The Legacy Lounge, the multi-cuisine fine-dining outlet highlights the four distinct cuisines of Kolkata under one umbrella.
Aimed to boost the four chapters of Kolkata’s delectable cuisine of yesteryears, The Lalit Great Eastern Kolkata opened the doors of its fine-dining food outlet- The Legacy Lounge sometime on September 19, last year. The newly opened 32-seater outlet sprawling over 3,200 sq. ft area has tastefully done up interiors that take you back into an era of the Colonial times.
The interiors seamlessly blend with the times when Kolkata was the capital of British India. One can gape at the interiors with an array of artefacts including British-era iron that is used as plant holder. There are coffee sofas and background music that preps up the ambiance. The outlet provides an opportunity for gourmet lovers to dine on sumptuous dishes belonging to the four distinct pillars of Kolkata cuisine including Bengali, Mughlai, Anglo-Indian, and Tangra Chinese.
Tracing back the history of Kolkata cuisine, Ayan Chatterjee, Executive Sous Chef, the Lalit Great Eastern Kolkata explained, “The Legacy Lounge focuses on the Bengali cuisine of the city including from both the sides of the border. Mughlai or Nizami cuisine was introduced in Kolkata by Nawab Siraj ud-Daulah, the last Nawab of Bengal. When Tipu Sultan was sent into exile in Kolkata after being defeated by the British in the Anglo-Mysore War, he introduced Mysore cuisine into the city. Wajid Ali Shah, the last Mughal ruler of Awadh had spent his exile days in Kolkata and during this period, Awadhi cuisine was introduced in the city by the chef of the Mughal ruler. Mughlai cuisine is one-of-a-kind that is not found anywhere other than Kolkata and was crafted with the blend of Mysore and Awadhi cuisines.” Chaap, Tikia Kebab, and Kolkata Biryani are some of the well-known Mughlai delights served at The Legacy Lounge.
Some of the popular Anglo-Indian delights on offer are Chicken Stew, Mulligatawny Soup, and Fish Fry which were brought by the British. In the context of the origin of Tangra Chinese cuisine, Chatterjee said, “At the time of the Japanese invasion of China during the Second World War, the Chinese fled to India and had set up a sugar refinery at Achipur in South 24 Parganas of West Bengal. Achipur has been the first Chinese outpost in India. Later, the Chinese left Achipur and moved to Tiretta Bazaar, the old Chinatown in Kolkata where they used to run tanneries. Being in the hub of the city, the smell of tanneries did not go down well with the Colonial rule and the Chinese had to move away to Tangra in the eastern part of the city. The culinary delights rustled up by the Chinese in Tangra were famed as Tangra Chinese and included Hakka Noodles, Vegetarian Manchurian and Chilly Chicken et al.”
All four chapters of Kolkata cuisines have starters, soups, and main course dishes. “The Tangra Chinese culinary delights like Chilly Paneer and Vegetarian Manchurian move fast on the table while Bengali dishes like Barishali Maach and Mutton Dak Bungalow have picked up well,” further said Chatterjee. The dessert section comes with Dark Chocolate Fudge, Caramel Custard, and Kesari Rasmalai.
The New Year has kicked off quite well for the hospitality player. Amrit Jena, Food and Beverage Manager, The Lalit Great Eastern Kolkata informed, “The new outlet will be emphasizing the delicacies of Eastern India in the New Year. Apart from this, there will be a Bengali Pithe Pleasure campaign focusing on the festive delights of Bengal.”
Lying in the city hub, the luxury property is in proximity to the corporate sector. “Our regular customers are bureaucrats, office-goers, and business personalities at our food outlet,” quipped Jena. The outlet remains open from 7 PM to 10.30 PM on all days. The charges for dining come to Rs 3,000 for two persons.
by Swaati Chaudhury
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