Silence sings..........: Kolkata Food Bloggers Met Team Zomato

Vibrant, jovial and cordial they were who welcomed us with a professional gesture and left us at the end to feel at home with the joy and conversation we shared. They were team of 6 young representatives from the Zomato group who organized a Kolkata Food Bloggers meet at a restaurant in south Kolkata called Straits. The meet was a plan on process for three months and got materialized when we bloggers returned from our vacations fresh and glee. 9 food bloggers of Kolkata out of 14 had managed to attend this meet. We all were very excited as this was our first formal meet which was arranged by a Professional Group.

Picture Courtesy: Poorna Banerjee

As we entered in the Restaurant we were cordially invited by the team Zomato. We led to a separate unit of the restaurant just opposite to the main section what we discovered later. The interior of the main area was very decent and looked very cosy. The ambiance of the restaurant touched my heart.

Picture Courtesy: Archita Chanda Ray

We comfortably occupied our seats to the other room and then more than couple of hours spent in a winks way as we got so involved in confabbing. We started formally introducing each other. The team Zomato introduced themselves and requested to introduce ourselves too. And then our conversation changed in to chatting, giggling, sharing information, clicking and eating.

Kolkata Food Bloggers and the Zomato Team

Team Zomato: Saurav, Devika Sohini, Angikaar, Joy (Straits's Owner), Ishita. Picture Courtesy : Poorna Banerjee

In between we were kept on serving foods by Straits. Straits is located at Rashbehari Avenue on the main road, on the first floor of a building just above a Blackberry store. The most relaxing part of the restaurant is, it has its own parking area. The restaurant Strait serves Singaporean and Malaysian food. I was quite excited as I would be having first time in India the Singaporean and Malaysian food, as this flavourful cuisine is one of my favourites.

A pink drink served made out of sugarcane and grenadine.

After we reached we were served a drink made of Sugarcane and grenadine. The drink was ok. Then we got the starter Popiah, a spring roll made out of chicken and peanut. Popiah didn't appeal my taste at all, though I finished most of just to find the ingredients in it. I munched more peanuts than chicken. The vegetarians were served Godo Godo (Roasted Vegetables with Peanut Sauce)

While we were busy in exchanging our view on blogging, food and eating habits, the lunch was served - one of the Famous Malaysian platters Nasi Lemak consists of Coconut rice, Egg Sambal, Chicken Rendang and Anchiovies with Peanuts. Again I was not able to do justice with the platter. I found the rice missing the coconut flavour. The Egg Sambal was too rich with the ready to use Sambal paste and in much generous way. Therefore the flavour had become too strong too satisfy my heart. The Chicken Rendang was quite satisfactory, though I felt the originality of the Malaysian cuisine was missing in each food. The vegetarians were served Vegetarian Nasi Lemak (Coconut Rice served with Paneer Rendang and deep fried Mushroom with Kung Po Sauce).

I am not at all a sweet lover so when the dessert Sago Gula Maleka was served I left it alone tasting a spoon and stirring what the ingredients were there in it. The overall food experience with Straits was not that satisfactory as we expected. But hope if we visit their place next time we will have better experience then.

Apart from the food, the experience with the Zomato team was wonderful, with all the food talks, information exchang on various food chains in Kolkata, et al. We got to know much about Zomato itself.

We Kolkata Food Bloggers: (Right to left)Arundhuti, Poorna, Amrita, Sanoli, Radhika, Archita, Kamalika, Sayantani and Sarani. Picture Courtesy: Archita Chanda Ray.

We found Team Zomato very professionally groomed and well informed too. They are young and energetic. Their innocence still lie in their smiles and eyes. Even we felt so gratitude when they gifted each one of us a Zomato coffee mug and the Connoisseur's guide.

Picture Courtesy: Archita Chanda Ray

This guide I found one of the most useful gifts for a newcomer like me in Kolkata. It is enlisted with all the Kolkata restaurants, along with their addresses, phone numbers and reviews too. The overall experience was quite satisfactory and last but not the least Sayantani's lovely gifts made us more cheerful above all...

More reads on Zomato Meet:
By: Poorna Banerjee
By: Archita Chanda Ray