Kolkata, Oct 16: Chicken a la hip hop, shredded lamb rock and roll, mutton qawwali, fish fusion, paneer thumri -- do these names make a fragrant appeal?
"Yes, and more," says famous percussionist Pandit Tanmoy Bose whose signature restaurant 'Wasaabe' will boast these items.
"I want visitors to Wasaabe, which opened its doors in Kolkata last Thursday, to be reminded of the musical genres as well while eating their food," Bose said.
Wasaabe, Bose points out, itself is the name of a Japanese stringed musical instrument while Wasaabe is the name of a food in that country. "I have sought to strike a balance," he said.
Among the glitterati present in the inaugural was famed sitarist Anoushka Shankar, daughter of Pt Ravi Shankar, who vouched for Bose's intimate knowledge about food.
"Perhaps only a handful of people know, myself fortunately included, that Pt Tanmoy Bose is a culinary artist as well and I am sure his food will be as delectable as his drum beats are," Anoushka said.
Anoushka said she was not aware initially how good a cook he was despite having travelled with him since she was 15.
He has travelled the world over and it was not just a musical journey, but a culinary journey too, Anoushka explained.
Leaving aside food and Wasaabe, Anoushka said she had no plan to enter into films as a sound recordist or a music director any time soon, as rumour-mongers would have it.
The ace sitarist said she was busy bringing out her new album of fusion music in London and is looking forward to perform another 'jugalbandi' with her sister Norah Jones, an acclaimed jazz singer, whose records sell in the thousands the world over.
