Eating Out: ORDAB – THE BODO KITCHEN

Ethnic Northeast Indian food has had a sort of resurgence in the recent past with a number of eateries and restaurants coming up that serves traditional cuisine of the region. These eateries had stimulated a new found craze for traditional food amongst the people. Besides conventional ethnic dishes like Assamese, Naga and Manipuri food, a few restaurants have also come up which offer some of the most delectable delicacies of the smaller communities. In short, it would not be wrong to say that ethnic restaurants and cafes are the latest happening entrants in the F&B industry of Guwahati.

One such highly popular ethnic restaurant in the city is 'Ordab– The Bodo Kitchen', which is currently a hot favourite among foodies of the city. Specialising in traditional Bodo delicacies, Ordab has garnered a dedicated clientele of its own within a very short period of its launch.

Ordab – The Bodo Kitchen is located in Chandmari near the iconic Commerce College. The place is owned by young food entrepreneur Manab Basumatary and the restaurant serves some of the finest Bodo delicacies besides showing a glimpse of the rich culture of Bodoland.

The restaurant has a seating capacity for 24 people. Although the place does not have much to boast of in terms of decor, the walls are adorned with exquisite photographs of the food culture of the Bodos. Talking about the concept behind the restaurant, Manab says, "Our basic concept was to serve traditional Bodo food in a presentable and hygienic environment in Guwahati. Although there is no dearth of ethnic restaurants in the city, there are hardly any restaurants dedicated to Bodo cuisine. Most of the Bodo eateries are located in the Sonitpur belt and it is our attempt to promote Bodo food and food culture amongst the people of Guwahati."

The pictures adorning the walls of the restaurant have been clicked by Manab's elder brother Detsung Daniel Basumatory. "The entire interiors of the restaurant has been conceptualised and designed by him," says Manab.

"Although ethnic food has become a trend amongst the people, it was yet to become a fad. Right from the interior decoration to the presentation of the food, we have tried to make traditional Bodo food more appealing for the present generation," says Manab.

A major USP of the restaurant is its emphasis on serving traditional Bodo food in its most traditional avatar and in the healthiest manner possible. The restaurant is manned by a set of home-grown Bodo chefs who are adept at preparing Bodo delicacies. So be it Chicken Rice Flour curry or Pork Liver and Blood, the items served here are prepared in the most traditional manner.

As an ethnic food restaurant, the thali is one of the main highlights of the restaurant. The restaurant serves vegetarian, chicken, pork and fish thalis. Pork, however, is the most preferred item amongst the regular clientele of the restaurant. From Pork Curry to Pork with Lentils and Pork with Yam, this place serves pork in a number of avatars. The restaurant also serves some exotic Bodo delicacies like Silkworm fry (Polu fry) and Snails with Black Lentils.

Coming to the prices, most of the dishes are very reasonably priced and quite affordable for the common man. A meal for two will generally cost one around INR 250, says Manab. So for youngsters living in the area, this place is a heaven of sorts when it comes to tasting home food at very reasonable prices.

The eatery has also tied up with most online delivery portals like Swiggy, Ubereats and Zomato so one can simply order their preferred item of choice and order it from the comforts of their home. The online delivery system has also met with very positive feedbacks from customers.

A customer Purbali Deka opined, "The food served here is like homemade food, in shot. I simply loved the food. If you love pork cooked in different forms, this place is a must visit. And yeah, Bodo people are best when it comes to cooking pork!"

Another customer Debabrat Sharma said, "I had order vegetable thali from this outlet and the quality of the food was really good. The delivery service was also good and as per my expectations. I will definitely visit this outlet once again. Overall, I would rate the food quality as 4 out of 5, the delivery service as 4 out of 5 and staff service also as 4 out of 5."

So next time you are on the lookout for some ethnic food, you might do well to try Ordab – The Bodo Kitchen.