Puran Dacca in Banani
The Old Town is a subject of fascination indeed. Its glorious history, its unique culture and of course its grand and mouth-watering culinary scene all make Old Dhaka a magical place. Inspired by this magic, a restaurant in Banani has been opened earlier this year.
“While brainstorming for ideas, we realised that there are numerous cafes and restaurants featuring various international and exotic cuisines. We felt that the number of eateries focusing on Bangladeshi food is comparatively less. And from that realisation, we tried to create a restaurant that will not only uphold the food and culture of Dhaka (and Bangladesh), but also work as a platform to educate people about it,” informed Ahmedur Reza, one of the owners of Puran Dacca Restaurant.
The decor of the place reflects the concept. Apart from showcasing decoration pieces such as miniature rickshaws and gramophones and hanging paintings and artworks regarding the glory of Old Dhaka, one wall is particularly dedicated to old photographs.
Framed and hung are the varied pictures focusing on the history of Old Dhaka and Bangladesh. From a picture of Shaheed Minar taken on 21 February, 1963 to another portraying the scene in front of Gulistan Cinema Hall taken in 1954, these photographs stimulate nostalgia among the senior citizens and on the other hand provide a learning scope for the young.
The restaurant seeks to raise awareness on Old Dhaka. “We want to educate people about Old Dhaka. Each table you will see contains some information about its history and culture,” Reza said, pointing out the small articles with pictures attached on the table tops, with the subjects ranging from the Nawab family to Dhakeshwari Temple.
The restaurant also organises exhibitions. “The theme of the exhibitions is usually Old Dhaka and Bangladesh at large. There might be some fusions, but the primary focus will generally speaking always be on Bangladesh. These exhibitions are also a platform for new and upcoming photographers and painters,” Reza said.
With the name, the decor and the activities, you can easily guess at the menu this restaurant offers. There are a variety of kebab items, chaap, teheri, biriyani, etc. The restaurant also offers different types of 'bhortas'. On the other hand, there is a whole series of street food that is popular not just in Dhaka but in the whole Indian subcontinent: bhelpuri, papri chaat, chatpoti and the like.
The menu is not restricted to Bangladeshi cuisine. Due to customer demands, the eatery also offers other genres of food, such as sandwiches, rolls and soup. Also, another issue to be noted is that the foods prepared here are less oily (and therefore more healthy) than those offered in many Old Dhaka restaurants.
Try their 'Nababi Jafran Sarbat', the restaurant's popular drink -- a rich and very sweet drink made of milk, different nuts, saffron and a few secret ingredients. The menu of desserts consist of several items such as kulfi, faluda and 'bakarkhani with firni', which is a fine delicacy you should definitely try out. The bakarkhani comes directly from Old Dhaka, and we all know how famous these bakarkhanis are. So step into Puran Dacca to have an amazing experience of the old town in the new town: the restaurant is located at House #103, Road #13/A, Block C, Banani. For more information, call 982 1020 or find Puran Dacca Restaurant on Facebook.
Photo courtesy: Puran Dacca
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