Caffeine N Carburetors, Minto Park, Kolkata

Restaurant Name: Caffeine N Carburetors, Minto Park, Kolkata
Phone: +919830229025, +919830229027
Address: 6, 1st and 2nd Floor, Picasso Bithi, Minto Park, Kolkata 700071 West Bengal India
Time: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Meals for two: Rs. 1,000
Cuisines: Pizza, Italian, Continental, European, Chinese, Thai, South Indian, North Indian
Facilities: Home Delivery, Takeaway Available, Free Wifi, Smoking Area, Indoor Seating

Food halls light up a special filament of culinary firmament in my prolific epicurean mind. Be it the crusty signature sourdough at the Harrods Food Halls in London, éclair indulgence at Eclair Genie, Galeries Lafayette Gourmet in Paris, oyster bar at the Pike Place Market in Seattle, clam chowder at the ancient Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston or the Amish mustard makers and roast pork sandwich at DiNic’s at Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia to the Tuscan Pinzimonio at the fancy Eataly NYC Downtown at the World Trade Centre, they’ve all won tastebuds over, earned heart space and obtained lifetime loyalty.

Beloved by locals, these buzzing historic standalone indoor food markets host vendors, restaurants, butchers, bakers, chocolatiers, spicemongers alike, all under one roof offering astonishing variety and quality through generations. And the globally inspired freshly cooked food is available for communal consumption from breakfast through dinner & desserts as the main draw. So as Kolkata announces its indigenous food hall concept at Caffeine ’N’ Carburetors from the same stable as Zaranj and Amber, curiosity can’t keep us away much longer.

A sprawling space at the popular Minto Square junction should be swarming under normal circumstances, but this is the new normal and everything is restrained. We are the only other table after a party of six, in a 100 plus seater – but we love the quiet demeanour. Retro chic interiors, with splashes of Carroll Shelby obsession and body tattooed – overall clad service staff, different stretches and levels of communal tables, including a specific work zone infuses enough energy for work and play. Calling it a food hall will be wild exaggeration, but it fits into an ergonomic food court format alright. Food stations are fashionably demarcated and independently manned. Minus messy self serve plus a-la carte service and with one-time billing, it’s a vision of convenience.

Caffeine N Carburetors, Minto Park, Kolkata: Food

Interesting offerings under six different live stations and global cuisines. Clever representation of the house brand strengths along with whatever-else-it-takes to make it work. We take a roller coaster ride of all stations here, in no particular order. Soi, the Asian street kitchen serves us Poh pia tod (₹275) and Chicken in green curry (₹345), The Toad offers European with Tomato parsley soup with croutons (₹125), Hasselback potatoes non veg (₹325), Mimosa pizza (₹365) and The All American hotdog (₹215) from sandwiches and wraps; we choose vegetarian Chapli shami champ (₹225) from Afghan, while Iyengar’s tiffins, the south Indian counterpart seems to be on a kitchen holiday. For beverages Café de Columbia takes care of our Espresso (₹125) Cappuccino (₹135) and The Shelby Frappe (₹215), as we skip the bizarre Wonka’s freak shakes and coolers.

Plus & Minus:

Our roll out is phenomenal. There’s an initial lull and then everything arrived within a span of half an hour. Of course it was our choice of mishmashing cuisines for the sake of freshness, as they were prepared. The Thai spring rolls or Poh pia tod are indecisive, plenty veggie and paneer stuffing, but they are neither crunchy deep fried nor have the rice paper wrapped Vietnamese coolness; instead they come cooked warm, sticky like pot sticker skins. The tomato parsley soup brings ample colour, creamy texture and good measure, but off the shelf content draws flak. The baked, crispy skin outside and tender inside Hasselback potatoes earn a chuckle, herbed topping with additional flavours of bacon bites, chicken mince and sour cream. The vegetarian soya mash in Chapli shami champ with breadcrumbs sprinkle for drama, may drive freshness but misses the punch, while the Neapolitan style ham, cheese and egg Mimosa pizza perks up the palate. The Thai chicken green curry tops in vibrancy of colour, but lacks intent and authenticity, served with Basmati rice. Our coffees round up a smooth ending. Oh, but the American hotdog never hit our table, though it was paid for.