13 April,2011 08:37 AM IST | | Anjana Vaswani
At the American Conservative Political Action Conference last year, when syndicated columnist and author George Will expressed his concern about what lawsuit-happy America's constant demands for "common-sense labels" has led to, the crowd went hysterical. "You can buy a clothes-iron that says "Do Not Iron Clothes On Body," he said, sombre frown wedged squarely between eyebrows, "You can buy a child's stroller that says Remove Child Before Folding."
Warning labels that state the obvious can be amusing, but Kol Rolls' menu could use one, we feelu00a0-- "Do not eat in wooded area," may work with, "May set mouth ablaze," in the fine print. The four dishes that the owner recommended were all good, but prepared by chefs who are originally from Kolkata and perhaps therefore naturally inclined to be generous with spicesu00a0-- each item we sampled seemed hotter than the previous. The Chicken Momos (Rs 90) were bland however, which rendered them a particularly useful side dishu00a0-- one that we could use to blot the spiciness, between bites of the other items we ordered.
Coated with oil, the Crispy Chilli Potatoes (Rs 75) and Red Hot Pepper Chicken (Rs 90) were similarly prepared, with a predictably Indian-style Kung Pao sauce. They were all out of fish the day we stopped by, so, of the Bengali items, we sampled the Murg Kasha (Rs 130).
With a menu emblazoned with phrases like, "Bengal's Pride," and "From the City of Joy," the chicken certainly had a lot to live up to. It didn't disappoint. Prepared with a smooth, creamy, onion and tomato paste, the chicken was tender and its gravy, bursting with flavour. Prepared with a special Bengali blend of spices that's somewhat different from the typical garam masala combination, the dish had a unique richness that made it hard to set aside.
Kol Rolls' menu includes an array of Chinese dishes and you'll also find items like Hong Kong and Malaysian Chicken and Thai Curry. It's decent fare, as long as you're not looking for authentic traditional cuisine. But if you seek authenticity, stick to the Kol collection.u00a0
At Shop No 12, Narayann Building, 1st Pasta Lane, next to Kailash Parbat, Colaba; Call 64465295 / 09869334425 / 09869334485; Time 11.30am to 11pm Kol Rolls didn't know we were there. THE GUIDE reviews anonymously and pays for meals.
