6 Ballygunge Place - Kolkata, India **

Whilst the focus of this blog is London and its variety of restaurants and bars it must also be noted that the rise of the middle classes in India is giving birth to a new range of diverse and interesting restaurants in India to meet the ever changing tastes of the Indian public. As I am currently on holiday in India it is apt that I should include some of these on this blog, especially 6 Ballygunge Place.

This restaurant, in a suburb of South Kolkata, is a well-known establishment specializing in traditionally Bengali food. The setting is quaint and cosy and the restaurant is set in a converted house, hence the name.

The quality of the food however was impeccable, the aloo dum was immaculately prepared and the balance of spices was perfect. The meat dishes were also incredibly impressive with tender meat and excellent curry. In addition to this the various vegetarian dishes were well prepared as was the fish curry - a Bengali specialty.

There were however some downsides to the dining experience at this restaurant. The service whilst efficient was less than informative and not once were we presented with the menu which meant that deciding what to order was tricky to say the very least. In addition to this the decor and ambiance was faded and tired and it appeared that the restaurant could do with a much needed facelift - for inspiration the owner need not look further than another specialist Bengali restaurant in the city, Oh Calcutta.

The quality of the food however made up for this and the meal was very reasonably priced, in contrast to some of Kolkata's other restaurants. It appeared however that 6 Ballygunge Place is too reliant on its reputation and the overall dining experience was reasonable. I was rate this restaurant 2 out of 5.

http://www.6bp.in

Busaba Eathai ****

If you're a fan of informal restaurant settingd and excellent food at reasonable prices and or have been to restaurants like Koya and Wagamama then you'll absolutely love Busaba Eathai and may in fact be converted.

The Thai food on offer is excellent ranging from the standard red and green curries to the less conventional such as the monkfish curry and the jungle curry. Each dish is immaculately prepared and to a very high standard. Do not expect high quality presentation or a beautiful creation to appear before your eyes as the key to the dish is its taste. My particular favourites include the calamari and the monkfish curry.

The shared dining experience also adds to the informal atmosphere and it's not uncommon to share dining tips and recommendations with your neighbours. This perhaps does not lend itself to couples on a date or for those looking for a quieter meal however is ideal if you're in a group.

This was clearly a very popular restaurant and the queue simply confirmed this - you should expect to wait for approximately 10-15 minutes for a table however once you're seated you'll know why you waited. The overall dining experience was very pleasant and the waitress was very friendly demonstrating good knowledge of the dishes. The only downside has perhaps been that the prawns were slightly bland and watery however I would still recommend this place very highly and give it 4 out of 5.

http://www.busaba.com

The Anthologist ***

Nestled in the midst of London's financial district a stone's throw away from Lloyds Banking Group and the Bank of England is a bar cum restaurant that is hip, sassy and reminiscent of a bar that epitomises coolness. This is the kind of place one could picture the Sex in City ladies drinking at and is definitely well worth a visit - this is The Anthologist.

Essentially divided in two, one side of the Anthologist is the bar where the cocktails are the specialty and the other side is the restaurant area. The cocktails on offer are fresh, fruity and quite breathtaking. The menu also lists their calorie count of each drink suggesting that this is a place which is health conscious and catered towards a certain crowd. This place gets quite busy with office workers from the area from 5pm onwards so expect to see a crowd of suit clad bankers spilling out onto Gresham as you approach the bar. After 7pm or so the crowd is mixed and diverse and the charm of the venue really starts to take effect.

The food is continental and British and each dish is prepared to a very high standard and presented in a similarly excellent manner. Whilst waiting for your food you are encouraged to visit the restaurant's own bar where you can have a cocktail tutorial and find a cocktail tailored to your specific tastes. This was a hugely entertaining part of the evening and was an interesting way of engaging diners in a sociable way and also filling the time before the food arrived. Suffice to say that once our food had arrived we had discovered our 'perfect drink' and went back to our table having learned something - I learned how to make a mojito and also that my favourite drink is the Vesper (James Bond's drink).

The decor was similarly cool and in keeping with the restaurant and bar's sassiness and the huge shelves of wine and spirits added to the idea that the restaurant was a living breathing anthology of alcohol. The meal was priced at approximately £40 per head including service and some of the drinks however the experience and the entertainment made it a hugely enjoyable visit. I would recommend this bar very highly although it lacks the charm factor so I have rated this 3 out of 5.

http://www.theanthologistbar.co.uk/