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While people desire to go here and there and eat global cuisines by travelling all around the world, Kolkata is just getting started with its new restaurants. One such name that comes to mind is Neuma, co-owned by acclaimed Indian director Karan Johar, Ankit Tayal, Anshul Goel, Vartik Tihara and Bunty Sajdeh, CEO of Dharma Cornerstone Agency is waiting for you to flip the pages of its chapter in Kolkata.
Image Credit: Rajlakshmi Dastidar
“Kolkata diners are generally very open to experimentation and new flavour combinations. When a dish is thoughtfully adapted to suit the local palate, guests are not only willing to try it but often return for it. For instance, dishes that blend Japanese and broader Oriental influences with European and Indian elements have been well received because the flavours feel both familiar and distinctive,” says the team. It is the way the architecture has been designed that speaks to you, and you know what you’re walking into. Everything else just matches the vibe of the place with every member of the team, making sure that your aura matches what you’re having.
The name, pronounced Noo-Maa, is derived from an old concept of spirit; the unseen force that links people, places, and events, and that principle is at the heart of everything Neuma does and offers. In conversation with the Head Chef Pawan Bisht and Head Bartender Mukesh Patwal, Slurrp delved into the idea, concepts and ofcourse the food and drinks that make Neuma shine all night.
When Food Finds A Home In Thoughtful Design
Neuma delivers an internationally inspired meal centred on narrative and spirit. It aspires to make every meal a memorable experience by creating a dynamic but private atmosphere. Smoked wood, textured stone, and bronzed accents establish the tone, while subtle pools of light provide pauses between discussions, beverages, and meals.
Image Credit: Nuema, Kolkata
“Neuma has always been about the soul — of a space, of a meal, of the people who gather around a table,” says Karan Johar. He also aptly summarised why Neuma should be in Kolkata, noting that the city, with its incredible demand for culture, art and discourse, seemed like a natural next home. This city offers more than simply dining; it also provides experiences. "And that is exactly what Neuma is built for." It is a statement that reflects Neuma's greater ambition of establishing a venue where food serves as a starting point for connection, culture, and shared moments rather than just a meal.
Image Credit: Rajlakshmi Dastidar
Here, cuisine and design collaborate to create an intimate, immersive, and quietly memorable ambience. Built around a culinary collective and enhanced via modern presentation and a strong emphasis on ingredients, the meals strive to elicit emotion as well as flavour.
A Menu Framed By Panoramas And The Spirit Of Kolkata
Slurrp asked the team behind Neuma what dishes reflect Kolkata on their plate, along with the view and what was served, still lingers on the tongue. Starting with the Ebi Tempura (yes, it was a fishy affair, ofcourse); a classic from their Signature Sushi Roll menu, when dipped in soy sauce, the tender tempura prawn, cucumber, sesame seed, sriracha mayo, and teriyaki reduction is a burst of umami. The most interesting part of the Sushi Roll menu is that you get to choose if you want to sit at the Sushi Bar and watch the dishes being made in real time, or you can sit on the outer deck, watching Kolkata pass by.
Image Credit: Rajlakshmi Dastidar
The team explains, “Dishes that use global techniques or ingredients, layered with flavours that appeal to the local palate, tend to generate strong curiosity and repeat orders. Examples include Burrata Yuzu Soy Salad, Togarashi Silken Hummus, Yuzu-Sprayed Broccoli, and Tobiko Malai Prawn Curry. Kolkata’s well-travelled dining audience shows genuine excitement for thoughtfully executed fusion and globally inspired cuisine.”
Image Credit: Rajlakshmi Dastidar
Yet for all its creativity, each dish arrives with a disarming simplicity, one that belies the profound depth of flavour beneath. The Truffle Mushroom Arancini in particular was a revelation; a reimagining of crispy truffle-infused mushroom risotto balls served with classic tomato sauce was so masterful it borders on the transcendent while the Chicken Shanghai Pot Stickers are prepared with Shanghai chicken gyoza with a deeply smoky burnt chilli bean sauce that lingers. The dim sum offering is nothing short of inspired.
For those who want to take the dishes up a notch and try something new, the team suggests trying Aki Tomorokoshi, a dish that exemplifies the philosophy of using hyperlocal and local ingredients from the City of Joy with quiet confidence. They tell Slurrp that corn on the cob, as humble and familiar an ingredient as one could find is transformed through the heat of togarashi butter, while the unmistakable fragrance of gondhoraj lime grounds it firmly in Bengal. There is nothing overwrought about it; the genius lies in its restraint. It is a dish that speaks to the seamless dialogue between global technique and local soul, feeling entirely natural rather than contrived.
The Most Memorable Bites On Neuma’s Kolkata Menu
While the menu draws inspiration from multiple cuisines, the focus is always on balance, flavour, and the overall dining experience rather than authenticity for its own sake. There has to be a cohesive thread running through the menu whether through ingredients, techniques, presentation, or flavour profiles. The Mains Affairs menu is a study in classical cooking executed with conviction at Neuma. The Eggplant Parmigiana is comfort distilled made with layers of baked eggplant yielding beneath rich tomato sauce, fragrant basil, and molten cheese while the Chicken Roulade is stuffed and served alongside velvety mashed potatoes and a deeply reduced jus. Crowning the selection, the Herb Crusted Lamb Chops are a statement; assertive yet refined, resting on a silken potato purée with oven-roasted garlic and a lustrous lamb jus.
Image Credit: Neuma, Kolkata
What stole the show was a colourful offering that tasted like summer through monsoon through winter. And if you’re visiting Neuma in Kolkata, this dish needs to be on the table for you. The Mango Curry with Blue Pea Rice is a dish that unfolds in deliberate, unhurried layers, each spoonful revealing a new dimension of flavour that lingers long after the bowl is set aside. The first encounter is one of gentle, velvety warmth, a mild coconut broth that carries the natural sweetness of ripe mango pulp with remarkable restraint, striking a balance that feels almost effortless. It is here that the masalas begin their quiet work, the homemade curry paste and red curry weaving together in seamless harmony, building a depth of flavour that is complex yet never overwrought. The blue pea rice, dramatic in its deep violet hue, is far more than a visual statement; it serves as the perfect canvas for the curry, its earthy softness drinking in every nuance of the broth and grounding the dish in a way that feels both intentional and deeply satisfying.
Why Every Drink At Neuma Feels Like A First Sip Moment
And how can anyone forget? Each dish eaten comes with a cocktail that feels like a full-circle moment. These are sips that match your taste, your thinking, your wants; you want it, you got it. “Creating cocktails that appeal to both enthusiasts and casual diners is about balancing familiarity with innovation. I build on recognisable flavour profiles or classic structures to keep drinks approachable, while adding thoughtful techniques, unique ingredients, or regional influences for depth,” says Head Bartender, Mukesh Patwal.
Image Credit: Rajlakshmi Dastidar
The first drink that Slurrp sipped on for the night, luckily a rain-soaked Kolkata called the Tomhato is a crisp and delicious wine-vodka cocktail with sweet melon, fresh apple, and green tomato notes. As ever, wine-based cocktails are steadily carving out a presence of their own and this particular cocktail has every quality needed to lead that charge in the city. Each drink represents a different facet of the brand creativity, culture, flavour exploration, and storytelling. Some evoke nostalgia, others are bold or minimal but collectively they create a cohesive experience that reflects Neuma as dynamic, sophisticated, and approachable.
From the earthy vivacity of Carrot All About It and the slow-burning intrigue of Green With Heat, to the indulgent warmth of Mango Brûlée and the meditative calm of Matcha Made in Heaven, every glass tells a story. Yet if you really want a high from your cocktail that feel likes you’re sleeping on top of a candy bar, Panda Got Pandan as strange as it seems, combines peanut vodka, banana, pandan and vanilla ice cream offering a sip which is boundary-pushing, beautifully composed, and utterly memorable.
Image Credit: Neuma, Kolkata
Neuma’s Dessert Menu Is The Sweetest Plot Twist For The Night
For ending on a sweet-note, desserts were waiting to be gobbled up. Neuma’s desserts are absolutely unhinged in the best way possible. Each one hits different like the kitchen just knew exactly what your sweet tooth needed before you even did. There's a whole vibe to every plate; pretty enough to post, delicious enough to make you forget you were even taking photos. Honestly, the desserts alone are reason enough to come back, and if this is how Neuma chooses to sign off a meal, you need to be here for it. The Tiramisu, the Molten Cake, the Basque Cheesecake, all brilliant in their own right but honestly?
Image Credit: Rajlakshmi Dastidar
The best thing Neuma has to offer is what was waiting to be discovered—XO Chocolate Mille Fuille. When it arrives on your table, the urge break it with your dessert spoon becomes a little hesitant. No wonder people say that maing desserts are an art in itself and this mille fuille wrapped in chocolate truffle mousse, vanilla whipped ganache and smooth raspberry coulis is the best way to end the night. Plus, it is eggless and one plate can feed a group of two to four people with a doubt!
Address: 4A, JBS Haldane Ave, Tangra, Kolkata, West Bengal 700105
Timing: 12 PM - 12 AM
Price: INR 2,000+taxes for two
