What would you say about a young lady who&’s travelled far and wide and who literally came full circle to set up her own hospitality establishment in heritage property that was under dispute? Call her crazy, if you will, but Megha Agarwal, an alumnus of Symbiosis Institute, Pune, shared this vision with her uncle, Rajesh, who has contributed to the restoration of a 108-year-old building in south Kolkata&’s Lansdowne Road to produce her dream of a boutique hotel-cum-restaurant called The Corner Courtyard, probably the first such effort of its kind in the city&’s hospitality sector.

Begun in 2013, it&’s one of the favourite hangouts for youngsters to experience finger-licking cuisine and, however quasi-traditional, semi-fine dining with family. This ancient building steeped in a colonial past was last inhabited in 1904. Now redeemed, like a long-waiting lover it has been transformed into new form, given new life, identity and name. Apart from a popular restaurant, it also has an exquisite patisserie.

The brainchild of founder and CEO Megha, The Corner Courtyard aims to capture the aura of a classic colonial  ambiance and include a dining experience based on global cuisine that makes it stand out from other establishments.

The 57-seater arrangement also incorporates unique accommodation with seven individually designed accommodations on two floors, themed boutique rooms, in which Vermillion (keeping Goddess Durga in mind) and Charcoal (depicting Satyajit Ray&’s aura) grab the eye for their fittings of 50-100-year-old furniture painstakingly restored by experts.

Chef Haroshit Sarkar is responsible for a new menu comprising global cuisine along with a few local favourites. “We introduced this menu from March and made changes, keeping the shooting temperature in mind. For instance, we’ve kept our appetisers bland and light and people are loving it. We also have something called small plates, which mostly comprise wraps (rumali/open sandwiches) made up of ragi and wheat flour, keeping the nutritional quotient in mind.”

Sarkar, with years of experience, has shortlisted four dishes that are hot favourites amongst Kolkatans. His Farfalle with three mushroom ragouts in brandy cream sauce with truffle oil is a must-try if you aren’t allergic to mushrooms. It&’s a sort of pasta that is creamy, non-spicy and will melt in your mouth. The truffle oil enhances the aroma and taste with the first bite. Eat when hot and avoid asking for a doggy pack, because it loses its taste once reheated.

If you’re of the humongous appetite sort, order this along with another of the chef&’s favourites (worth every penny, too) — chicken breast stuffed with bacon, broccoli florets, mozzarella in an orange cognac gravy with root vegetables and stewed grass. Yes, that&’s quite a mouthful, but if one were to describe the end result in a word, “perfect” would suffice.

Presentation, taste and nutritional value top the list, so also try southern fried chicken with apple cabbage slaw and a spicy remoulade dip, or pot-roasted/grilled New Zealand lamb chops with jalepeno, polenta cake, root vegetables and “brandy jus”.

If you’re shaken by the winding names and get confused about what to order for drinks, don’t worry. Says Sarkar, “You can have any drink with any of our items. There&’s nothing fixed – standalone drinks, mocktails or cocktails. Also, the menu keeps the elderly and kids in mind, so none of our drinks are neither too spicy or have too much alcohol. Our fresh hand-rolled pizzas and salads are the fastest moving items.”

If you gel with bacon, a Hawaii pizza with hash browns is something you will order twice over. Since it&’s hand-rolled, the crust is thin and crispy. You’re also free to customise and add on, but make sure you’re in a group as the pizza demands more than two to finish without overdoing it.

Moreover, this charming boutique establishment has finally opened a bar on the third floor, the cherry on the cake for party animals. Book a table for an evening, because it feels best at dusk. From the range of cocktails, you might want to go for Indian Summer (gin, cucumber, basil, lime juice), The Corner Courtyard (gin, edible flowers, cordial, stewed gooseberries), Before Sunrise (dark rum, angostura bitters, lime, passion fruit, simple syrup), Tomorrow Land (tequila, orange juice, pineapple juice), or more.

If you’re in the groove for a lavish breakfast, opt for eggs benedict, eggs on the beach, couscous upma, cranneberg salad, risotto balls spiced with Thai red curry and served with sweet chilli mayo, pizza extravaganza, or the chef&’s special baked chicken and spinach lasagne topped with grilled onions and more between 8-11 am.