When Rishi Singhal and Mohit Harlalka invited us to dine at their airplane-themed vegetarian only restaurant Fly Kouzina at Salt Lake, being a strict non-vegetarian, I was curious to partake of the dining experience as well as see what they had created. Well, this is a visual treat which you will get once you enter!
With your reservation (which is highly recommended), a boarding pass is issued in your name and handed over to you on entry. If the restaurant is running full to capacity, which often happens, there is a nice air-conditioned seating lounge with access to a TV for your viewing pleasure.
As you enter to the right is a typical airplane seating experience with the windows showing a multitude of scenic shots. The flight attendants i.e. waiters welcome you on board and take your order. The room on the left is one which represents an inverted runway, with a bar serving non-alcoholic beverages, situated at the end. This is a 72-seater, child-friendly restaurant, as we witnessed a number of kids running up and down the aisle, playing happily with each other.
Why a ‘vegetarian only’ restaurant we asked? Well, after undertaking a survey of Salt Lake residents, the owners found that the overwhelming majority of them were vegetarians and wanted to enjoy a ‘veg only’ dining experience situated in their locality.
But don’t be deterred by this ‘veg only’ tag. The food is of high quality and you can order from a menu of multi-cuisine dishes ranging from Indian, Continental to Asian fare.
After we tasted a number of refreshing mock tails, for the ‘starters’ we ordered the Broccoli Corn Dumplings with Szechwan and Hot Garlic Sauce which melted in the mouth, as well as the Vegetable Lollipop with a crunchy exterior stuffed with delicious beetroot, carrots and peas. Then we were served the Malai Paneer Tikka, a slightly sweet paneer tikka with a honey-based makhani dip, an unusual combination, yet exciting to the taste buds.
For the continental food main course, highly recommended is the Canneloni Florentine with a creamy cheese sauce, baked to perfection and accompanied with garlic bread. If you favor a rice-based dish, the Double Cheese Risotto steeped with a creamy sauce or the Asparagus Mushroom Risotto, both hit the sweet spot! There are a number of pasta dishes to choose from including the Pasta Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino (Pasta tossed with Olive Oil Black Peppers, Fresh Parsley, Sprig and Garlic) or the Penne and Sphagetti prepared with a variety of sauces including Alfredo, Napoletana, Pesto etc. There is also a wide range of eclectic pizzas with a variety of toppings.
For Indian Food lovers, you are in for a treat! We tried the Dal Makhani, Dum Handi Paneer served with palak kofta (spinach balls stuffed with raisin and cooked in a yellow gravy sauce), the Subz Dum Biriyani (with vegetables in Dum), the Karai Subz (Vegetables served in Onion Gravy and Khada Masala), Bharwan Alo Bhojpuri, (potatoes packed with vegetables, dry fruits and spices cooked in a tomato and onion gravy). Every single dish was well-cooked and presented, and tickled the palate!
Could there be any more food to be eaten? Well finally we tried mouth-sized bites (as we were at bursting point) of the Gulab Jamun, Walnut Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream and the Date Pancake with Plum Sauce. All are highly recommended and are winners!
The overall experience at Fly Kouzina borders on the unusual, with First Class Service and Food once aboard. A highly recommended experience, with or without your kids.
A meal for two would cost Rs. 1,500. Open 12 noon – 10.45 pm daily. Address: AD – 73, Sector-1, Salt Lake City, Kolkata – 700064. Ph: (033) 4063-1002