Kasturi Restaurant

Kasturi Restaurant is a casual Bengali and Dhakai restaurant at 7A Mullick Bazar in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It is known for Dhakai-style Bengali home cooking, the food tradition of families with roots in the Dhaka region, which tends to be richer, more heavily spiced and more meat-forward than the cooking of western Bengal. The Mullick Bazar address places it in a lively central neighbourhood near Park Street, a few minutes from the city's main eating districts, and it draws a mix of local families and visitors seeking an everyday Bengali meal.

The menu leans on seasonal fish and slow-cooked meat. Hilsa preparations, priced at roughly ₹900 when the fish is in season, are the headline attraction during the monsoon months, when hilsa, known locally as ilish, is at its peak and most prized. Kosha mangsho, a dark, slow-cooked mutton curry, costs about ₹450 and is a dependable order for diners who want a classic Bengali meat dish. Prawn malai curry, around ₹650, uses coconut milk and mild spicing and is eaten with plain steamed rice. Starters, vegetables and sweet dishes such as mishti doi round out the menu.

The dining room is simple and unpretentious, with functional seating, steady chatter and quick table turnover. There is no formal dress code, and the noise level is moderate to loud at peak lunch and dinner. The beverage programme is minimal, centred on soft drinks, water and tea, so the focus remains on the food. Service is brisk and informal, which suits a casual lunch.

The restaurant is generally open from about 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM and carries a rating near 4.2. Reservations are not usually necessary on weekdays, though larger groups and weekend lunches are busier and a phone call ahead is helpful. Prices sit in the moderate band ($$) for Kolkata, and a full meal for two with rice, a meat dish and a fish dish usually falls between ₹1,000 and ₹2,000, depending on whether hilsa is ordered. Hilsa availability is seasonal, so visitors should check what is on offer.