If your love affair with food starts from deep within you and not just from your palate, you will know that Calcutta is a city that is by inherent character, more than just a Bengali City…much more than mere Bengali Cuisine.

Truly, Calcutta is an amalgam of various cultures and cuisines and all of them contribute significantly to the delicious cauldron of delicacies that we know today as Calcutta.

So when we thought of going to Call of Bengal, the newly opened Specialty Restaurant in Gachibowli, opposite the famous DLF Enclave, we were enthusiastically looking forward to a wholesome Bengali meal. But as Sumita Ganguli, the owner of this cosy little joint, explained to us, they had attempted to show Hyderabad a horizon beyond the stereotype.

So apart from the usual Bengali delicacies, Call of Bengal also showcases other dimensions of Calcutta Cuisine by featuring Anglo Indian delicacies from Park Street, Kolkata biryani, chaap and rezala from Park Circus, office goer’s street food from Dacres Lane and local Chinese fare typical to Tangra. Plus of course the legendary Mishti (Sweet) as part of a sumptuous dessert section.

In an attempt to be extra smart I had requested COB (as Call of Bengal is called) and Sumita, to work out for us a kind of a pre-plated menu or a sampler if you like, so we could try most of their signature dishes.

What happened in reality though is that we felt like the English invaders who once they captured India, found that it was too much to handle.

The attack started with Dimer Devil, the boiled egg wrapped in a minced meat batter and fried to perfection that is quintessential Park Circus. Served with a mustardy, saucy accompaniment it almost eradicated hunger from the table.

But we bashed on regardless. Dared to drop in at the infamous Mocambo Cafe and gorged on Fish Florentine. And just as we were congratulating ourselves on tasting heaven while still on earth, the Bhapa Chingri or rather the prawns cooked in mustard sauce, made their grand entrance.

Then followed a barrage of loochis (you may be forgiven for calling them pooris) with aaloor dom of potato fame and poshto of the mutton dynasty.

To show off their dependence on Russian Artillery, the restaurant served next the Chicken a’la Kiev…the chicken breast that oozes butter and charms you with the mashed potato dressing.

And then she said…what about the Biryani?

Now tell me, which true blooded Hyderabadi can resist that? Some of us dived in, albeit into surgically operated upon portions, but soon realised that with the raw mango chutney that was served, this was definitely mine field territory.

Most of us by now were flat on our feet and were not ready for vicious ground fire in the form of Rossogollas, Kesar Bhog and Mihir Dana.

But we survived. And lived happily to tell the tale.

A happier tale has not been told, a more satisfied story teller never been found. But a word of caution, plan your COB visits with care. Choose to sample one school at a time. If you wander around Park Street one day, stumble into Dacres Lane the next time. Alternate between Park Circus and Tangra…the options and the combinations are many.

But watch out. Do not try to discover all of COB’s repertoire in one evening. It is not only injurious to health, it may be a waste of so many evenings that you could otherwise have dedicated to the cross bred ingenuity of these wonderful people.

And yes, the next time you hear an inviting voice echoing the Call of Bengal…listen!!!