Amaltas

Amaltas is washed in soft yellows and greens, with traditional cane chairs and warm wood tones. It’s fitting for a space that evokes nostalgic flavours with a slight touch of fusion. From ingredients like Bandel Cheese (available thanks to Portuguese influence in parts of Bengal) to the tangy mutton dish Khatta Meat from Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, the restaurant manages to package hyper-local dishes into global palettes.

Things at Amaltas escalate very fast. Small plates turn into serious commitments, such as the one we began with – the signature dish Jalebi Chaat. It’s mischievous by design. Crispy jalebis here shed their syrupy innocence and slip into savoury territory, tangled up with spiced yoghurt, tamarind and green chutney. It’s familiar enough to feel safe, but different enough to keep you guessing on the next bite.

Then we had what’s now my favorite thing on the menu, Shrooms. It’s three kinds of mushrooms with three different marinations on them, cooked to perfection in the classic tandoor. The portobello mushroom is marinated in cream and cheese, shiitake mushroom in green, herby sauce, while the cremini is marinated in the desi kick of kasundi (a Bengal-specific mustard sauce). It’s served with a tart and despite being a vegetarian dish, one can argue it tastes meatier than the others, if not more.

With Lebu & Cream Prawns, things get even creamier. The prawns are served with crunchy tails, while the softness of the flesh is complimented by a coconut cream sauce sharpened with gondhoraj lebu. Smoky, citrusy, rich without being heavy – it’s the kind of dish that makes you close your eyes.

To wash it all down, we were suggested a glass of Bittersweet Red, a take on the nostalgic roohafza that we used to drink on summer afternoons as kids. It is made with homemade watermelon wine, combining the natural sweetness of the fruit with a little funk from the fermentation. It is topped with dill-infused gin, aperol and a touch of rose water. You can already predict how complex the flavour palette of the drink was.

During the day, you can lounge at Amaltas’ sunlit windowside tables with big glass windows which give you a view of the green park in front, so even on a busy GK afternoon, it feels calm and breathable. The lighting, though, stays warm enough to preserve a feeling of intimacy by evening.