Calcutta Cafes
CALCUTTA CAFES - Oh Calcutta! Addas with Great Tastes
About twenty years back Calcutta boasted of some famous ‘adda’ joints like Coffee Houses on
College Street and Central Avenue, Basanta Cabin in Basusree Cinema, Sangu
Valley at Bhowanipur, Dhaba at Ballygunge Phari to name a few alongwith a few
renowned Tea stalls where people from all walks of life would congregate and
spend hours over cups of tea and snacks debating literally on all topics under the sun. The
city earned a name for such ‘adda’
scenario which used to be mostly intellectual in nature. Lyrically depicted in
Manna De’s popular rendering of Bengali song ‘ Coffee houser sei Adda …’.But over the years this character
dwindled with emergence of modern foodscape. Like old wine in new bottle, more
costlier versions sprang up – CCD, KFC, McDonalds, Haldiram, Barista to name a
few. Returning to Calcutta after many years the one joint that caught my fancy
as a foodie and a great admirer of Calcutta ‘adda’ is a café housed in ICCR,
opposite US consulate on Ho Chi Minh Sarani (previously Hungerford Street). We
discovered this about a year back when we went to ICCR to see a performance of tabla
maestro Bikram Ghosh and some other renowned percussionists of India. The café
is located on the ground floor, next to the main entrance to ICCR. A glass
façade merged with a glass swing door provides a soothing view of the exterior
of ICCR. Through the glass one can see the lawn, the pathway, visitors milling
around and celebrities and musicians who come there to perform. Interior
decoration is simple with properly laid tables and seating arrangement. Some
cottage industry handicrafts and artworks are on display in one corner of the
space. May be the simplicity in the nitty-gritty of the décor adds to the finer
nuances in the ambience. So much so that once inside I feel like spending long
hours relaxing and chatting over a cup of refreshing Darjeeling tea and my
favourite Cheese sandwich. It is more in the pattern of Flurys on Park Street
but more reasonably priced and offerings
of a cornucopia of local flavours such as excellent Ghugni, Mutton Chop,
Chicken Cutlet etc.They also offer some continental and Italian delicacies like
Pastas as well. I have also tasted their special Pudding which I strongly
recommend to all Pudding lovers.
The following pics of the ICCR Cafe were taken by Arundhati Sengupta on her Moto-E smartphone:
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Exterior view of the Cafe at ICCR |
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Inside the Cafe |
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A LA CARTE |
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Address |
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Seating Area |
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Chicken Cutlet |
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Pasta & Beverage |
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Outside view from inside |
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Some delicacies of Bengal available at the Cafe |
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Waiters are efficient and hospitable |
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Ambience |
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