If there is one cuisine Indians love besides their 'desi khana', then it surely has to be Italian. From pizzas to pastas and risottos - you will find people indulging in various types of dishes to satisfy their soul. And a proof to that are the Italian eateries established across the country. From street-side pizzerias to the finest of the restaurants - you will find multiple food joints nestled in every region. Such is the scenario for Kolkata too. One of the oldest establishments for the hospitality and F&B (food and beverage) sectors, the city hosts a range of restaurants offering various cuisines from around the globe. This subsequently means, Kolkata has several Italian restaurants too - some offering desi-style Italian dishes, while some have kept up the authenticity of the cuisine through their offerings. One such restaurant that recently grabbed our attention is Sorano - situated in the heart of Kolkata (Park Street area).
Ambience:
One of the newest restaurants in town, Sorano is setup in more than a 100-year-old building in Kolkata, with wooden staircase, high ceiling, arched windows and of course, a vintage vibe. The whitewashed walls, warm lights and old-school furniture of the space will immediately remind you of Italy's renaissance art. What grabbed our eyeballs is the wood-fired pizza oven, installed right at the centre of the restaurant - the smokey aroma of the charcoal sets your mood for the grand meal. Besides, Sorano has its very own cheese room and live pasta counter too! You heard us. The cheese you eat (or will eat) at the restaurant is actually made in-house (read: Sorano-made). Considering all these factors, we decided to visit the restaurant and experience a slice of the Italian food culture.
Food And Drinks:
To start with, Sorano has quite an extensive menu with palatable options for both food and beverages. From cheese board to in-house burrata, Neapolitan pizzas and more, you get it all here, at Sorano. We decided to start the evening with some refreshing cocktails - ordered Chardonnay-Gin based drink named Limoncello Spritzer and a mulled wine-gin based drink named Negroni Magnifique. Alongside, we had a Burrata platter including homemade burrata with caramelised fig, prosciutto and melon balls, topped with fresh sherry vinaigrette. Sounds exotic; right? Trust us, the flavours and freshness of the dish created the perfect balance on the palate! We also had a plate of Sicilian Chilli Garlic Calamari for starter. Here, fresh batch of calamari is tossed with bird eye chilli, parsley, lemon, olives and served with toasted in-house breads.
We then moved on to devour some pasta. Instead of a traditional pasta, we went for gnocchi - it was a delicious plate of Gnocchi Sorrentina. Soft potato dumplings tossed in rich tomato sauce and baked with bocconcini and fresh basil, the dish won our heart instantly. For the mains, we ordered Maple and Balsamic Glazed Pork Ribs, which came with the sides of fondant potato, chilli-garlic broccoli, pepperonata and micro-greens. The pork ribs were juicy, well-cooked and melted in mouth in just no time. Overall, the experience at Sorano was exquisite!
Such a heart-warming meal seems incomplete without a delicious dessert. And for the ones who look for something unique or something without chocolates and creams, Sorano's Burnt Butter & Peach Cake is a must-try. Here, a soft peach and apricot cake (eggless) is served with blueberry cheesecake gelato and berry coulis. You will also find various other options of indulgent chocolate cakes, tiramisus and more.
To sum it up, all we can say is - if you are looking for an Italian fine dine in town (Kolkata) for a cosy meal date, then this place should surely be on your bucket list.
Address: 1st Floor, Harrington Mansion, 8, Ho Chi Minh Sarani Rd, Kankaria Estates, Park Street area, Kolkata
Timings: 12 noon to 11:45pm (Monday-Sunday)
Meal for two: INR 1500-1700 approx. (without alcohol)