Cafe HQ – Kolkata gets a Superhero themed cafe!

When there is evil all around and the citizens see no glimmer of hope and almost no chance of survival, there comes in a superhero! At least we love seeing these in the movies, we love covering our senses with this fancy blanket that keeps us cut off from this dirty world. Superheroes help us take that leap of faith, keep the non-believers (in you) at bay and make the world ‘round us a better place to live in. Often we adults buy more stuff or merchandises with a superhero theme than a kid does or asks for. I have been a big fan of Spiderman, Batman, and He-man when I was a kid and even today I adore them. And now my son is also a die-hard fan of Ironman, Captain America, Hulk, and Spiderman! Everyone needs an inspiration and the superheroes always keep us pumped up!

But sadly, my stint with food blogging was devoid of these heroes for so long in Kolkata until a Saturday couple of weeks back. I was invited to the den of Superheroes in Kolkata serving some delectable food that you surely can’t miss. The place is called Café HQ! The heroes are waiting at their headquarters to serve you justice along with some amazing food!! It’s a very new place which was badly needed in the city. It clearly shows that Kolkatans are up for the change in the city food scene and want to break that stereotype even in their eat-out options or dining experiences.

AMBIANCE

The cozy café has got enough seating arrangements and is placed close to the Rabindra Sarobar metro station (Tollygunge Phari area) in a peaceful alley which is perfectly cut off from the buzzing rush of city traffic. The café exudes warmth and thrill from those hanging lampshades which wear the superhero looks, the wall arts are also impeccable and helps to dedicate a wall to a particular superhero. I loved the Joker Wallpaper which is seriously dark and looks so serious!

Overall the place is very classy, spacious and urbane which is the best part; it’s not at all kiddish like some small stray joints which have come up in the city from time to time. I am sure with time Café HQ will add more superhero elements in the décor / interiors and will make you feel more surrounded by all these saviors of the planet! This winter get ready to get wrapped in this jacket of Marvel and DC comics and those nail-biting thrilling superhero movies while relishing some awesome Chicken Stroganoff!

FOOD and BEVERAGES

The café mainly serves soul pleasing Continental dishes and very soon they will launch their Chinese dishes as well which is damn exciting for foodies who are in love with their superheroes! Frankly speaking, since this place is so new and mainly focusing on this niche theme, I didn’t expect much from the food, but I am extremely happy that I was proven wrong! Food and Beverages is the biggest plus point of Café HQ and I can vouch for that. If you seriously want some awesome Continental food just drop in at Café HQ, you will be mighty impressed. So, let me run through what are the dishes which I had and my recommendations.

Mocktails

To start with, I liked all the three mocktails which were served. The Mind Stone Virgin Mojito was perfectly prepared and presented with a superb balance of sweetness and the punch of mint. The Spidey’s Sparkling Espresso was a tad out of the box with that reddish hue of Spidey and that touch of coffee paired with the sparkling base. It tasted very different and should be loved by all coffee lovers. But what I liked most was the Mr. Freeze’s Icy Spicy which was basically a blueberry flavored drink with that dash of chili in there to give an awesome kick which I was looking for.

Starters

Coming to the food, we tried some lovely starters first which had some vegetarian options as well which were fantastic. I am talking about the Wasabi Cottage Cheese which looked kinda dreamy and tasted heavenly. These are pan fried soft cottage cheese marinated in wasabi mayonnaise and presented with a mild spicy delish dressing!

Then the next starter was my favorite. Do you like chicken wings in BBQ sauce? If yes, then you simply have to taste this one. It’s called Barbecue Batwings. The meat was super juicy; the sauce was tad sweet and very flavorful. I didn’t realize that my eyes closed in appreciation while I was having this.

Mains

I tried three main course dishes and each of them was simply breathtaking. I started off with Justice League BBQ Chicken Pizza – It is the best Pizza I had after that pizza at Serafina. Yes, I really mean it. The thin crust pizza had a generous covering of mozzarella cheese and topped with some succulent pieces of chicken strips which were taken from the thighs (yes, chewy chicken breast pieces weren’t used). It was just out of the world – the planet is in safe hands it seems, the superheroes are doing it right!! Definitely, try out this pizza if you are here.

Next, I tried the Superman Burger. Yes, it was pretty huge served along with French fries and a dip. The burger had some meaty lamb patty with veggies and my favorite, caramelized onion rings. It tasted so good and I could not stop having it even though I was full.

The last main dish was – Chicken Stroganoff topped with a sunny side up. The dish was comforting and had a huge quantity of rice and tasted pretty nice, creamy, gooey and definitely subtle.

Desserts

I tried two desserts and both were again superb. The Tiramisu was superbly presented with that chocolate dust making a bat symbol typical to Batman! It had those creamy and thick layers with rich chocolaty touch to it. The other dessert was called Harley Quinn’s Apple Pie with Ice Cream and it actually hit the bull’s eye since I am a mad fan of apple pie and that cinnamon aroma and flavor. And when it’s paired with some ice cream it is way too appetizing to hold back myself.

SERVICE

Service is definitely one of the biggest pluses of this place. The servers are way too polite and courteous and the serving speed is also pretty fast which is an added advantage. They are pretty informed about the dishes as well and the chef himself is extremely passionate about every dish he is cooking.

FINAL VERDICT

This will be my go-to place from now on and I highly recommend this place more because of their Continental cuisine. I will rate this place pretty high and surely recommend it to my dear ones. Kolkata will definitely love them this winter and for many more winters to come! The ambiance is still being developed and it is getting better every day but definitely, the food has been fantastic from day one and is their greatest positives. The superheroes are all waiting for you to step into their den; you are cordially invited to their headquarters in the city of joy!

Cheers!

P.S. This was a ‘Calcutta Food Scenes’ event and thanks to Jude Martin for having me over.