Located in the Indian state of West Bengal, Calcutta was the capital of the entire country under the rule of the British Raj from 1773-1911. In 2001 the name of the city was officially changed to Kolkata in order to reflect the Bengali pronunciation more closely.
The Calcutta Polo Club was established there in 1862 and is considered the oldest surviving polo club to this day. Picture the scene as highly respected – and moneyed – Maharajas would first impress their guests with their sporting prowess and horseback skills, followed by an extravagant post-match feast to secure their culinary proficiency.
Emulating this ancient tradition of impressive food and service is what Calcutta Club on Maid Marian Way aim to do. For instance, the waiter asked me if there was anything at all he could do for me, I asked him (half joking, half serious) to keep an eye on my pint of Tiger beer (£4.80) and when I had a few sips left, to bring me another one. He said “no problem” and that’s exactly what happened. On one occasion it wasn’t even him who brought it over. Magical.
The interior is elegantly colonial with gilded picture frames housing illustrations of the Indian aristocracy, chandeliers, dark wood chairs, white wood panelling and large yucca trees. The food is also exceptional. To start, we ordered the south Indian crab samosas (£6.75) and the tandoori stuffed aloo (£6.50) from the specials menu. The samosas were filled with a lightly spiced, soft-textured filling and the new potatoes had been hollowed out, stuffed with finely chopped tandoori paneer, cashew nuts and sultanas, then roasted.
My main course was lamb nihari (£13.50). Traditionally made with lamb shanks, Calcutta Club elevate this dish by using lamb fillet, slow cooked using a nihari masala spice blend to produce a deep red sauce, finished with fresh green chillis for a kick. My dining partner balanced our shared meal well, with a boatman’s fish curry (£14.95); monkfish in a light, coconut-based sauce topped with curry leaves and mustard seeds. To accompany, we ordered some zesty lemon and coriander rice (£3.30) and a plain naan (£2.60) that boasted huge bubbles in the surface fresh from the volcanic heat of the tandoor oven.
Not being sweet-toothed, neither of us fancied a dessert so I simply asked for the beer top-ups to finish and the Jack Daniels to start. We only stayed for one as it was a school night, but I’m certain the hospitality would have continued indefinitely. Ash Dilks
Maid Marian Way, NG1 6HS. 0115 941 4441
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