Enjoy your sultry evenings and relax in the open-air ambiance with mouthwatering food @ Crossroad Cafรฉ.!
One of the few places, which spearheaded the cafรฉ culture which is now pretty much prevalent in the city of Joy, Crossroad Cafรฉ has been long since near and dear to my heart. They pretty much churned out all the flavours since couple of years back, which astonished my tummies and set my appetite on a culinary rollercoaster, simply guessing on the different flavour profiles, which since then was quite unknown to my tastebuds. Not because I have never heard of them, but mostly because Kolkata lacked such places, which could play along with the Western cuisine, and give us a sense of much wider perspective of what the food around the globe is all about!
They were situated pretty close to Lordโs More then, while now, they have shifted their base inside the complex which houses the famed Navina Cinema. The earlier setup has been completely revamped, and now stands as an open area concept, plus the inside sitting, for those who may want to enjoy the inside chills. But, it is the open space, which now gives the cafรฉ its beauty, and makes everyone stand in awe, just gazing at the lush green fields, with the cool air breezing by their faces, while sipping into a warm cup of coffee, or may be puffing some of the exotic hookahs, Crossroad Cafรฉ has brought over for their patrons.
We started ourselves with a lovely Paan basked hookah, over an ice base, just before we munched ourselves into the food category. First to come was Roast Chicken Sandwich, which had boneless chicken cubes, tossed in flavourful mayonese, within a large Subway like bun, cut into to halves. Served with french fries, the toasted bread gave that crunch, while the grilled chicken provided that creamy texture of the mayonese. Mediterranean Chicken Burger came with a freshly fried chicken patty with Mediterranean spices, above which was placed a slice of cheese, two onion rings, all of these sandwiched inside soft buns, and a stick to hold the burger in place.
Fish & Chips served here were some of the finest I have tasted. If you prefer big chunks of boneless fillets, this is the place which you should pick as your poison. The bread crumbs holding the fillets, were fried to crisp, not however impacting the fresh soft fillets. Dip the cutlets into gooey mayonese, and you can surely have a round trip to wonderland. Thai Spice Crispy Fish was equally enjoyable, with yet again the huge chunks of the fillets creating wonders. The sweet and sour sauce was done to perfection, and every bite of these crispy fish, gave us a sense of foodgasm. Dry Chilli Chicken could be an alternate to the Tangra version, not however done in the traditional way.
The sauce wasnโt as intense as you would expect, perhaps a balanced addition of soya and vinegar, but the crunch and taste were as good as you may have in some of the finest establishments in Kolkata. Some hearty Italian Chicken Pasta in White Sauce with two garlic chunks, and on we moved on to maincourses, which had grilled chicken cooked in pepper mushroom sauce, with perhaps a splash of red wine, and served with butter herbed rice and sautรฉed vegetables. Grilled Fish cooked in lemon butter sauce, was accompanied with stir fried vegetables and done just perfect, so as to balance the butter and lemon, without affecting the inhibit flavours of the fish.
Two items, which according to me always defined Crossroad Cafรฉ would be their Barbeque Chicken Pizza and Strawberry Oreo Shake. These beauties did not disappoint me though, and tasted just like they had the last time I had them. The perfect adjustment of the acidity and sweetness in the Barbeque Sauce, the pizza was presented in a traditional round shape, and in a heart shape, owing to then approaching Valentineโs Day. The Strawberry Oreo Shake was a pure delight, with the sweetness of the Oreo being enhanced with the crunch from the crushed Oreo. Mix them well, and you can enjoy a pleasant session for yourself sitting in the open aired section of the Crossroad Cafรฉ. A must visit, if you want to get out from the monotony of your regular life, drop in here soon to enjoy some of the finest food and the newly built sitting area.
#crossroadcafe #cafe #navainacinema #openair #hookah #mocktails #food #pizza #shake #oreoshake #fish #burgers #whenstomachtickles
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There was a time when the city of Joy was all about munching on Gorom Gorom Alor Chop and Telebhajas. There was a time when an evening in Kolkata was probably about sitting on the luscious fields of Gorer Maath or having a sip on the clay pot of a popular tea vendor around. There was a time when adda for us was limited to sitting in one of those quintessential legendary cafes in Northern or Southern Kolkata. But not anymore! The time has changed and so has the landscape. Kolkata is getting its due share of modernization and the food industry is growing faster than it ever has in the past.
The 5-star hotels and restaurants are getting economical, atleast in their food section and the privilege to munch on quality food is being accessible by the common masses, Thanks to the ever growing small cafeโs and restaurants here and there. One such place which is a part of this revolution is Crossroad Cafe, and is certainly one of my favourite. I have tried a number of such cafeโs in Kolkata and very few are actually liked by me. If some excel in beverages, they lack in offering quality food. if some dishes out delicious cuisines, their service quotient is as good as a thin lining in the sky. But, not this place!
The food and service, both makes up Crossroad Cafe to what is really is today. A perfect destination to hang out on any given time in the day and enjoy a meal of flavors and comfort. Located near Navina Cinemas, this place can be found just at the junction of dropping into Prince Anwar Shah Road, if you are coming from Southern Avenue. Likewise, if you are coming from South City Mall and approaching Anwar Shah Crossing near Tollygunge, just turn right towards Lake Gardens/Mannar Khabar, and this place would fall to your right.
Situated on the ground floor, the place is really small. It can hardly accommodate a max of 25 people at the most. But, as they say, a small family is sometimes a happy family. The bright radiance of the sun entering the room through the frosted glass door, the quirky and colourful painted walls, the wonderful combination of colours of the tables and chairs, the artistically hung up bottles consisting of homemade pickles, the ever-smiling staffs attending to you; this place will not cease to amaze you no matter how many visits you plan on making here.
The co-owner, Mr. Vishal Kajaria, a humble and down-to-earth man himself was kind enough in inviting us to this humble venture of his for a food tasting event and we gladly accepted. Following are the delicacies which he had offered to his. Carefully crafted and prepared by him and by his skilful companion Chef Subroto Chakroborty, it was a sumptuous feast lying ahead of us.
Drinks:
1) Mango Passion Twist: Slightly different from a regular Mango Shake, this was perhaps infused with finely sliced Mint leaves and perhaps some Passion Fruit Juice. With a grainy texture and somewhere shifting to the flavour exhibited between a ripe mango and a โKancha Aamโ, this was a pure delight to have. Could be easily ranked on top of an innovation list, if you prefer to try new things, this is one drink you must have.
2) Sparkling Espresso: Honestly, I did not like the idea here. The coffee was overly sweet and the entire thing was more likely on the nomenclature of an iced tea rather being a coffee in itself. The drink looked appealing with a sliced watermelon on the edge, but the overall taste did not impress me much. I would easily prefer something on the likes of โCold Coffeeโ over this.
3) Passion Fruit Lemonade: Who does not like to gulp up an enticing lemonade in this hot summer and you get a free bonus if you get to taste the seducing passion fruit as an addendum! Sugary syrup, lemon juice and passion fruit pulp; together they make a holy alliance. Served in those pretty jars which are easy to handle, this one is probably the most ordered beverage here.
4) Virgin Mojito: Perhaps the most common of all the Mojitos. This was rightly flavoured up with the correct amount of zing. The mint leaves were fresh and the lemon and ice together made it a much refreshing drink from us having come a long distance against the scorching heat of the sun.
5) Blueberry Mojito: A regular Mojito transferred into something colourful and enriching by adding up Blueberry Juice. Tasted the same as the previous one, but a tad bit sweeter and slightly different due to the Blueberry A combination of mint, lemon and sweet blueberries, try this instead of the regular Virgin Mojito if you are looking for something new.
6) Caramel Cold Coffee: Regular cold coffee with a drizzle of Caramel syrup inside. Tasted a bit sweet but not sweet enough to dominate the very essence of Coffee. Infact both Caramel and coffee complimented each other very well.
7) Irish Cold Coffee: For the uninitiated, there has been numerous modifications to this one and everyone has their own way of making this classic. The one served here was nothing fancy, yet it tasted so rich, smooth and sublime. The whiskey was put in the right quantity and the combination of the ice cream with the coffee gave it a nice smooth and sublime texture.
8) Cafรฉ Latte: Combination of Espresso and Steamed Milk, Cafรฉ Latte is one of the most popular beverages among its own kind. Served hot, this had a strong coffee flavour as it usually should. The sugar wasnโt excessive and among all other cold beverages which were served, this one really managed to make a mark for itself. Must be one quality hand which prepared had this.
9) Kulfi Shake: A unique twist to a rather ordinary shake, this one was perhaps used by mixing up frozen Kulfi with cold milk and sugar. The Kulfi was probably plain pista and had an enchanting presence of condensed milk. The consistency was good and this wasnโt watery as one would find the shakes to be elsewhere. The froth above gave this a nice visual appeal and we took no time in finishing this up before moving to the main course.
Food:
10) Harissa Chicken Skewers: Supposedly originated from Africa, this one is made up of a paste comprising of red chillies, garlic and vinegar. The paste is then applied on huge chunks of chicken which are then skewered onto a stick and then put on a grill. This was served with a dice of lemon and a bowl of salad which represented the likes of kimchi. Chef Subroto was honest enough to confess that the colouring of the paste was all natural and no artificial substances were used. The chicken had a firm texture from the outside, yet we had no problem in consuming them due to their soft core in its inside. The drizzle of lime managed to infuse a tangy flavour upon the already flavourful paste.
11) Thai Spice Crispy Fish: Eyes do not lie and so wouldnโt the picture for this. The Fish was fresh and the batter was crisp. Tossed in basil sauce and served with salad on the side, with every bite I cursed myself for not wanting to have a sweeter version of this. Being a โBheto Bongโ, I absolutely adored this dish. Sprinkled with wonderful and fresh spices, this was a delight to have. Perhaps addition of few more herbs will infuse more โThaiโ feeling than it already does.
12) Sweet Corn Balls: Tempura Fried American Corn fried perfectly to crispiness and garnished with bell peppers, a dollop of cheese and finely cut red chillies. The chillies werenโt fiery enough here. What contributed to this dish was the sweet corn, the crisp batter and the heavenly cheese. One could really bite in balls after balls of this one to satisfy their tastebuds.
13) Grilled Cottage Cheese Bruschetta: Honestly admitting, I am not a big fan of cottage cheese. For someone who despises the very mention of this item, this dish was a surprise in disguise. The cottage cheese was grilled to perfection and the base was also grilled to crispiness. The salsa wasnโt tangy but rather on the sweeter side. Sprinkled with a drizzle of herbs here and there and some bell peppers on the side for presentation, this was perhaps our most enjoyable dish all throughout.
14) Classico Burrito: Refried beans grounded to perfection and then being wrapped in a tortilla. The tortilla was lightly grilled with a lovely crisp texture throughout its surface. Served with pickled jalapenos, cheese and French fries on the sides, this was a bliss for my vegetarian only friends who could not enjoy the non-vegetarian delicacies.
15) Green Peas Burger: Green peas and refried beans stuffed together to make a crisp patty, which are then topped with mustard mayo, brown onions, crisp onion rings, chopped salad, cheddar cheese and crisp fries. Honestly, it was hard to distinguish if this was a vegetarian one or a non-vegetarian counterpart of the same. The stuffing was just perfect, full of flavours, and had a nice balance of sweetness and saltiness. The cheese was just a blessing on top of the crisp patty and the onions rings made sure that no stone was unturned to give the customer ultimate experience.
16) Fish Burger: Regarded as the specialty item here, and rightly so, this was liked by one and all. Served with bell pepper, homemade mustard sauce, pickled cheddar cheese, corn relish, home fries and crisp onions rings; this was the second time I was having this. Both the times I was equally amazed of how a small item like this burger could pack such a punch. The combination of the sunny side up along with the patty and the cheese lifted the level up a notch justifying the high standards set by this cafรฉ.
17) Falafel Wrap: Again, a treat for my vegetarian friends, this was served with pickled eggplant and tomato and parsley salad, this one is a Middle Eastern classic and is made up of ground chickepeas or beans or both. The filling was crisp and sweet inside and well with the tomato and parsley salad served in the sides.
18) Pizza Earthy Veggies: Topped with spinach, mushroom and garlic, I did not really enjoy this much because by the time I had this one, I have already had the taste of their special Barbeque sauce twice. The plain tomato sauce provided for this one thus seemed quite bland for me and the spices for this one did not appear right for my palette.
19) Barbeque Chicken Roasted Pizza: Smoked chicken in their homemade Barbeque Sauce and accompanied with onions, according to me, this is the real deal here. The sauce is not too tangy, not too sweet either, yet it is so lucrative and enticing. The sauce has its own flavour and certainly is one of the best I ever had in Kolkata. The sauce is not artificially sourced and is completely homemade. If you are looking for something surprising to make your day up, have this one. You will not be disappointed.
20) Chicken Bitten Steak: Served with sweet potato straw and risotto, this one is a bit hard to describe. May be because this dish requires artistic perfection and careful hands to combine all the flavours to complement one another. The chicken was beaten to perfection to give it a flat texture. The risotto was cheesy and went well with the steak. I could not get the sauce which was used to toss the steak, but it appeared some sort of an orange glaze. The thinly sliced potato straw added to the crispiness and made sure that the cheesiness of the risotto wasnโt dominating the flavour coming out from the chicken.
21) Barbeque Roasted Chicken: Same intoxicating Barbeque sauce was used to toss the chicken after which it was served with green pea saffron potato pilaf. The sauce was beckoning as usual but the chicken did not lose easily out to the sauce. The chicken was soft throughout and wasnโt like the usual dry ones you get elsewhere. The pilaf went well with the sauce and this could be regarded as a wholesome dish altogether. The quantity was quite good to serve two people along with a drink on the side.
22) Grilled Fish with Stir-Fried Vegetables: A work of an artist, a creation by a perfectionist, a dish by an expert. Certainly not a work of an amateur, the fish here was soft, succulent and fresh. Grilled to perfection and tossed with caper lime sauce, this was carefully put in a crisp pastry basket and garnished with fresh herbs and paprika! I have heard stories of how a man could fall for a woman. Visit this place and have this dish and you would know how someone could fall in love with a dish. Sprinkle some lime on the top and bite in some garlic bread and this dish would certainly win your hearts and mind.
Deserts:
23) Chocolate Montecarlo: By this time, we were all stuffed and decided we could not go along any further. Sadly we had to give up, but a meal is not complete until you have some deserts to end it up with. Made with chocolate cake, vanilla ice cream, sugary syrup, this one was topped with chocolate sauce and probably some caramel as well with cashewnuts being used for presentation. The desert brought in a comforting end to our sumptuous meal justifying the standards set up by the quality beverages, starters and main courses.
To end, there is hardly anything else I could speak about this place. The co-owner, Mr. Vishal Kajaria is one of the most generous and kind people one would ever see. He carefully coordinated our entire marathon and made sure all of us present in his cafรฉ got equal share of the food and wasnโt left out. The food and the drinks came appearing one after the other and had no intentions of stopping at any point of time.
The chef is a highly qualified man in himself and has earlier worked as the head chef of Chai Break. He listened to all our suggestions and inputs we had to give him in the humblest way one ever could. We were amazed at his expertise and how he had helped in setting up the menu at Chai Break before he ventured onto elsewhere on his professional journey. If not 100, 99% of his dishes here were liked by us and equally praised by all.
If you are still not convinced that this place should be your next destination to come over, go through the other reviews. If not all, most of them have been showering praises as to how good this cafรฉ is and more importantly how great their food is. Considering the throw-away prices they charge for it, this place is definitely a steal and a hidden gem among the hundreds of newly sprung up cafes all around this city. Try and enter with an empty tummy and I promise you that you will go out with a happy heart. :-)
#crossroadcafe #crossroadcafereview #where_brilliance_meets_perfection
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