Kolkata Restaurants Serve Beckhams and Ronaldinhos on Plates

Want Beckham on a plate? Well if that sounds lip-smacking for female fans of the 31-year-old England striker, they should head straight to happening food joints in Kolkata

Want Beckham on a plate? Well if that sounds lip-smacking for female fans of the 31-year-old England striker, they should head straight to happening food joints in Kolkata with the World Cup mania on.

And there you have a choice between David Beckham, Ronaldinho and even the Dutch forward Rud Van Nistelrooy. It is not just Samba fever in Brazil-stung Bengali paras (neighbourhoods); the city's major restaurants are cooking up World Cup dishes as well.

Take for example the menu at Caught and Bowled at the sprawling City Centre mall in Kolkata's Salt Lake.

Here the walls are adorned with king-size pictures of David Beckham and Luis Figo and giant TV sets screen the matches while you are served dishes like 'Ronaldinho's Skill'.

'Ronaldinho's Skill' is actually a fish preparation with cashew nuts and cheese. And if you want your England style icon for a hearty meal, order 'Beckham freekick' - actually a preparation of roasted lamb.

Well, the cost of having Beckham and Ronaldinho served on the table varies from Rs.110 to Rs.200.

And that is not the end to it.

World Cup quiz has been thrown in for good measure with attractive prizes. For bills running above Rs.1,500, the diner would even receive a replica of the official ball of the World Cup.

At the five-star Taj Bengal meanwhile, a month-long German food festival is on to capture the World Cup spirit in culinary delights.

The hotel has flown down chefs from Germany who are preparing both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, besides irresistible German desserts.

In another star hotel in Kolkata, it seems as if a whole football stadium in Germany has been transplanted. The Atrium at The Park has installed a goalpost in the restaurant. The restaurant's waiters are dressed like Beckham, Ronaldo and Zidane.

From the main course to cocktails, they have it after the names of David Beckham, Ronaldinho and Rud Van Nistelrooy. To order a Beckham or Rud Van, just show the yellow card on the table and when it is time to pay the bill, show the red card.

At Oh! Calcutta! or Tangerine, other well known food joints of the city, it is the same World Cup theme on display.

From dishes and drinks named 'Bend It Like Beckham' to 'Mystic Munich', 'Sudden Death' and 'Freekick', these places have plenty to offer to whet the appetite of a soccer crazy city and gratify it.

Germany hosts the World Cup, but the party is here in Kolkata.

(Source: IANS)