You are reading

New Indian restaurant offering traditional Kolkata recipes opens in LIC

Photo via Instagram @oh___calcutta

Aug. 20, 2024 By Shane O’Brien

An Indian restaurant combining a blend of Kolkata’s regional specialties with classic Indian dishes has opened its doors near the Long Island City waterfront.

Oh! Calcutta opened its doors at 10-57 Jackson Ave. at the end of July and will hold an official grand opening on Monday, Aug. 26.

The restaurant is a new venture from owner Ruhel Amin, who also runs Mumbai Masala in Harlem and Masti Indian Grill and Chaat Bar in Williamsburg.

Oh! Calcutta draws on the traditional home-style cooking and spice-blending techniques of “Old Calcutta”, making use of Paanch Poran, a distinctive house-ground “five spice” blend widely used across Bengal and Eastern India. The spice blend combines cumin, brown mustard, fenugreek, nigella and fennel, while all other spices used at the restaurant are roasted and house-grounded.

Ruhel has appointed chefs Sharmeen Rahman and Lisha Khondokar at Oh! Calcutta, with both chefs sharing a passion for home-style cooking.

Rahman and Khondokar have been involved with Ruhel since the launch of Masti Indian Grill in 2020 and now bring a number of traditional Indian recipes to Oh! Calcutta.

Interior of Oh! Calcutta. Photo: Oh! Calcutta Instagram.

Interior of Oh! Calcutta. Photo via Instagram @oh___calcutta

Rahman has spent years developing her chutneys, relishes and curries, while Khondokar, who learned to cook from her mother and aunts, will bring a number of time-tested recipes passed down from generation to generation to Oh! Calcutta.

Khondokar also captures the essence of Kolkata street food with her Jhal Muri – a popular street snack in the Bengali region – and provides lighter vegan and vegetarian options with her Vegetable Cutlet – a traditional Kolkata dish consisting of a beet and potato mash with breadcrumbs and peanuts.

She also showcases the unique flavors of Kolkata with her Lake Market Fish Fry and the Misti Dhoi dessert – a yoghurt treat commonly found in West Bengal.

The restaurant boasts dozens of other dishes specifically from the Kolkata region, including Singhara, a Kolkata-style samosa with spiced potatoes and cauliflowers; Kosha Mangsho, a slow-cooked bone-in goat curry; Fish Paturi, roasted fish in a banana leaf; and Lamb Saag, a dish consisting of spiced lamb, pureed spinach and ginger.

Oh! Calcutta additionally offers dozens of traditional Indian dishes, including Butter Chicken, Chicken Vindaloo and Dal Saag – a vegetarian dish consisting of lentils, spinach and ginger.

The restaurant boasts a relaxed design, featuring vintage photographs of Old Calcutta and floor-to-ceiling windows offering excellent views of the local neighborhood.

Oh! Calcutta also boasts an enclosed outdoor dining area, while the storefront features a white marble countertop for takeout orders.

The restaurant is open seven days a week, between 11:30 a.m. and 10 p.m., although it is closed between 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday.

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

MTA opens three new modernized elevators at the Queens Plaza subway station in Long Island City

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced the opening of three new modernized elevators at the Queens Plaza E/M/R subway station in Long Island City earlier this month as part of a larger accessibility and safety upgrades throughout the transit system.

The work included a full replacement of the cab and equipment within the cab, shaft and pit, along with two new elevator head houses located at street level. Crews also made modifications to the shaft and pit as needed to allow for new equipment. The elevator machine room and electrical and mechanical equipment received replacements and other modernization efforts for reliability.

Queens Together launches ‘Unofficial US Open Dining Guide’ encouraging fans to sample restaurants along the 7 line

Aug. 20, 2025 By Shane O’Brien

The US Open returns to Flushing Meadows Corona Park this Sunday, with more than 1 million attendees anticipated to take mass transit to the iconic annual tennis event. With hundreds of thousands of fans set to take the 7 out to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, there is a world of delicious local eateries lying beneath the elevated train tracks should any fan wish to stop en-route to the US Open.

Can Queens’ food scene thrive with both trucks and restaurants?

Aug. 19, 2025 By Jessica Militello

In Jackson Heights at 4 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon, Roosevelt Avenue is buzzing with energy as commuters file in and out of subway cars and onto the street and cars and trucks grapple to get down the busy road. The street is filled with rows of shops and restaurants, along with food carts, street vendors and food trucks along the avenue. The almost-but-not-quite the weekend lag leaves hungry commuters faced with another choice to make throughout their day and the array of food truck options in busy areas like Jackson Heights offers customers convenience and delicious food without breaking the bank, two features that can feel vital, particularly with rising costs of living and pressure from inflation.