Somewhat in tune

Melody Cafe in 7 Bungalows is a quick hunger fix though they need to get over their onion and capsicum fixation

If you, like us, don't want to make a 360-degree round of the Nana Nani Park, simply head to 7 Bungalows, forget the park and look for Shatranj Naipoli instead. We'd have gotten there sooner if we'd been told. As it turned out, we were starving by the time we made it to Melody Cafe.

One side of bar-stools (no bar though), and the other four-seaters against the wall, and a bright red, the interiors are clearly not the biggest draw here. As my dinner date wisely states, "It's not the sort of place that would inspire you to say, hey, let's hang at Melody." True. It's best to get here, order, gobble up, and get out. The menu features Bengali and Moghlai cuisines, though very limited and minus any great fish items.

We call for Mutton Seekh Kebabs (Rs 160), Chicken Tikka Roll (Rs 70), and a Veg Roll (Rs 60). The Mutton Seekh Kebabs arrive quickly enough, on a bed of sliced and sauteed onions and green peppers. The kebabs themselves are a tad too tough and chewy, the sauteed veggies are crunchy and yum though floating in oil. The Veg Roll that makes it to the table next is piping hot with a crispy cover but the onion-capsicum dressing make a second appearance. Ditto for the Chicken Tikka Roll, though the spicy chunks of chicken makes for a succulent contrast to its crunchy cover. Kudos to the Chicken Tikka Roll. But a little more imagination with vegetables, please!

For the mains, the super-efficient staff keeps asking us to try out the Melody Special Biryani, the Mutton Biryani, but we're sort of full with our 'starters' and go for Lachcha Parathas (Rs 25 each) and a Chicken Bhartha (Rs 150) instead. The staff approve of our choice with a "Haan, woh bhi bahut achcha hai." Sweet.

They're somewhat right too though the Bhartha looks nothing like its Baingan counterpart, it's a pista green to start with, and has little other than chicken. Whole spices assail our senses, cloves, cinnamons, and more cloves. The chicken is warm, juicy and strongly flavoured. The parathas are flaky, buttery and very heavy. "Aur leke aayenge," reassure the staff, but we declined.

We optimistically check the two-sided menu for desserts, but sigh, none of that here. Just as well, since we're stuffed. Melody Cafe works best as a takeaway joint, it's not really your sit-down and dinner-plus- conversation place. Except for the staff, whose broad smiles and suggestions made us feel like they were serving us at home.

At: Melody Cafe, JP Road, 7 Bungalows,
Call: 9664384296

Melody Cafe didn't know we were there. THE GUIDE reviews and pays anonymosly for meals