Shiraz Golden (Park Circus – Mullickbazar Crossing, Kolkata)

YUMMRAJ Demystifies the Legend of Shiraz

In a nutshell:

A long History of excellence, sadly struggling to keep up with its earlier Glory – A lunch here left us with a cold feeling & also food that was surely lower than expectations.

the facade

Address & other details: Shiraz Golden

Meal for 2: Rs. 250 onwards

special mutton biryani @ Shiraz

Cuisine Type: Vegetarian & predominantly Nonvegetarian

Short Description – In case u r in a hurry:

Shiraz as a name rings a bell with Most Calcuttans (since the Days when Kolkata was Calcutta). I have had many good experiences in the past here like many others. Over the years I have seen a decline & had stopped going here & insead to the newly opened Arsalan. Similar experiences cud b heard from others as well. This time around I made it a point to revisit Shiraz & check it out myself…………….

Burrah Kabab @ Shiraz

There are two restaurants at Park Street Mullickbazar area. One is a few shops away from the other. The newer one is closer to the crossing & the older one is a few shops away. The newer one is swankier as well. We decided to go to the Old one.

Menu Card @ Shiraz

The old restaurant has a non airconditioned ground floor & an airconditioned first floor. Furniture, look & ambience of the first floor is much upgraded as compared to the ground floor. The look at first floor was that of an old Eightees restaurant. Cubicles made with set of sofas facing each other. Lighting was dim.

colorful picture studded menu card

The staff of this place need a special mention. Some of them seem to walk out of a 70’s movie. They have been in the same job of waiting tables for decades, have got bored enough & that shows on their face every moment, appear at the tables like robots without any facial expression & at times frown if too many questions are asked. The uniform has quite a ‘Nawabi Khansama’ look. The relatively younger Manager who I guess was the only person in suit, was also quite serious faced. He was continuing to speak to me in English even though I was speaking in Bengali. It was then that I did what I do best – mentally poke. I striked a conversation on ‘what is popular her / what is legendary her, I have come from far to eat here/ what is ‘mash-hoor’ (famous) here etc & within 3 -4 sentences each, the customer – server barrier fell apart. We were talking to each other as two human beings & the interaction was excellent since then for the rest of our stay.

mutton chaap @ Shiraz

The food is surely very good in isolation but as compared to others, this one takes a beating – Straight away from Arsalan Park Circus & surely from Aafreen, Metiabruz. We were unlucky to get stale meat in one of the dishes, very happy to get a replacement after we reported the same & even more disappointed when the replacement turned out to b stale as well.

Raita @ Shiraz

However, inspite of that, people throng to this place in thousands, more due to emotional reasons than pure culinary ones.

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Aafreen Restaurant (besides Metiabruz Police Station, on main Akra road, Kolkata)

In a nutshell:A hidden wonder lost in a large metropolis – best Kolkata Biryani in Kolkata

A view from the main road

Cuisine Type: Nonvegetarian

Address & other details: AAfreen, R-38, S.A. Farooqie Road, Akra Road, Kolkata

Meal for 2: Rs. 150 onwards

Short Description – In case u r in a hurry:

YUMMRAJ shifts the crown of ‘Best Biryani in Kolkata’ from Arsalan after eating for the second time at Aafreen. Arsalan is now ‘Best Mutton Biryani in Kolkata’. This shift is purely on the basis of taste – not anything else.

drooling good biryani at Aafreen

Crispy Layered laccha parathas, super tasty subtle rezala , fiery looking bhuna that is very tasty & yet not half as fiery as it looks, a grainy & robust tasting Chhap, a subtle burhani to cool all this & the showstopper – As I write, I am salivating just at the thought of the biryani, even a week after munching it……… soft, melt in the mouth rice, not dry but not very greasy as well & unbelievably tender & tasty meat.

Chicken Chhap on slow fire

Detailed Description – In case u have the time to enjoy reading:

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