Say Cheers to Greece

Olterra. &lsquoSounds Greek&rsquo to you, does it Well don&rsquot be surprised, it indeed is Greek. Located next to the venerable Peter Cat, it is one of Kolkata&rsquos newest restobar located on Park Street.

Tucked inside the heritage Stephen Court (which was built by an Armenian, Arathoon Stephen, likely in early 19th century), aided by the double height ceiling, the 13,000 square feet area enjoys a depth and dimension that befits the classical theme yet does not allow it to overpower you.  

The theme unfolds along the walls through black and white sketches, lettering, and colourful paintings as you climb a straight flight of stairs and then a short winding one to reach the resto-bar on the first floor, where pillars, decorated panels, paintings, etc. have been used to convey the theme. You have lots of seating options. To one side is a large screen and booths for private parties. If you are looking for a quite area, away from the loud music, the far corner with its chair and sofa settings would be perfect.

The heart of the restaurant beats around the 100-feet long island bar over which hangs a statue of the Greek god Zeus. When you are in Olterra (The Land of Beer in Greek), you eat, drink and make merry like the gods, a friend added with a smile. However, the owners &ndash brothers Rudresh and Siddhant Agarwal &ndash have played it safe with the bar and food menu, and kept it global.

Apart from whiskey and beer, spirits and liqueurs, you may choose from the list of crafted cocktails. Some of the signature cocktails on the menu include Let&rsquos Move To A Bellini (vodka, lime juice, peach syrup, sparkling wine), Have a New York Sour (Bourbon, lime juice, egg white, red wine), Gypsy Margarita (Tequila, lime juice, cactus syrup, green olives, jalapeno, rock salt), etc. They also serve some interesting mocktails &ndash we opted for the Essence (orange juice, galangal, kaffir leaf, lime juice, grenadine) and Feel the Magic (lychee juice, lemon grass, lime juice, basil). Soon, Olterra will have its own microbrewery.

The food menu is multi-cuisine, with plenty of choices to keep everyone happy &ndash soups, salads, big and small plates, dismsum, bao, sushi, sliders and wraps, pasta, pizza, mains, and desserts. We opted for the Edible Lava Coal (an imaginative retake on the &lsquodahi kebab&rsquo active charcoal coated croquettes are infused with cheese yoghurt fondue). The Gondhoraj Fish Tikka was also good we had the option of experimenting with the taste of the mild lemon flavoured bekti fish tikka by coating it with the spicy mint chutney and the parsley hummus served as dips. Some of the fast ordered dishes appeared to be the water chestnut and edamame galouti, chilli cigar rolls, barbeque chicken skewers, achari jhinga, etc. If you want a substantial meal, you may opt for the Chicken Tikka a la Kiev served with a baby naan on the side or the very filling Indian Big Platter (with a choice of bread or rice, dal makhani, and choice of sides).

We rounded up our meal with Egyptian Baklava (oven baked layers of crispy filo pastry with a filling of nuts) served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

The outdoor seating area, a terrace overlooking the busy street below, is also expected to open soon. And when it does, decorated with greenery, caged lighting, and wrought iron tables, it will be the perfect place to enjoy the city&rsquos mellow winter. 

The Information

Olterra, 18 Park Street, Stephen Court Building, Kolkata &ndash 700071.

Opening hours &ndash noon to 10pm. Approximate cost for two upwards of Rs 999 (plus tax) without alcohol, upwards of Rs 2499 (plus tax) with alcohol.