When the rain-soaked afternoon entices you to drive deep into a greener path, you feel lost! When the dusk is engulfed by raindrops playing on the sodden beds, you feel enchanted! And when the sound of a conch coming out of a wet terracotta temple welcomes you to be a part of a quiet evening, you become numb with religious thoughts!
This monsoon, on a weekend morning, forget everything in this mundane world, just drive in to a loveliest eco-tourism, the Vedic Village Spa Resort, nestled just 40 minutes away from heart of the city. I bet, my words of experience will come alive and will be reverberating in your ears.
People call it a ‘Wellness Resort.’ I call it an ‘Ashram’ with all modern facilities you can imagine. It gives you pure oxygen, it gives you much needed mental peace, and it gives you long-buried creative thoughts to evoke. What else do you need to rejuvenate? A city-dweller like me looking to escape the modern jungle that Kolkata is and to connect with nature in style, waits for years together to find such a getaway.
In keeping with the simplistic style of the resort, the restaurant ‘Bhoomi’ has been built as a two-storied mud house with a thatched roof. Kudos to the management for structuring the surroundings to resemble a village! The courtyard is the soul of this place completed with indigenous artwork carved in the walls and draws its inspiration from none other than the culturally-rich Shantiniketan, the home to Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.
While at Vedic Village, I stumbled upon their restaurant Bhoomi, an ethnic eatery specializing in Bengali cuisine. Being an ardent foodie that I am, Bhoomi definitely occupied the top spot on my to-do list. Before I get on with the delectable delicacies at Bhoomi, I must take a moment to mention the awe-inspiring structure of this restaurant.
Now let’s get down to what you’ve been waiting for. The food, and the menu. Bhoomi is a haven of Bengali cuisine lovers. The place boasts of dishes from both sides of the river Padma (that is Bengali and Bangladeshi delicacies. A unique feature of Bhoomi that won me over was how the atmosphere blended perfectly with our food transporting us to a rural setting as if we belong to simpler times, giving us an opportunity to not just consume but connect with our roots. The delectable maach (fish), the irresistible kosha mangsho (mutton), and the comforting basanti pulao (a signature sweet rice preparation) are only a handful among a number of dishes that Bhoomi provides to its customers. Bhoomi also consciously takes care of its vegetarian guests offering a plethora of vegetarian dishes like chorchori and aloo r dom (potato curry) to choose from. Along with an Ala Carte menu, Bhoomi also offers vegetarian and non-vegetarian thalis.
I was served on earthen wares adding authenticity to the whole process. Starting off with the refreshing aampora sorbot (mango drink) will be a delight in the humid and gloomy afternoon. I followed it up with their Moghlai Porota (egg and meat stuffed Indian bread), Mangsho Chop (meat chop), Sukto (mixed vegetables), and finished off this wondrous meal with the delectable Rajbhog (Big Rasogolla), and Gurer Ice Cream (jaggery ice cream). I would also recommend you to try out their Dhokar Dalna, and Chittagong Murgi. Bhoomi also offers Daab Chingri and Illish Bhapa making it the ideal place to visit for a meal after a Bangal-Ghoti I-League clash. If the wide arena of food is not enough to impress you let me tell you of their unique Sushi but with a Bengali-twist! Using ingredients like illish, kasundi, and kalosorshe, their Bong-inspired sushi is a novelty.
Bhoomi is operational on all days except Thursday. Lunch is served from 12 noon to 4 PM while dinner commences from 7 PM onwards. A meal of 2 at Bhoomi comes at a very reasonable cost of Rs. 1500 (approx.). Bhoomi has taken Bengali gastronomy to a notch further with its Hilsa Chronicles where guests can pair delectable Hilsa dishes with wine! The place is a must visit for all who love food. To reserve a spot, contact: 8336955999 & 9830820447. I hope you enjoy your dining experience at this dining delight just as I did!
Pics Courtesy: Vedic Village Spa & Resort
Taste Tales 