Aside the fairly new attractions of the butterfly park, glitzy malls and wax museum in the city, the lifeblood of Calcutta is still in its food discoveries. Yet, for all its bounty of freshwater fish and the lovers of crustaceans, the metro still has not one restaurant of seafood fresh cooked from the tank - a concept widely prevalent the Asian-world over. Amongst the new wave of fish and seafood joints that have cropped up in the last few years, we set out to discover a tiny speck in south Calcutta with an unusual name, The Mango Tree.
DÉCOR
You may lose your way in the meandering narrow byelanes, but we are lucky to spot the yellow cab delivering loads of their vegetable supply.The setting is unusual; dramatic and reveals the mystery in the name – a tiny lane, tribal art adorning the walls spans out into a private courtyard, all under The mango tree. A glass door leads into a quaint furnished dining room, resplendent in painted timber, artefacts and artworks, just as it would in an erstwhile Bengali household. We climb up a flight of stairs enjoying the gallery view of art prints and bronze sculpture, to the empty first floor setting, with its own slice of daylight, sky and the mango tree, of course.
FOOD
The menu is an indulgent, multi-sensory delight. The only limitation is that vegetarians will have a tough time reading between the pages. Divided into Chinese, Continental and Seafood selections it gives ample choice to suit moods and meals. This afternoon we go with house-treats of Mixed Seafood Soup (Rs.170) and Seafood Mixed Salad (Rs. 270). Followed by Chinese Smoked Crab (Rs.250) and Continental Cheese and Mushroom Fritata (Rs.200), Herb and Permeation Crusted Fish (Rs. 360) and the Roast Pork Rib Chops (350). Weak on desserts, we have a Vanilla ice cream with Hot Chocolate sauce (Rs. 100).
PLUS MINUS
The house special soup and the salad are actually regular doses of cornflour and Thousand Island sauce but for the heartwarming infusion of prawns, squid and octopus. The smoked crab brings in feisty flavours. The soft shell crabs are sweet and juicy, cooked in an Asian sauce with soya, garlic and onions, with Kafir lime leaves enhancing the fleshy sweetness inside. The cheesy omelette with mushrooms touches our palates with its warm fluffiness. Next, the diamond shaped Bekti cutlets are excellent - shallow fried fillets with a herbed surface coating that gives a delicate bonanza of tastes in the mouth. Comes with a side of veggies, fries and dip. The pork chops is a huge portion with drool-worthy fatty edges and we plough into this traditional preparation of well cooked rib with much enthusiasm.
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