Anand met Meena on his travels from Auckland to India. Meena was a humble and beautiful woman from the village of Dhallafalya in Gujarat.
They fell in love and soon after were married. As they exchanged their vows, they knew they had a shared dream, to pursue their passion of Indian cuisine and to open their own business. In 1993 ‘Oh Calcutta’ was born and today can safely be called a culinary institution of Auckland.
Anand tells me that a visit to Oh Calcutta is, "a journey… an experience.”
And there is no better example of this than what I believe to be their signature dish, Salmon Tikka. The Salmon is farmed from the cold waters of Stewart Island. This gives the fish the perfect texture, colour and taste when combined with the Oh Calcutta ‘secret’ tikka marinade.
We pair the dish with one of my favourite aromatic wines, the 2020 Domaine Muré Orchidées Sauvages Gewurztraminer from Alsace. The vibrancy of the wine delicately entwined with lychees and hints of citrus is sublime.
Both the wine and the restaurant have a strong family ethos. Domain Muré is now running into an incredible 17th generation with Veronique and Thomas Muré the current custodians of the vineyard.
Anand and Meena are also now introducing their children to the business. I sit with Elysha, one of their four children. Elysha grew up in the restaurant and, after graduating with a food science degree from Auckland University in 2021, has come to work in the business.
She gives a broad smile as she says how much she loves working in the kitchen. Her favourite dish? Prawn Malabari.
Running a business is a labour of love. It takes commitment, toil, nerve, intelligence and slices of luck too. Oh Calcutta and Domain Muré are perfect examples of these ethos.
Life’s path is never straight and as wise people impress on us all the time, the goal to happiness and enlightenment is not the end destination, but to enjoy and be aware of the journey itself. As Anand and Meena reflect on their 30 years, they can truly be proud of what they have built together. (PUNEET DHALL)
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Published: March 2024