Apr 29, 2005 01:29 AM
2423 Views
(Updated Apr 29, 2005 08:19 PM)
Ah! Porto Rio.This restaurant is situated beside the Park Circus flyover. When I paid this restaurant a visit, it did not look like much from its exterior. It had a simple white facade with some green plants with a gate man sitting near the steps leading up to the porch which had a single doorway. It looked quite spartan. It was a hot summer afternoon and I wanted to hide myself from the sun overhead.
At this point I would like to mention that the atmosphere in a restaurant is as important to me as the quality of food. There are very few restaurants which is peaceful and lets you eat at your own pace.
The moment I stepped inside I was enveloped in an atmosphere which is reminiscent of another time. It seemed very homely and peaceful. The place was not big but it was certainly tastefully decorated. I was surrounded by white walls which had paintings of old Portuguese ports . The tables and chairs in the restaurant were of dark brown highly polished mahogany. There were small chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. It had at some places artificial ceilings and pillars bearing influences of Portuguese architecture. The place was straight out of old Portugal.
As I sat down an, old waiter in an all black attire came and placed the menu in front of me and automatically moved away. When I saw the menu I realized why he had done that.
I was spoilt for choice. The menu mainly consisted of an unending list of dishes from the coastal areas of India. I was expecting this restaurant to specialize in coastal cuisine. But this kind of a menu was quite a shock for me. Another shock was the price of the dishes. They were quite steep for a student of very limited financial capabilities.
Anyways I decided upon having “Chicken Chetinaad”, “Roasted Crab” and plain white rice. The preparation time for the food took a little longer than expected. I realized the cause for delay while eating. The aroma and taste of the food felt like it was freshly cooked with care. Its not run off the mill stuff. The food was simply delicious and together with the ambience of the whole place it felt like I was no longer in Kolkata. It felt like I was having lunch in some old colonial building in Portugal a long, long time ago. This is thee place for a romantic meal with your lady love. I will come back here some day with my girl and lots of cash.
After I finished my meal I was quickly brought back to my senses when the bill arrived. It certainly made my wallet feel light.
When I stepped out of the restaurant, I was greeted by the gateman who offered to catch a taxi for me. Now how’s that for service!
I took a bus.
