Cambridge Foodies

‘Advert’ – We were invited by the team at Golpo to celebrate their grand opening. On this occasion we were not asked to pay. Legally we have to say this is an advert, even though it isn’t. We are just writing what we experienced. For more information on our policy click here

We were invited to the grand opening of Golpo, a brand new Bengal cafe/restaurant on Hills Road.

Golpo replaces the old Rajbalesh that has been here on and off since 1976. It was a shame to see such an institution vanish but unfortunately it failed to keep up with the times.

Enter, Golpo, a restaurant which aims to do exactly that – keep up with the times, with bold new changes. By offering the restaurant/cafe experience in one and a new menu, all with a more casual and relaxed atmosphere, they hope to cater to a broader range of new customers and show a different side of their cooking to existing ones.

The menu moves away from the traditional ‘British Indian’ we are all familiar with and emulates ‘the true flavours of Bangladesh’ with more traditional ‘tastes of home’. For anyone looking for truly authentic Bangladeshi food then this is the place to be. This is something the public may have struggled to embrace a decade or so ago but now the time feels right. With people becoming more open minded with food and relentless foodies like us always looking for our taste buds to be challenged, if there was a time for modernisation and new ideas – this is it!

This is bold stuff considering that Indian and Bangladeshi restaurants are struggling at the moment, mostly due to recruitment problems and a lagging economy. Especially in the hyper competitive area of Cambridge. It is a roll of the dice and an exciting one at that which one has to respect.

The interior reflects their relaxed style. It pulls off the trick of being traditional yet modern at the same time. The aim is to also open up throughout the day, so people can pop in for a coffee or tea and enjoy the sober bar.

What I have always loved about this restaurant is the size. It is big enough to host a large number of people comfortably. It is also perfect for hosting events and big parties. Better still, its size means that seating isn’t crammed in and there is a lot of personal space, further adding to the relaxed atmosphere.

We were given a sample of what to expect from their new menu, including bite sized snacks to small curry and biryani portions. Everything was delicious and the meat quality especially stood out to me as particularly high quality.

One of the most notable changes is that Golpo does not serve alcohol and instead has an extensive list of alcohol-free drinks. Being a cafe, it also includes tea, coffee, chai. For anyone looking for something sweeter there are cocktails, mojitos, and a selection of drinks ‘on the rocks ‘. I was lucky enough to try their Jack Daniels alcohol-free equivalent and it did a fair job of simulating the flavour. In fact, I would say that it was more refreshing.

One of the main reasons for this new direction is that they feel that alcohol can take away from the flavour of the food. By removing alcoholic drinks this not only promotes good health but can help them create a drink which compliments the food more suitably.

We sampled some other parts of their new alcohol-free menu and we were pleasantly surprised by some of the things we found. This isn’t just a bar full of the token alcohol-free options, usually placed in bars for that one guy who is driving with his mates. This list has had a lot of planning and thought put into it, with a focus on drinks which compliment the flavour of their food.

I was particularly fond of the “smash pale ale”. An award winning alcohol-free pale ale which I must admit did hit the spot. Cambridge Foodies moderator Gerry had the alcohol-free cider called the “smashed apple cider” which he also thought was a refreshing take.

It is going to be a hard habit for someone like myself who grew up on the whole idea of a beer and a curry but when you take a step back and think about it logically, it makes sense. Alcohol does not often compliment the flavour of Bangladeshi food and often curry is very bloating itself, so adding another bloating beer essentially turns you into a blimp for the evening. We all know the feeling of leaving after a curry and 3 beers and feeling like an amorphous blob. This is no good on a night out and is no good for your waist line…also, it makes you feel terrible.

It is also worth pointing out that the staff here were spectacular. They were on point throughout the entire evening, despite how busy it was.

It was a fun night at Golpo with lots of great people from all over the country looking to support the team, including other Bangladeshi restaurant owners. Golpo is going bold and I cannot wait to visit again and really get stuck into the menu. Having an alcohol-free bar is going to take some getting used to but I am going in with an open mind. On my way home I already noticed the perks of this as I didn’t feel bloated and was able to drive rather than faff around with inadequate public transport. So, I am starting to notice the benefits already!

There is 20% all food until the 15th of July, so make sure you pay them a visit!

Thanks for reading!