Calcutta Calling
Oh Calcutta! What joy this old city instills in the heart of a foodie. It has come a long way from the days of Trincas and Flurys to so much more. Here's us taking on the impossible task of enumerating only 10 restaurants that have held their own for about 25 years from a city that boasts of almost 40,000 establishments
Text: Malini Banerjee
It's mum's birthday and we gussied up to go to Park Street for a family dinner. We found an upstairs table in Peter Cat after a short wait time of only 15 minutes (45 minutes is normal, but it is Wednesday). We ordered our favourites – Tom Collins for mum, Pineapple Blossom for me, a whisky for my dad, two chelo kebabs and a Grilled Chicken Sizzler. We walked to India Hobby Center on Russel Street (the stylish new Park Street Social next to it) and hailed a yellow Ambassador taxi home.
While the above is a personal recollection of a particular day it perhaps does not differ very much for most millennial Calcuttians growing up in the city. The late '90s and early 2000s were still when dining out meant Park Street. Ordering in meant local takeaways from the neighbourhood Calcutta-style Chinese joint or the roti-tarka shack. Mainland China had yet to open and Taj Bengal was a prepubescent child – only 10 years old. This journalist had gotten her first byline in The Statesman's children's supplement Voices and had not quite discovered the joys of writing about food. Thank God for that since there was not much to write about.
Eating out meant chelo kebabs at Peter Cat, Tettrazini at Mocambo or Stroganoff at Floriana. It was the time when shopping malls were not yet a thing. A trek to New Market always meant stopping for biryani at Aminia or Shiraz, or rolls at Nizam's. New Market treks would also mean a brief stop at Nahoum's for some fudge, rum ball and Black Forest. Office celebrations meant a hearty meal at Amber and for a privileged few, big tables at whichever club one was a member.
For nightlife, Incognito at Taj, Someplace Else at The Park and Anticlock at Hotel Hindusthan International were the only ones around. Modhurima Sinha, now a veritable institution at Taj Bengal (director of PR East and North East, she celebrated her 25th year with the hotel recently), but then a newly-joined employee of the hotel, remembers heading to Someplace Else every weekend for some live music. "Pregaming" might not have been a word everyone knew but it was understood that youngsters, office-goers with not-so-deep pockets would hit Broadway, Oly Pub or Mag's for a tipple.
Since most restaurants were towards the CBD of the town near Park Street, or Esplanade for south Calcuttians, there was a choice of a few – "the trio of dhabas: Azad Hind, Sharma and Ballygunge's The Dhaba, Kwality's and Chinese Pavilion," remembers 'culinary commentator' Rukshana Kapadia. Further south, there was Hatari in Gariahat and Tandoor Park in Dhakuria. 6 Ballygunge Place had yet to open but Kewpies was the popular choice for Bengali food. While Aaheli in Peerless Inn was considered more luxe.
Kookie Jar had opened and made a name for itself for best desserts (including a lovely letter of appreciation from Satyajit Ray) while Flurys bordered on being called run-down, having opened in 1927 and changed hands to the Jit Paul of Apeejay Surrendra in 1965. The renovation that gave it its characteristic fuchsia pink and gleaming glass façade would come in 2004. For regular bakes and cakes, the average Calcuttian made do with Monginis and Kathleen's, because Flurys and Kookie Jar were for special occasions. For a short while, just opposite Flurys, ran a small tearoom called the Tea Table which had much the same menu but perhaps a tad cheaper.
The Indian economy might have been well into the post-liberalisation era but Calcutta was still under communist rule. So, American entities, pizza chains and McDonald's were yet to make an entry. But Calcutta had its homegrown pizza delivery – Don Giovanni's, the first in the business.
For Mughlai, everyone had their favourites but the iconic Arsalan had yet to open. For fancy North West Frontier cuisine, Zaranj on Sudder Street had its discreet clientele. Kapadia remembers her family swearing by the pasinda kebab of Aminia or the mutton tikka of Sabir. "My family still swears by Sabir's Mutton Rezala and paratha." Amber's reshmi kebabs, butter masala and naan were equally popular in their restaurant as well as in the colonial clubs they catered to.
Speaking of clubs, each had their specialities – both Bengal Club and Calcutta Club were known for excellent Chinese dishes, but outside of clubs there was Eau Chew and Tung Naam near the office para and Tangra, the newer Chinatown, would draw hordes to Kim Ling, Kafulok and Kim Fa. The more centrally-located Jimmy's Kitchen was popular, too, as was BarBQ and Flavours of China. Chef Gaggan Anand still makes it a point to drop into BarBQ for their special noodles when in Calcutta. Goes to show that when it comes to food, all of us are Dorothies at heart. "There's no place like home!"
Oly Pub Bar and Restaurant
Originally Olympia café, Oly Pub as it is now known, was a "large bakery making cakes, patties, biscuits, breads," says third-generation owner Azmeen Tangri. Tangri's grandfather, Dali Ruttoni Bhesaniya bought the bakery in 1945 and converted it into a restaurant and bar. The bakery continued alongside for several years and even today "the patties on the menu are made using the original recipe."
As college students and fresh-faced journalists, Oly Pub was a spot for "pregaming" before hitting Someplace Else, moving on to other clubs or even a quick meet-up after a long workday. "It was the only bar pouring drinks at the table in front of the customer and this tradition was continued for decades till COVID happened," says Tangri. Most hardcore carnivores swear by their Chateaubriand (beef) steak but their other Continental specialities like Chicken a la Kyiv, Fried Fish and Chips, and cocktail sausages are also quite popular.
Amongst the Indian specialities like reshmi kebab and fish, kebabs are popular because they pair effortlessly with drinks.
Oly has gone through something of a makeover recently and looks a lot swankier than it used to. Bright murals depicting Calcutta with its trams, taxis and Howrah Bridge now decorate its walls. Brick finishes and barrel tops add to the warm casual atmosphere of this evergreen watering hole.
Mocambo
Opened in 1956, Mocambo was Calcutta’s and possibly India's first nightclub with a six-piece band and a beautiful young crooner called Pam Craine. Mocambo did away with live music during the CPIM regime but the diners only came to realise their F&B was more than enough to ensure hordes would come to dine despite a waiting time of at least half an hour on weekends. In the '70s, the owners opened an Indian restaurant Peter Cat and more recently a Pan-Asian called Peter Hu. Needless to say, all are packed to the gills during weekends and wildly popular.
It is so intrinsically a part of Calcutta's nightlife, F&B scene and socio-cultural history, that to call it an institution would almost be a disservice. Their bright red lampshades, faux leather seats, and dark indiscernible paintings, reminiscent of Degas' ballerinas are something that the Calcuttian foodie would be able to picture with eyes closed.
The other thing we'd be able to picture with our eyes closed would be its menu. Beckty Bell Meuniere, Fish a la Diana, Chateaubriand and Pork Cutlet…many can rattle off the dishes and perhaps have tried most of the dishes several times over. Chicken Chipolata, my childhood favourite from their heritage dishes features grilled chicken, sautéed sausages, bacon and buttery sautéed vegetables. For appetisers, one shouldn't miss their Prawn Cocktail, and for soup, many swear by their Mulligatawny.
Shiraz Golden Restaurant
Walk down from Park Street toward Mullick Bazar and Shiraz Golden Restaurant is hard to miss. Roughly 80 years ago this popular Mughlai joint was run as a Taj restaurant. Legend has it that their first chef, Mohammed Shamshuddin was a descendant of the royal Bawarchi retained by the last Mughal emperor when he was displaced to Metiabruz from Lucknow. Its legacy and popularity continue with Shiraz having expanded to several parts of the city.
Their paya dishes served early in the morning are very popular with the Afghani community in Calcutta. Wintry mornings when you can see your breath smoke out of you are perfect for their comforting bowl of paya and parathas. There is a popular anecdote about their restorative paya curries. Legend has it that once a vegetarian teenage boy was suffering for a long time in the hospital and doctors suggested he have more protein-heavy bone broth or similar dishes. The patient's parents were at a loss as to recipes and what to feed him so the doctor wrote "Shiraz food". The patient's household staff landed up with the prescription and the perplexed Shiraz staff did not realise what to serve. Until of course, the hapless parent talked about the boy's condition. They then immediately knew what to get him and handed out containers of paya soup (simmered for 8 hours). The "Shiraz paya" diet continued for several days and the patient recovered within weeks.
Mainland China
We're just whizzing past our 25th year of Mainland China opening in Calcutta in 2000. And while several other legacy eateries may be older, Mainland China made it to our list for its consistency. When it opened in Calcutta it wowed its diners by providing thoughtful 5-star hospitality at fine-dining prices, that while not inexpensive were not as expensive as a 5-star experience would be. And their attention to detail said it all. The discreet sign in the ladies restroom that asked diners to reach out should they need anything – be it a needle and thread or contact lens solution, their unlimited cups of jasmine tea or even the cute but cosy waiting area that spared diners the ignominy of waiting on the pavement, made their flagship outlet on Guru Saday Road a true treat. There came a time when a meal out at Mainland China felt more festive than one at Park Street. Birthdays, anniversaries and Durga Puja meals felt even more festive thanks to their exemplary hospitality and near-faultless dishes.
Over the years we have loved their Sichuan Butter Garlic Prawns, Xinjiang-style Lamb, Claypot Chicken, General Tso's Chicken, Chilli Basil Fish and more.
Trincas
By now the story has been told innumerable times. The legendary restaurant opened in 1939 after Cinzio Trinca had a fallout with partner Joseph Flury. He moved across the road and started Trinca's Tearoom and Confectionery. 20 years later Om Prakash Puri and Ellis Joshua bought the place and turned it into a restaurant with live "floor shows". Usha Uthup with her booming voice famously performed here and made waves for performing in her silk Kanjeevarams instead of evening gowns like the other performers used to. As did the Trojans and Biddu Appaiah. If you can catch an old-timer or even Usha Uthup, then you'd know each table, which corner Amitabh Bachchan would dine at or Kabir Bedi, or even Calcutta's evergreen superstar, the late Uttam Kumar.
The live music has not stopped here since 1961 and now the line-up includes a Bollywood band early evening, western hits late evening and afternoon jazz every weekend.
And if that was not enough of a draw, there are also their popular comforting favourites.
The Devilled Crab, Chicken A La Kiev Lobster Thermidor are no-brainer kind of orders – always good and you can never go wrong with these. But there are also interesting new additions on the bar menu – like Pushpa, a cocktail with vodka, mango, ginger and curry leaves, and Bagan Bari with lychee, rose and lime.
Their Indian and Chinese menu are particularly good, too, with Chilli Roast Pork and Murgh Makhmali Cheese Kebab as absolute must-tries.
Chinoiserie, Taj Bengal
While the moniker Grand Old Dame is often given to the Oberoi Grand in Calcutta, Taj Bengal in residential elite South Calcutta attracts a different kind of reverence and awe. The hotel's vertical garden, 30-metre atrium and perfect acoustics that bring to light the daily two-hour Western classical music performance, have become part of its signature.
Sonargaon and Chinoiserie are the restaurants that have been there since its inception and to this date, the latter remains the only fine-dining Chinese restaurant housed in a 5-star hotel. The plush interiors, Oriental paintings in muted colours and the newly added outdoor poolside seating all carry a sense of quiet, tasteful luxury. Nothing is too over-the-top and the food takes centre-stage. As well it should. Chinoiserie sticks to doing what it does best and doesn't travel across Asia, focusing instead on the diversity of flavours Chinese cuisine can bring – with Sichuan, Cantonese and Hong Kong-style dishes along with an exhaustive range of Dim sums.
Our favourites from their menu include their light but deeply flavourful Seafood Soup, Burnt Garlic Fried Rice and Crispy Fried Spinach. Way before Yauatcha came to Calcutta, it was the only place one could have an authentic Peking Duck. Even now, expect them to go the extra mile be it in terms of taste, ingredients or experience. The Butter Garlic Scallops, Sichuan Style Chilli Mountain Chicken, or Beef Tenderloin are absolute fail-safe orders to go with.
6 Ballygunge Place
The only minor exception to our list of quarter-centurions is 6 Ballygunge Place which opened doors in 2003. Though the group's catering wing Savourites had already opened, 6 Ballygunge Place upped shutters in its eponymous address in 2003. Initially, they just occupied a small ground floor of the address but made waves for creating consistently good Bengali food that lived up to the expectations of the average Bengali diner. It was also well-timed since many of the laborious dishes that take time to cook and prepare and be served over several courses were losing their currency in the modern urban household.
Enter 6 Ballygunge Place where you could have perfectly white, nearly spherical luchis, with alur dom and follow it up with Mochar Torkari (banana flower curry, that is time-consuming) and still gorge on a Chingri Malaikari or a hilsa dish.
The age-old rivalry that divides Bengalis into two, depending on whether their ancestors are from erstwhile East Bengal or West Bengal, was also laid to rest with their Epaar and Opar Bangla food festivals. With recipes from both sides of the border, served and done justice to... The true winner was the diner.
The chain expanded to several outlets and the flagship restaurant took over two more floors and is beautifully done up with murals depicting Bengali Babu culture and designer crockery.
Eau Chew
One of the oldest Chinese restaurants close to Old China Town in Calcutta, Eau Chew is still Chinese-owned, unlike its 1920's compatriots. It is a well-favoured haunt for those working in Central Calcutta, so most do not need directions to find its inconspicuous doorway and staircase next to the petrol pump on Ganesh Chandra Avenue.
Go up the stairs, past its doorway, and its interiors might underwhelm newcomers looking for the perfect shot for Instagram but if you put taste over aesthetics then this is the spot for you. Bring company with you since you need people to do justice to its humongous portion of Chimney Soup. Served with a burning charcoal in its centre it will leave you full while your clothes will gently smell of smoke. Their Roast Chilli Pork is toothsome and has a perfect meat-to-fat ratio. The Josephine Noodles, named after the owner, are a variation of the Cantonese gravy noodles but their handmade yellowed egg noodles loaded with fish, chicken, prawn and pork are a special treat that can be a meal in itself.
Amber
Running since 1959, Amber is one of the few restaurants of its time that was not in Park Street. Its location in Waterloo Street, so close to Esplanade and the central business district of the city, made it a popular stopover for the office crowd. But its fabulous food is what wooed the family crowd as well. The four-floor family restaurant and bar also offers a few guest rooms on the property and its location ensures steady business.
It used to be customary for most fathers celebrating office dinners to come back with a box of Amber goodies for the family, or to have the family come to celebrate promotions of successful work days and farewells at the restaurants. While its Punjabi food and kebabs have always been popular (even Speciality Restaurant's Anjan Chatterjee is a fan of their Fish Masala Kebab), daughter and third-generation owner Aradhana Khullar mentions their Continental specialities like their Chicken au Gratin and Stroganoff being equally popular. Our standard family order in Amber would include Golden Fried Prawns, Gosht Peshawari Barra (maybe a baked fish for the odd one in the group who wanted Conti), dal makhani, Murgh Butter Masala and brain curry with naan.
Desserts would always be an even split between kulfis and tutti fruttis.
Flurys
Oh, Flurys! To say it is to breathe in the smell of childhood nostalgia. Of delicately floral Darjeeling tea, the sweet, almost yeasty smell of baked goods all suffused with the glow of being taken out for treats. Founded in 1927 as Flury and Trincas, the tearoom was known for its pâtisserie and baked goods. Its rum balls, cube pastries and sausage rolls (alas, now no longer on the menu) along with their sandwiches were considered a perfect treat for breakfast or tea. Even when they changed ownership and it came under the purview of the Apeejay Surrendra Group its patrons never reduced in number but only grew. Perhaps because the average Calcuttian has always loved its teatime. And what better way to hop in for tea and have a snack or two while watching the world go by from its windows!
It was the only place outside of 5-stars where one could order Eggs Benedict (or Florentine or Royale). As children, we used to love the spectacle of the Full English Breakfast at Flurys (till growing up made one see it for the "low ROI" dish it is).
Before they expanded vehemently a queue on winter mornings for a 7 am breakfast was quite customary. As was the long line of luxury cars that would wait to pick up milk bread. Their rum balls have made it to the Eater and Taste Atlas but it only confirms what Calcutta has always known. Flurys... its glory, the bright pink gem of a confectionery and bakery it is reputed to be.