip Rozario, chef-owner
Amber
Where: Waterloo Street
How big: The golden oldie in the heart of the central business district boasts 425 covers spread across three floors, including the newly-opened resto-bar, Essence
Platter picks: Indian (kebabs…) and continental (baked fish…)
Weekend high: 1,500-2,000
Restaurantspeak: “A restaurant of less than 100 covers is unlikely to stay viable for long, since the kitchen expenses are more or less the same even for a smaller place” — Sanjay Khullar, director
Bar-B-Q
Where: Park Street
How big: Easily the most popular dining destination on Park Street, it has 400 covers across Bar-B-Q, Flavours of China and Hideout, the cosy lounge
Platter picks: Indian and Chinese
Weekend high: 1,600-1,800
Restaurantspeak: “The fact that we can accommodate so many people at one time means less wait” — Rajiv Kothari, partner.
31-7-2005
THE BIG BITE
THE TELEGRAPH METRO
Sunday, July 31, 2005
THE BIG BITE
Large is lucrative, and restaurateurs around town are in a mad rush to sink their teeth into as big a piece of the pie as possible. Following the recipe of gargantuan oldies Amber and Bar-B-Q, Mainland China had pioneered the big-format revolution south of Park Street with 140 covers on Gurusaday Road. Now, every new place that fires its chullah, is planning big.
“The moment you think on a wider canvas, the investments are high. So you must have the confidence to offer quality food and service consistently,” points out Anjan Chatterjee, director, Speciality Restaurants Pvt Ltd, which owns the Mainland China and Oh Calcutta! brands.
And it’s not just about number of covers but also nature of cuisine. With restauranting no longer meaning just laid-back lunches, the spectrum is automatically widened — steaks and soufflés and single malts take up more square feet.
“The Calcutta cognoscenti now looks for multiple entertainment solutions — dining, lounging, pubbing — under a single roof. The focus thus is on multifarious F&B outlets that have all the hospitality features,” says Arvind Bhatnagar, head of operations, Grain of Salt.
The Calcutta diner today is well travelled and knowledgeable, seeking service and ambience that match international - or at least national standards. “I’ve seen at Kurry Klub that it’s tough to get good clients into a small place. People want five-star comfort and ambience at lower prices, and it’s also important who sits at the next table. The classy atmosphere can only be created if you have the space,” observes Pradip Rozario, chef-owner of the 95-seater KK’s Fusion.
Catching the headwind, Cinnamon Restaurant & Lounge, the latest entrant on Park Street with a Mediterranean menu, has announced its arrival with a bang, offering 132 covers in the restaurant and 70 more at the forthcoming lounge.
The fast-food caravan that’s rolled into town is also buoyed by the big bite. If Pizza Hut at 22 Camac Street opened with a whopping 156 covers in June 2002, KFC, from the same stable, has come in with an expansive 75-seater restaurant to City Centre, generating similar euphoria.
“Calcutta today has a significant population of young Indians who have an aspirational lifestyle and are on the lookout for variety. We get footfalls of about 2,000 a day, going up over the weekends, which vindicates our choice of scale,” says Sharanita Keswani, director marketing, KFC, Yum! Restaurants International.
Metro on Sunday breezes through a few eateries for whom size does matter.
Mainland China
Where: Gurusaday Road
How big: With the latest extension of the basement, this extremely popular Chinese haunt now boasts 210 covers
Platter picks: Speciality cuisine from the popular regions of China like Cantonese, Sichuan, Hunan, Peking and Shanghai
Weekend high: 600-plus
Restaurantspeak: “Not only can we take large bookings because of the size, we have also ensured proper backend support infrastructure to take that load” — Rajesh Dubey, chief corporate chef
Sourav’s
Where: Park Street
How big: The ‘multiplex’ eatery has 350 covers spread across One-Day (24-hour coffee shop), Over Boundary (cross-country cuisine), Maharaj (vegetarian restaurant) and Prince of Cal (lounge)
Platter picks: Stir-fry specialities to Lebanese kebabs, royal vegetarian gourmet to north and south Indian delicacies…
Weekend high: More than 1,000 diners
Restaurantspeak: “The availability of so much variety under one roof, our principal USP, would not be possible in a smaller place” — Saikat Sarkar, general manager
Cinnamon Restaurant & Lounge
Where: Park Street
How big: The newest entrant on food street is also one of the largest, with 132 covers in the restaurant, and another 70 lined up in the lounge set to open by Pujas
Platter picks: Mediterranean spanning Italian, Turkish and Lebanese and Indian offering tandoori and curries
Weekend high: Though just opened, the restaurant is doing near-capacity covers during weekends
Restaurantspeak: “The space has enabled us to lay the tables in an uncluttered format, which is often the criterion for a repeat visit” — Asish Chakraborty, director
Grain of Salt
Where: 22 Camac Street
How big: The Sanjeev Kapoor signature F&B house seats 209 at the restaurant, Shisha (the hookah bar) and The Platinum Lounge; also, two banquets can hold another 500 diners
Platter picks: Indian to world cuisine to Oriental
Weekend high: 400-plus covers
Restaurantspeak: “We were the first fine-dining restaurant with allied services in the form of bar, lounge and banquets in India” — Arvind Bhatnagar, head of operations
Pizza Hut
Where: 22 Camac Street and City Centre
How big: 156 covers at Camac Street and 80 covers in Salt Lake
Platter picks: The trademark Pan Pizzas to the latest Freshizza crusts, Indian toppings like Chicken Tikka and Spicy Korma and mouth-watering salads…
Weekend high: Around 3,000 at Camac Street and 2,500 in City Centre
Restaurantspeak: “Pizza Hut is committed to growing the market and Calcutta is important for us” — Pankaj Batra, director, marketing, Indian Subcontinent, Yum! Restaurants International
KK’s Fusion
Where: Next to 89 Cinemas, Swabhumi
How big: Close to 100 covers, including the first-floor lounge
Platter picks: A cross-culinary global trek spanning Indian, Italian, Greek, Mexican, Chinese, Thai and fusion food…
Weekend high: Close to capacity for dinners
Restaurantspeak: “Today, guests dining out want a five-star ambience in standalone places at a lower price. That can be provided only if the property is large” — Pradip Rozario, chef-owner
Amber
Where: Waterloo Street
How big: The golden oldie in the heart of the central business district boasts 425 covers spread across three floors, including the newly-opened resto-bar, Essence
Platter picks: Indian (kebabs…) and continental (baked fish…)
Weekend high: 1,500-2,000
Restaurantspeak: “A restaurant of less than 100 covers is unlikely to stay viable for long, since the kitchen expenses are more or less the same even for a smaller place” — Sanjay Khullar, director
Bar-B-Q
Where: Park Street
How big: Easily the most popular dining destination on Park Street, it has 400 covers across Bar-B-Q, Flavours of China and Hideout, the cosy lounge
Platter picks: Indian and Chinese
Weekend high: 1,600-1,800
Restaurantspeak: “The fact that we can accommodate so many people at one time means less wait” — Rajiv Kothari, partner.
10-3-2005
Grain of Salt Relaunch
Its summer time and as Grain of Salt approaches its third year of completion, a complete facelift of the Restaurant is doing the rounds.
The design of one’s space can greatly enhance the customer service process. Grain of Salt intends to enhance the space that creates a total environment conducive to the guest and leaves the customer with a pleasant experience.
The change aims at adding some earth colours in soft hues. An island kitchen with a completely enhanced and upgraded buffet display will be one of the prime new attractions.
We are creating a total experience for the clientele where the customer will have a unique experience not just by oneself but with ones family too. Two new concepts of Children’s Entertainment and Food Education will be part of this new change. We want to create an image and develop concepts that stand-alone restaurants can have acceptability too.
8-3-2005
Beyond Stars, Liesure Room for Kings
The Platinum Lounge as it is better known has now begun an aggresive marketing campaign drawing attention to its upmarket locale for the exclusive social gatherings.
Grain of Salt has been on an ongoing endeavour to constantly upgrade its services to enhance your gastronomic experience.
‘THE PLATINUM LOUNGE’ was launched in August last year. The Lounge is oriented towards attracting the crème de la crème towards an eating experience that goes beyond simple dining. Based on a neo classic retro theme ideal for a private gathering, the Lounge is fitted with its own exclusive Bar and live interactive kitchenette. Be it a power lunch of the Board of Directors or just a casual social get together, The Platinum Lounge is the place to be.
The intention is to provide you with a ready reference to a collage of facilities that Grain of Salt can provide in entirety; be it Dining, Lounging, Banqueting or letting your hair down at the one and only Hookah Bar of Kolkata, Shisha.
For more details please call us on 22811313 or mail at info@grainofsaltindia.com
1-1-2005
The Telegraph Metro
Taste of success in salt grains
Nitin Kohli
He is very much in the spotlight now, with laudatory messages pouring in from all quarters. Nonetheless, the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India’s ‘young restaurant entrepreneur award, 2003’ sits easy on Nitin Kohli’s head.
“It’s not just an honour, but an inspiration to better myself and a reason to introspect, since there is always scope for improvement,” smiles the 31-year-old, who, with brother-in-law Aditya Kanoi, owns Grain of Salt, the new-age fine-dining destination on Camac Street.
Such pragmatism is rooted in the genesis of his career that started in disarray. Nitin was thrust into the cut-throat alley of the restaurant business at no more than 19, in only his first year in college — B.Com (Hons), St. Xavier’s — when he lost his father, H.K. Kohli. Nitin was almost naturally expected to assume charge of Shenaz, the family-owned 65-seater restaurant.
“I had always wanted to train hands-on at some facility abroad before joining the food business back home so that I could contribute critical inputs for value-addition. But circumstances pitch-forked me into the thick of things rather too soon,” he recalls. Mother Nirmala consoled him saying the overseas stint could wait a few years, but it was important to steady the Shenaz ship immediately.
So, Nitin set about rectifying the “flaws and frauds” at the eatery. “The stiffest hurdle for me was the attitude of the staff who thought they had little to learn from a ‘kid’.” But he knew the fundamentals from his “10-month stint with dad” and soon converted Shenaz into a profit-making outfit. The restaurant won the Diners Club Blue Moon Award in the Best Food category in Calcutta, in 2000 and 2001.
But for someone who always dared to “dream beyond my times”, and who had an eye on the “dramatic changes” taking place around the world in the hospitality industry, the frontiers were meant to expand. “I noticed Indian food always conjured up vignettes of period furniture, heavy upholstry and ornate décor. The ambience often hangs too heavy at such places,” he observes.
Nitin’s new-age dream alternative — Grain of Salt, the 25,000-sq ft fine-dining complex, which has cooked up quite a storm since opening last April. “It’s contemporary as well as minimalistic, designed to exude a comfortable feel so that people can come here and unwind.”
The young restaurateur knows, with today’s generation more travelled and informed, you can’t take the clientele for granted. “It helps that fine dining has caught on and people are more discerning and adventurous these days. It keeps us on our toes and the city gets a more eclectic spread.”
9-7-2004
New Lounge in Aug `04
Watch out for new lounge coming up Aug `04 at your very own Grain of Salt .. Just wait to chill out there soon..
9-7-2004
Get FREE gift by registering at Grain of Salt
Get FREE gifts by registering at Grain of Salt website...
8-6-2002
www.banglalive.com
New Aristocratic feather of Kolkata: Grain of Salt
(http://www.banglalive.com/news/feature/FeatureDetail18_6_2002.asp)
31-5-2002
www.city4u.com
Sanjeev ka khazana
by Payel Ghosh
The newest entry into the world of gastronomical delight in the city is the `Grain Of Salt`. The star attraction of this newly opened restaurant is master chef Sanjeev Kapoor of teleserial `Khana Khazana` fame. `Grain of Salt` is a multi-cuisine restaurant spread over a sprawling 25.000 sq.ft of area.
Grain of Salt comprises a 140-seater restaurant, 50 seater proposed bar which can also be converted into a banquet for 150 people, 24-seater coffee and cigar lounge and also another open air banquet facility in the terrace.
Now let`s come to the food section. The food covers Indian, Chinese, French, Italian and Thai. It also offers mocktails such as Blue Moon, Strawberry Daiquiri, appetisers such as Tofu with Black Pepper, Pan fried fish in hot black bean sauce apart from the usual fare.
The chef recommends Jatar naan, Sumag and kabulichana pulav and Chicken kebabs flavoured with lemon grass. There is also a demand for the vegetarian fare according to a survey done by the restaurant. In the dessert section one can opt for the delicious apple tart and the chocolate brownies.
Another speciality of the restaurant is the interactive kitchen counters where the guests can watch their food being prepared and also ask for some of their personal favourites.
The wonderful ambience, the sombre arrangement of tables and lights, the trickle of water here and there and the glass decor compliment the cosy atmosphere of the restaurant.
So what are you waiting for? Just dial 281-1313 and book a table to enjoy the meal of a lifetime !
Address : 22 Camac Street, 5th Floor, Block - D, Kolkata.
7-5-2002
www.msn.co.in
Winners
Sanjeev Kapoor: Winning on Taste
Think of a good Indian chef or a popular cookery show and the first name that comes to mind is that of the eve r-smiling chef Sanjeev Kapoor. Tickling peoples` palates is his profession and he performs it with perfect aplomb.
Besides having authored best selling cookery books like Khazana of Indian recipes, Khazana of Healthy, tasty recipes and Khana Khazana- celebration of Indian Cookery he is also a franchiser of some up market restaurants in India and abroad.
With Khazana in Dubai and Yellow Chilli in Ludhiana running successfully, he has now franchised another classy restaurant in Calcutta. Another feather in his cap includes the Best cookery show award for his show Khana Khazana instituted by the Indian Television Academy.
Q: When did you decide you wanted to get into cooking and make it your profession?
Ans.: After school when it was time to choose the line I wanted to get into, architecture was my first choice. The only reason why I got into a catering college was because a friend suggested it to me. But I was rather skeptical about getting admission for one cannot get into a catering college without influence. But whether by fluke or by providence I was accepted with no hassles whatsoever.
Q: What was the reaction from your family and friends when you did take up cooking full time?
Ans.: Practically everyone in my family is a great foodie and likes experimenting in the kitchen. In fact when we were in school, my brother Rajeev was the one who was always trying out new things in the kitchen. My father is a very good cook himself and is surprising us all the time with his innovative concoctions. If they were disappointed at my choice of profession they did not express it. In fact they have always encouraged my forays into the food world.
Q: How did Khana Khazana Happen? How have you managed to make it run successfully from 1993?
Ans.: By sheer chance! I was first approached by the producer Hansal Mehta for a guest appearance. But I refused particularly since I did not like the name of the show, `Shriman Bawarchi`. After some persuasion I agreed to be a guest chef on one of the episodes and it was just my luck that this was greatly appreciated and was repeated on public demand. I was on thereafter. Actually the name `Khana Khazana` was cooked up by me. And the name too was appreciated by the viewers.
Q: When at home, who does the cooking?
Ans.: I am asked this all the time. And my answer is that anyone who cooks better, cooks at home - which is my wife. My wife is the mistress of the home kitchen. It`s only sometimes, like when we are having guests over and they express their desire to have something dished up by me, that I wield the ladle at home. Or, when my wife or my daughters want me to cook something special for them.
Q: For someone who is constantly into preparing culinary delights, do you relish good food as well? What are your favourites?
Ans.: I love food and don`t I look I enjoy it? According to me all food is good and especially when it is prepared with love it is ambrosia. But what I enjoy best is simple home cooked food. For that matter I can have anything and am not at all fussy when it comes to food. What I am fussy, or rather very particular about, is its presentation.
Q: What are the necessary attributes of being a successful chef?
Ans.: Feel for food-and by that I mean you must cook with feeling. Keeping yourself updated on the current trends. One should always give the customers what they want to eat but present it to them in a way they would like to receive it.
Q: You already have Khazana in Dubai and Yellow Chilli in Ludhiana. Any other such restaurants in the offing?
Ans.: Just this month we have launched `The Grain of Salt` in Kolkata and very soon Mumbai, Jalandhar and Amritsar and some other cities in India will join our fast growing chain of franchisees.
Q: What makes Grain of Salt so special and why is the restaurant in Kolkata of all metros?
Ans.: I will answer the second part of the question first. I chose this metro specially because I have always loved challenges and I find the Kolkatans a difficult lot to appease specially when it comes to quality of food. `Grain of Salt` will offer them the best in high living and fine dining at reasonable prices. That`s what makes this restaurant so special.
Q: Would you like your children to follow your profession or choose something they want to?
Ans.: I would definitely like them to do whatever they want to. I firmly believe that you do best when you are thoroughly absorbed in whatever you are doing. My parents let me choose my profession and I would do the same for my children.
Q: What are your interests/hobbies other than cooking?
Ans.: Sleep! Of course these days I get very little time for it!
Q. Do you plan to teach cooking in any in any of the Hotel Management Institutes?
Ans.: Whenever I get the time I do give guest lectures and I thoroughly enjoy them.
Secrets of Success:
His name is now synonymous with his show `Khana Khazana`
This record-breaking show won the Best Cookery Show award.
Kapoor is a product of the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering and Nutrition, PUSA-New Delhi.
His favourite dream is to make Indian cuisine the Numero Uno in the world.
His web sites include sanjeevkapoor.com and indiacookery.com
Sanjeev believes the one thing that can make or mar a dish is the presentation.
His other interests include music and photography.
He believes his smile is a definite secret of his success.
His favorite food is the typical Punjabi Kadi-Chawal and Rajma-Chawal.
5-5-2002
www.expresshotelierandcaterer.com (Express Hotelier & Caterer)
PDK-Sanjeev Kapoor Launch Kolkata’s Largest Multicuisine Restaurant
Joy Roy Choudhury - Kolkata
Kolkata-based PDK Shenaz Hotels (P) Ltd in association with Sanjeev Kapoor - master chef of international repute and ‘Khana Khazana’ fame - launched ‘Grain of Salt’ in the city very recently. This brand new outlet is considered to be one of the largest multicuisine restaurants in the country.
Sprawled over an area of 25,000 square feet in the heart of Kolkata’s business cum residential hub, Grain of Salt promises food lovers an exotic and totally international experience with an interactive, dynamic and customised environment. Spread out on multilevel system, it comprises a 140-seater restaurant, 50-seater proposed bar, 24-seater coffee and cigar lounge and a 150-seater banquet facility. Its area covers over 14,000 square feet with an open terrain concept banqueting facility for 600 people on the terrace of the building covering about 10,000 square feet.
Speaking to Express Hotelier & Caterer, Nitin Kohli, director, Grain of Salt, said, “The food and beverage industry is certainly growing at a very fast pace which is very much evident form the fact that so many restaurants have opened in the past and new ones are still in the pipeline. This restaurant is certainly a move into new dimensions and will offer patrons an unparalleled experience for the food connoisseurs of Kolkata. Not only that, it will be the largest multicuisine restaurant in Kolkata which is a very vital USP.”
Giving his opinion on the new outlet, Kapoor said, “Grain of Salt was a dream we had set out to achieve. We feel proud that Kolkata can now boast of a multicuisine restaurant offering services comparable to international standards.”
3-5-2002
The Hindustan Times - HT City
Five Things you must do Today
Must Eat:
Mouth watering desi dishes at Grain of Salt- gilafi kebabs, pindi chana, Konkani lobster masala, chicken chettinad. For Reservations, call 2811313
30-4-2002
www.thenewspapertoday.com (An India Today Group Publication)
A little salt to tickle the taste buds
Suman K.Chakrabarti
He is probably the best known chef on Indian television and is known for literally cooking up a storm in the kitchen. Now Kolkata can taste Sanjeev Kapoor`s (of Khana Khazana fame) expertise at Grain of Salt - the sprawling 25,000 square feet, stand-alone multi-cuisine restaurant, which Kapoor has franchised. It is also the largest and the only one of its kind in India.
Spread out on multi level system, Grain of Salt comprises of a restaurant, a coffee & cigar lounge, a `proposed` bar and a banquet facility. Definitely one of the happening eateries in town.
"Grain of Salt is the first of its kind in India or even internationally. And if you ask me its USP apart from food, it would the relaxing interior design," says Kapoor. "Why Kolkata, one may ask. My answer is, why not? We are used to all good things coming up in either Mumbai or Delhi. No one appreciates the fine arts like the people of Kolkata. Also, their understanding of the art of cooking is way ahead of communities in other Indian cities."
The interiors, architect Ajit Shilpi says, have been designed with `minimal` in the mind. "We wanted people to mould themselves to the backdrop rather than be moulded by it," says Shilpi.
Kapoor, who has also franchised the Yellow Chilli restaurant in Ludhiana and Khazana in Dubai, describes Grain of Salt as an "upmarket brand with mid-segment rates."
"For those who can`t afford tariff at restaurants in five-star hotels, we are offering a cuisine of international standard at competitive prices." Competitive prices meaning that a meal for two could be between Rs 300 and Rs 600.
One of the most interesting things cooking at Grain of Salt is the interactive kitchen and a Hot Rocks-style live cooking corner where guests can watch their meal being prepared from across the table. All this also comes with a 35-seat cigar and malt lounge, which gives the restaurant an exclusive tag.
The Hot Rocks method of live cooking, Kapoor suggests, is mainly for a family and insists that one should try the Grilled Lobsters marinated in lemon grass and yellow curry paste served with garlic pak choy and chilli glass noodles. The World Selection includes Coconut Prawns in Beer Batter or the Thai falafel amongst various other selections such as Pastas, Thai curry green vegetables or the Lasagna sheets.
"The Exotic Kebab Selection and the colossal spread of tempting collection of fish, chicken, lamb and vegetable curries with choicest of spices and herbs is also something which will give us an edge for Indian foodies," says Nitin Kohli, director of PDK Shenaz Hotels Pvt Ltd and a restaurateur by profession.
Meal for two: Rs 300 to Rs 600 (varies) Address: Grain of Salt, Block D, 5th Floor, 22 Camac Street, Kolkata - 700016 Call: 2811313 Online Reservation: info@grainofsaltindia.com
30-4-2002
The Eastern Age
Kolkatar Katha: Talk with AAMIR KHAN
Eastern Age: Which city would you want to be associated with?
Aamir Khan: Champaner.
Eastern Age: Which landmark do you associate with Kolkata?
Aamir Khan: Landmark Bookstore where I released “The Spirit Of Lagaan”.
Eastern Age: Favourite Kolkata secret?
Aamir Khan: Grain of Salt.
Eastern Age: Favourite Kolkata getaway? Aamir Khan: Howrah Bridge.
Eastern Age: What is your favourite Kolkata delicacy?
Aamir Khan: Fish Fry and Kasha Mangsho
Eastern Age: The perfect Kolkata……
Aamir Khan: No one is perfect and Kolkata is no exception.
Eastern Age: The perfect Kolkata sundari……
Aamir Khan: Sushmita Sen has proved to be a universal favourite.
Eastern Age: Role of Kolkata media in shaping the city?
Aamir Khan: The media here compares Hollywood with Bollywood. Wonder what they would do if they were at Hollywood.
Eastern Age: Most significant change in Kolkata
Aamir Khan: Well, the papers do say that Kolkata traffic is much improved and scores over Mumbai. If that was a change, my visit this time proves it wrong. Seems like Kolkata changes and yet remains changeless.
27-4-2002
The Hindustan Times-HT City
India On A Plate, And A Bit Of The World Too: IT CERTAINLY is the largest multi-cuisine restaurant in the city. Sanjeev Kapoor’s Grain of Salt, which was officially launched last week, has been in the news for its size, its décor and because it is branded by the Khana Khazana chef – the pioneer of the “television cooking show” genre in India.
So what’s on the menu of this elaborate but simple restaurant, which stresses on fine dining in a stress free environment? First, it’s definitely multi-cuisine and not “continental” as the older restaurants in town are known to serve. You have Indian, French, Italian, Chinese and Thai on the menu. A larger representation of Indian than any other kind of cuisine, but it’s all there nevertheless.
At the official launch, we were asked to help ourselves to the buffet, which Kapoor claimed was what the buffet was going to look like on any given day. It was an elaborate spread that began with salads and soup and ended with dessert. There was a large selection of cold meats (even some salmon) and an array of salads, including rice and kidney bean versions. After the salads, you could try some pasta. As on the a la carte menu, the “Interactive Pasta” section allows you to conjure up dishes with your choice of pasta, sauce, vegetables and meats.
Then comes a range of main dishes with enough variety for you to have a complete Indian meal or a non-Indian one. Among the Indian dishes, ones that stood out were Saag Gosht and the Methi Chaman Biryani. The Baked Fish in Lemon Butter and the Vegetable Lasagne were also well worth a try. Moving on to the desserts. Again, there was enough choice in both Indian and Western. So you could spoil yourself with the fresh fruit gateau and the orange soufflé or try the Kesari Gulab Jamuns or Shahi Tukra. The buffet would set you back by Rs.245 on weekdays and Rs.295 on weekends.
As for the main menu, it looks impressive enough, and expansive too the menu is divided into various sections like drinks (there’s no wine list, the don’t have a bar license yet), world cuisine, desi khana and desserts and hot beverages.
Drinks are mostly mocktails with a range of vegetable juices for the health conscious. World cuisine has vegetarian and non-vegetarian appetizers, soups, pastas, sandwiches and main dishes. The oriental dishes like Fish on Soya Wine Chilli and Chicken in Red Curry Sauce are available with a choice of steamed/fried rice or flat noodles. The chef recommends Lobster Saffron Cheese and the grilled prawns and the grilled cheese steak and Prawns in hot garlic sounds good.
As far as desi khana goes, it’s a large selection. Everything from Gilafi kebabs to Pindi chana are on the menu. There are dishes from all over – Konkani Lobster Masala from the west coast to Chicken Chetinaad from the south.
Over half the menu is dedicated to Indian dishes, so if you like desi khana, you have more to choose from. All the other cuisines make up the other half. There is a little bit from every region mentioned, mostly popular fare and items that appeal to Indian tastes. Then there are experiences like ‘Hot Rocks’ where a chef rustles up a meal on a heated section at your table, plus a section where you can watch the chefs in action.
Grain of Salt is definitely among the few restaurants in town that serve multi-cuisine. And keeping the food, décor and new-age dining experiences in mind, it’s worth a try.
23-4-2002
The Telegraph Metro
Worth their salt
Those who swear by high living and fine dining have a brand new venue to high living and fine dining have a brand new venue to head for: a multi-cuisine restaurant, spread over a sprawling 25,000 square feet in the heart of the city. Called Grain of salt, the latest hotspot, with a 140-seater restaurant, 50-seater proposed bar, 24-seater coffee and cigar lounge, 150-seater banquet facility as also an open air banquet facility on the terrace, was inaugurated by master chef Sanjeev Kapoor of Khana Khazana fame recently.
Speaking at the press conference, Kapoor, a franchisee of the restaurant, promised the food lovers of Calcutta “good food at reasonable prices”. Indian food as also world cuisine feature on the extensive menu along with Kapoor’s avant-grade recipes. Kapoor offers mocktails such as Blue Moon (a stir of blue curacao, a dash of lemon juice, crushed ice topped with lemonade or water), Strawberry Daiquiri (granita of crushed strawberries, strawberry ice-cream and lemonade), appetisers such as Tofu With Black Pepper (cubes of tofu batter-fried and tossed in black pepper sauce), Pan fried Fish in Hot Black Bean Sauce (cubes of bhetki pan fried and tossed in fermented black bean sauce) apart from the usual fare. Their lasagne, grilled prawns and kebabs occupy pride of place, while the apple tarts and chocolate brownies melt in the mouth, leaving one hungry for more.
Interactive kitchen counters and a hot rock style live cooking counter where the guests can sit across the chef and watch their meals being rustled up in their own choice spices and sauces, are added attractions. Zen gardens on each table, the trickle of water here and there, candlelit bar, muted shades, clean straight lines and the use of new-age materials such as brushed steel and glass in the décor compliments the minimalist approach of Grain of Salt and makes for a soothing ambience.
22-4-2002
Business Standard
Grain of Salt
Kolkata: city based PDK Shenaz Hotels (P) Ltd. in association with Sanjeev Kapoor, Master Chef of international repute in the world of cuisine and Khana Khazana launched India’s largest multi cuisine restaurant Grain of Salt in the city today. Sprawled over 25,000 sqfeet of area in the heart of Kolkata’s business cum residential hub, Grain of Salt promises all food lovers an exotic and totally international experience with an interactive, dynamic and customized restauranting environment.
22-4-2002
The Times of India
This man has changed the image of the chef and has made cooking a form of art. And now he unleashes his culinary brilliance in our very own city. When we asked chef Sanjeev Kapoor why he chose Kolkata ahead of Mumbai and Delhi to open his first world class restaurant, he was prompt with answer, “I don’t like to be predictable, people would have expected me to open the restaurant in Mumbai first, so I decided to go ahead with Kolkata.”
Kapoor was in town last week with his wife and two daughters, to launch his restaurant, Grain of Salt, on Saturday. Speaking about the reason behind choosing Kolkata also wrote to me in large numbers asking me whether I would bring my roadshows here,” he said, informing that he was planning to conduct roadshows and contests in our city.
When asked about his next project, Kapoor informed that he was opening another international restaurant called Khana Khazana in Dhaka very soon, which would be followed by two more in Jalandar and Amritsar.
22-4-2002
The Eastern Age
‘Why Kolkata? Why not?’
His recipe for success tosses a signature dish for every grain of salt. And at the “Grain of Salt,” master chef Sanjeev Kapoor unlids every gourmet’s delight.
The 140-seater restaurant at the Pantaloon-Westside complex was inaugurated over the weekend. A multicuisine menu, officially launched by Kapoor promises to spoil Kolkatans for choice. “Cooking is a fine art. When asked why Kolkata? my answer was – Why not?” he retorts. Putting forward an answer behind this new venture, he opines that Kolkatans are a difficult lot to satisfy where it comes to quality. “They want the best. “Grain of Salt” will offer the best,” as he puts in.
Spread out on a multi-level system, the joint comprises a proposed 50-seater bar, yet to acquire licence, and a 24-seater coffee and cigar lounge reserved to members. The demi-eating plaza, inclusive of the restaurant, lounge and bar sprawls over an area of 25,000 square feet.
When quizzed about the name Kapoor explains, “‘Grain of Salt’, stresses the importance laid on the minutest particle that goes into the cooking the food as a dish. It also refers to the worldwide trend of minimalism, emphasising simplicity and dynamism in every aspect of restauranting,” adds Nitin Kohli, director of “Grain of Salt”.
The restaurant claims to have the largest kitchen in the country. Their newly-introduced “Hot Rocks”, concept is an interesting variation. Two glass kiosks stalled at either corners provide for visitors to call for the chef and discuss on the choice of spices and sauces. The “interactive food karaoke”, relayed on two large television sets allows the guests to note down recipes as the chefs stir a delight. “We want to re-define the concept of eating out. “Eating out is more a doing thing,” adds Kapoor.
The restaurant covers an area of 14,000 square feet with an open terrace of 10,000 square feet and has banquet facility for about 600 people. This is Kapoor’s second outlet, the first being “Yellow Chilli” in Ludhiana.
White is the key tone in the interiors. “Simplicity is the keyword. That was the only demand,” says Mumbai-based interior designer, Ajit Shilpi. Besides many a corporate office, he has designed the interiors for Ramesh Sippy and Smita Thakeray.
Straight lines and a lot of legroom, the area uses minimum drapery and scores maximum points for aesthetics.
21-4-2002
Hindusthan Times
THANKS TO television he’s one of the best-known chefs in India. Khana Khazana Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, who’s taught you how to cook in the comfort of his restaurant: Grain of Salt, his 10,000 square-foot multi-cuisine restaurant opens in the city today.
Located on 22 Camac Street, Grain of Salt is on fifth floor of the building which houses the Westside and Pantaloons department
stores. Sanjeev feels having the restaurant on the fifth floor is a plus point. “Space denotes cleanliness. We get a lot of space on the fifth floor,” says Sanjeev.
He uses this space well. There is a terrace-banquet room for 600 covers. The restaurant seats 140, and there are plans for a 50-seat bar which can be converted into another banquet room for 150 people. There’s also a dance floor and a DJ box. A 35-seat cigar and malt lounge gives the restaurant an exclusivity tag. Sanjeev plans to introduce memberships for the lounge soon. What can you expect to eat amid such surroundings? The food covers Indian, French, Italian, Chinese and Thai. There is an emphasis on vegetarian fare as a survey done by the Grain of Salt team saw demand for it Chef Kapoor recommends Jatar naan, sumag and kabulichana pulao and chicken kebabs flavoured with lemon grass. The Hot Rocks section is bound to attract foodies. Here, sous chefs prepare meals in front of you in rooms that have been screened off with glass. The rooms have air vents to keep them smoke free.
The Grain of Salt kitchen is run by executive chef Debjyoti Sircar (from the Taj, Chenai). The interiors, by architect Ajit Shilpi (who did the Athena restaurant in Mumbai), have a contemporary, minimalist look. “People hate visual obstructions and that’s why there are no drapes or paintings,” says Sanjeev. Vaastu makes an appearance in the form of water fountains and salt bowls on tables. “It’s a stress-relieving factor,” says Sanjeev.
All this doesn’t cost you a fortune. A decent meal for four would set you back by about Rs.1000.
6-3-2002
www.bengalonthenet.com
Sanjeev’s culinary khazana for Kolkata
Kolkata: India’s number one chef, Sanjeev Kapoor, is all set to unfold his culinary khazana for Kolkata. Kapoor will be launching a sprawling multi-cuisine restaurant called Grain of Salt on the Bengali New Year, April 15. And the address will be 22, Camac Street, where Westside is housed. "Kolkata has a growing market with very few options where restaurants are concerned, therefore it makes a lot of sense to do something that benefits everyone.
The response to my cookery show, Khana Khazana, from Kolkata was immense. So, I thought of Kolkata as the ideal place to open an international eatery," Kapoor told Timescity from Mumbai. Grain of Salt is his third restaurant, the other two being in Dubai and Ludhiana.
Kapoor has given the franchise of the eatery to a Kolkata-based company called PDK Shenaz, the owners of Shenaz restaurant on Middleton Row. Nitin Kohli, the director of the company, informed that the recipes will be provided by Kapoor himself and his people will train the kitchen staff. Kapoor and his people will be there not only to start off the restaurant but will be actively involved with it. Grain of Salt will be a multi-cuisine eatery with four separate sections.
There will be a section on world cuisine serving the best of Oriental, Asian, European and American food, and all the dishes of this section will be pre-plated. There will be an exclusive Indian cuisine section offering mostly north Indian food and delicacies from some other states as well. There will be the Hot Rocks section specialising in Tapianki (Japanese) style of cuisine blended with Indian food and a live cooking section.
The fourth one will be an interactive section where the guest will be allowed to try his hand at cooking. Grain of Salt will be spread over 14,000 sq ft on the fifth floor of Westside and occupy another approximately another 14,000 sq ft on the terrace. The restaurant will have a seating capacity of 140 people.
Apart from that, there will be a 35-seater lounge which can act as a waiting area where only coffee will be served, a 75-seater bar, subject to the acquisition of the bar license, a mini banquet accommodating 150 people and an open-air banquet on the terrace accommodating 500 diners. "For an upmarket clientele, Grain of Salt will be offering a good range of dishes to meet the needs of the discerning diner. Our target diner is one who has good understanding of quality food, ambience and service," signed off Kapoor.
6-3-2002
The Times of India
Sanjeev’s culinary khazana for Kolkata
Kolkata: India’s number one chef, Sanjeev Kapoor, is all set to unfold his culinary khazana for Kolkata. Kapoor will be launching a sprawling multi-cuisine restaurant called Grain of Salt on the Bengali New Year, April 15. And the address will be 22, Camac Street, where Westside is housed. "Kolkata has a growing market with very few options where restaurants are concerned, therefore it makes a lot of sense to do something that benefits everyone.
The response to my cookery show, Khana Khazana, from Kolkata was immense. So, I thought of Kolkata as the ideal place to open an international eatery," Kapoor told Timescity from Mumbai. Grain of Salt is his third restaurant, the other two being in Dubai and Ludhiana.
Kapoor has given the franchise of the eatery to a Kolkata-based company called PDK Shenaz, the owners of Shenaz restaurant on Middleton Row. Nitin Kohli, the director of the company, informed that the recipes will be provided by Kapoor himself and his people will train the kitchen staff. Kapoor and his people will be there not only to start off the restaurant but will be actively involved with it. Grain of Salt will be a multi-cuisine eatery with four separate sections.
There will be a section on world cuisine serving the best of Oriental, Asian, European and American food, and all the dishes of this section will be pre-plated. There will be an exclusive Indian cuisine section offering mostly north Indian food and delicacies from some other states as well. There will be the Hot Rocks section specialising in Tapianki (Japanese) style of cuisine blended with Indian food and a live cooking section.
The fourth one will be an interactive section where the guest will be allowed to try his hand at cooking. Grain of Salt will be spread over 14,000 sq ft on the fifth floor of Westside and occupy another approximately another 14,000 sq ft on the terrace. The restaurant will have a seating capacity of 140 people.
Apart from that, there will be a 35-seater lounge which can act as a waiting area where only coffee will be served, a 75-seater bar, subject to the acquisition of the bar license, a mini banquet accommodating 150 people and an open-air banquet on the terrace accommodating 500 diners. "For an upmarket clientele, Grain of Salt will be offering a good range of dishes to meet the needs of the discerning diner. Our target diner is one who has good understanding of quality food, ambience and service," signed off Kapoor.
8-11-2001
The Eastern Age
Chef Sanjiv Kapoor is cooking some good Khana for Kolkata.
He is teaming up with entrepreneurs here to open his first restaurant Grain of Salt at the Pantaloon-Westside shopping complex in January.
“Kolkata lacks good food joints. Value for money is rare in its restaurants,” he said.
In town to release his new recipe book Low Calorie Vegetarian Cookbook, the chef disclosed : “I will only contribute by way of recipes and culinary expertise of my “Khana Khazana” team. My returns will be the royalty earned.” Mr. Kapoor, who shot to fame with the still running eight-year-long, Khana Khazana show, has earned into similar contracts elsewhere in the country.
In Ludhiana, Yellow Chilli is doing very well. The over-whelming response prompted me to enter into similar deals in Amritsar and Lucknow. The Yellow Chilli joints will hit these two towns early next year. Kolkata’s Grain of Salt is part of this chain but with a marked difference. Bengalis are passionate about their food and nothing less than personal supervision satisfies them,” he added.
The 10,000-sq-ft restaurant will have an open kitchen. “Guests can have an interactive session with chefs and possibly instruct them on the nuances of their Bengali palate,” Mr. Kapoor Said. The menu will feature Indian, Continental and International recipes. The third category comprises exotic recipes collected from all over the world.
Mr. Kapoor’s modus operandi involves assigning known associates the charge of food in his restaurants.
Together with his Khana Khazana team, he trains chefs in the managing-buying-cooking –presentation of food. The team then periodically inspects and updates the service offered. A chef doctor in the team stresses on the nutrition value of food.
8-11-2001
The Times Of India
He is the star of one of India’s longest running TV shows, Khana Khazana. Eight years as a TV personality has certainly turned ace chef Sanjeev Kapoor into a star, but he still believes in letting his cooking do the talking. Even as Kapoor released his Low Calorie Vegetarian Cookbook at Landmark on November 6, homemakers gathered around to catch a glimpse of the man with magic in his fingertips. “I have major plans for Kolkata which I do not wish to reveal right now but I believe Kolkatans have a great sense of taste,” he said. Working recipes are needed, “because a recipe should not at any time fail you. Badly cooked food even lowers the cook’s self-esteem,” Kapoor added.
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