Gurgaon now has a half dozen Bengali restaurants, though none of them delivers a memorable meal. So when I receive an invite from Taj Vivanta Gurgaon to taste their Bengali food festival being put together by its talented Executive Chef Subrata Debnath along with expertise from Sonar Gaon from Taj Bengal, Kolkata I go for the tasting with a lot of expectations. And I am glad to say, the food surpasses my expectations.

The festival has been organized at the newly rechristened Culina 44, the all-day dining restaurant at Taj City Centre Gurgaon As I enter, I am served a welcome drink of  aam pora shorbot (Rs 345) a tangy drink similar to aam panna. 

Chef Debnath joins us with a satisfied look on his face, and soon the appetisers are served. The first dish I taste is an amazing invention of the chef. Rui maachher patishapta (Rs 945) is pancake filled with freshwater boneless Rohu with green chilly. Mansghor cutlet (Rs 945) which has pulled mutton leg marinated with fresh coriander, egg, bread crumbs and deep fried is equally delicious, and so is the vegetarian jhargramer narkeli beet gajarer chop (Rs 854), croquettes made from beetroot and carrot. The freshly made kashundi (Bengali mustard sauce) adds the perfect zing to the bite.

The delicious experience continues with the mains, which are served in a royal platter or thaal. 

Bhetki paturi (Rs 1245) or stone-ground mustard marinated steamed Beckti is cooked to flaky perfection and is to die for. Chef Debnath delivers a perfectly cooked luscious prawn in Daab chingri (Rs 1245), a prawn curry steamed in young coconut shell.

Kacha lanka bata murgi (Rs 1125) succulent pieces of chicken cooked with green chili and onion gets overshadowed by the fish and the prawns. The only mild disappointment of the meal is the somewhat undercooked and not as tasty Dhakai mangsho kosha (Rs 1145), a recipe from Bangladesh, though it turns out that the undercooked meat is limited to my serving and when changed turns out to be softer.

The vegetarian dishes are no less. Kadoli pushpo ghonto (Rs 875) cumin tempered young banana blossoms cooked with diced potato and coconut, and palongshaager chorchori (Rs 875) fresh vegetables, spinach, cooked home-style with radhuni are both delicious in a soft spoken way. Narkeli chholar dal (Rs 795) Bengal gram tempered with cumin, ginger and coconut shavings is soothing and comforting. The accompanying basanti pulao (Rs 345) and phoolko loochi (Rs 345) are competent.

Desserts are the high point of any Bengali meal, and it is no different here. Homemade mishti doi (Rs 445) is awesome, with the sweet and tart notes in perfect balance. Gurer paayesh (Rs 445) with gobindo bhog rice slow cooked with nolen gur is loving, and so is the sweet patishapta (Rs 445).

The Aromas of Bengal has some of the best Bengali food I have had outside of Kolkata. I will remember the bhetki, dab chingri and rui patishapta particularly for a long time!

Please note: This review was done on an invitation from the restaurant to taste their food, and no bill was presented to the author. While the author assures you of objectivity, the review may be influenced by the personalized attention the author got.

Ratings (Out of 5)

Food: 4.5 | Ambience: 4.0 | Service: 4.5 | Value: 3.5 | Overall: 4.0

Meal for two: Rs.4000 | Alcohol: Yes | Credit Card: Yes | Wheel chair friendly: Yes

Address: Culina 44, Vivanta by Taj, Sector 44, Gurgaon. Tel: 0124 6671234