The Tangra Project: From The Bylanes of Ballygunge

There is something unique about any place that is nurtured as a dream, and is a nostalgic homage to our past, our home. Chef Vikramjit Roy’s new offering, The Tangra Project is precisely that; it is an epicurean experience that takes you on a journey to his roots. 

Located on the ground floor of DLF Avenue in Saket, with two diverse entrances, one from inside the mall and a private entrance from outside, Tangra allows you to find a cozy nook to dine while the crowd keeps churning around you. We sat down for a hearty meal, half expecting to be transported to the busy bylanes of Roy’s Calcutta. But we were promptly corrected, for Tangra is not just a love letter to Bengali cuisine, but the inclusivity and diversity that signifies the spirit of the city. 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Tangra Project (@thetangraproject)

Food and Ambience

The restaurant flows around a central kitchen, where you can see the chefs hard at work, sending out one delicious dish after the other seamlessly. Surrounded by column-like marble structures that created a warmth around us, we started with a round of small plates. The menu is both vast and eclectic, segmented by neighbourhoods and inspirations such as Calcutta Chaat, Bao Bazaar, Ballygunge Chic and so on. We dived right into a parwal guacamole with chips and chaat, a refreshing start indeed, followed by spinach with roasted poppy seeds in a nutty sesame sauce. The shrimp paturi coated in mustard and wrapped in banana leaf was a flavour bomb, much like its delectable counterpart, the banana flower chops that took us on a trip to our pandal-hopping days. 

Two standout dishes from the Kowloon to Kalikata section were the dumplings - Gondhoraj fish and chives dumplings and veggie chilli basil dumplings that left us craving for more, but not for long because spicy Tangra chilli chicken sent our palata into overdrive, only to be satiated by the fish and chicken tikkas straight from the tandoor.

The big plates were from Chef Roy’s ‘Mum’s Kitchen’, and were curated from childhood influences, peppered with nostalgia. The rabibarer mutton and kamala phulkopi, which was a curry with cauliflower and oranges, were paired perfectly with a sweet pulao and fluffy puri but the jhuri aalo bhaja seemed an unnecessary addition to the meal. 

What we loved

There is much to observe while dining at the Tangra Project. Designed by Studio Pomegranate, the fish-mural walls, the open bar, and booths that remind one of the ‘Cabin’ seating style of old restaurants in Calcutta heighten one’s experience at the eatery. While we are now sure we can’t possibly eat any more, two desserts find their way to our table and it is love at first sight. The iconic sandesh, with rosemary sprinkled on top, lies beautifully on a base of litchi rabri and is every bit as delicious as it looks. But the highlight of the experience turns out to be a nitrogen dipped delicate rose that is laced with honey and is handed to us; it feels almost criminal to break it around the almond panna cotta, sending petals in every direction. In that moment, the joy that the chef talked about when he described the Tangra Project shines bright on our faces. Isn’t this what food is all about?  

The Tangra Project

Cost for two: Rs 1600

Call for reservation: +91 8929 92 5253 / +91 8929 52 5353