“I keep in mind rising up with chamarmani, shiddho chhal, the GI-tagged tulaipanji and so many different varieties. Within the subsequent 10 years, it’ll all be gone,” says Chef Avinandan Kundu of Cafe Sienna and Rannaghor. He provides, “As eating places we should be accountable about what we prepare dinner and what we put out. At Rannaghor (Bengali for kitchen) by Sienna we’re protecting alive previous tales and substances from Bengal.” Since August 2025, the highest ground of Cafe Sienna has reworked into an intimate eight-seater eating house, open three days per week, with Avinandan and Chef Koyel Nandy working the present with a group of six.
The menu here’s a distinction from what the cafe beneath serves. Whereas the menu in Sienna is urban-centric, in Rannaghor, recipes are impressed by childhood reminiscences. “I keep in mind my mother and grandmom within the kitchen, giving me a chunk of mach bhaja straight from the korai”, says Avinandan.
The cooks began by exploring the Bankura and Birbhum districts. In Bankura, the cooks tried ant chutney made by the Santhals (indigenous ethic teams in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, and Odisha.) “We bought the ants frozen, it’ll be on the Rannaghor menu as soon as we work out what the vegetarian counterpart is,” smiles Avinandan, including that in Bankura they don’t use garam masala. “The flavour comes from simply onion, garlic, and chilli. We now have been to 2 different districts the place they don’t use panchphoron.”
The menu adjustments seasonally
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The Sunderbans, and North Bengal, is subsequent on their listing. “Folks solely know of momos. There may be a lot dairy fermentation that occurs there. There may be affect from Tibet and China. Dooars, Kalimpong and Jalpaiguri are additionally on the listing. If we cease exploring and studying, all this (he factors to the kitchen) will cease to exist,” he states.
Given Bengal’s variety, the cooks intentionally keep away from acquainted dishes. Because it irks them when guests scale back Bengali meals to kosha mangsho, daab chingri and aloo posto, the menu at Rannaghor steers clear of those. In order that they set themselves guidelines — there may be nothing kosha on the menu, no panchphoron, and no (gasp!) potato.
The old-world, handwritten menu intentionally retains Bengali names for the substances and dishes, although it has been transliterated into English for the comfort of the diners. For instance, scampi is talked about as galda chingri, bitter gourd as ucchey, cabbage is kopi, and fish — maach.
On the day I dine right here, the 13-course menu makes even a Bengali like me really feel insufficient about my information of the delicacies. The primary course is pickled bittergourd served with Bandel cheese and moringa flowers. Flavours are sharp however not harsh, and the dish prompts my palate. There may be bacon, however it’s comprised of the stomach of a 20 kilogram catla fish. It’s cured and smoked, and served with cheese fabricated from Dhakai paneer, pineapple jelly and aloobukhara jam. Avinandan’s favorite dish rezala finds place on the menu too. It’s my favorite too, particularly the deeply savoury bone marrow butter on high.
Programs are paired with cocktails corresponding to Bhaat & Bitters, aromatic with substances corresponding to Radha tilak rice, mirin, rum and fragrant bitters; Kalo Jeere Martini that’s heady with tequila infused with nigella seeds, vermouth, pickled fig, london dry gin; and Kalo Jeere Bitter with gin and kalo jeere infused tequila, charred bell peppers, bitter gourd, jamun, plum and pomegranate mud.
By means of the course of the meal, entrees like kopi kidney show methods the group realized in arid Bankura. Right here the dried cabbage is cooked in decreased cabbage inventory with mutton kidney on high and a gel made with leaves from the cabbage’s outer layer, with a touch of ginger. Together with that could be a sauce that tastes a wee bit like chattur shorbot (a drink made with sattu and water) however right here it’s recreated with toasted milk powder and goat milk and has a nutty, umami, style.
“Utilizing dried greens, sea fish (Bengal largely consumes freshwater fish), horse gram (one thing that’s not widespread in city settings), these don’t match into Bengali stereotypes. We now have locals of their 70s, who’ve lived right here all their life however come right here and uncover one thing new,” says Avinandan.
Dessert is a nostalgic affair. There’s a Horlicks caramel ice cream that takes me again to the times after I spooned the powder straight from the jar into my mouth. Mishti dokaan (candy store) options 4 sweets: their tackle shor bhaja, malpua, potol mishti (fabricated from pointed gourd) with paan leaves, and monohara.
The seats overlook the compact kitchen the place the group effectively fries, grills, slices, cuts, and plates every dish, unperturbed by curious clients and their raised cameras. Chef Koyel stops by for a chat after the profitable service, face flushed however a giant smile intact. From her passionate dialog, it’s apparent that Koyel is a custodian of all issues Bengali delicacies has to supply. The menu, she says will maintain altering seasonally.
(Left to Proper) Inside Ranna Ghor; Chef Koyel and Chef Avinandan; and a view of the 93-yearold constructing that homes Sienna and Ranna Ghor
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Dinner concludes with a welcome shock for each Bengali obsessive about their digestion (an inevitable after-dinner dialogue on acidity): Aqua Ptychotis, a concentrated resolution of jowan (carom seeds). To be trustworthy, it attracts an even bigger smile than even the macher muro (fish head).
As I depart with my abdomen full, acidity underneath management, and a way of bliss, I recall an previous proverb from the area: “Maach, maangsho, mishti— Bangalir jiboner teen tirtho” (Fish, meat, and sweets — the three holy pilgrimages of a Bengali’s life).
The meal prices ₹4,500 together with taxes for the present 13 course menu. Reserving is by way of the District by Zomato app. For particulars, name 6291068080.
Revealed – April 04, 2026 09:00 am IST
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