It was in the early 2000s that I first experienced the city of Kolkata. I had come to visit a friend’s place during Durga Puja. It was a short trip on a shoestring budget but enough to give a peek into the cultural flamboyance of this city and its distinct way of life. Years later my first official posting had brought me to Kolkata again and I got a taste of life there as a citizen in this mega city that has in all these years still preserved its relics from the past. Whether that has happened by choice or is an outcome of lack of progress elsewhere but the consequence is an undoubtable fact that if there is one city which still retains its age old character is this erstwhile capital of our country. Consequently, I have a soft spot for this location due to its timeless charm and hint of nostalgia, so when a friend’s engagement offered a chance to revisit, I readily said yes.
Park Street in Kolkata is likely to rank highly on your list of the most famous avenues in our country where you can find a unique blend of dining, shopping, and entertainment. The street, which happens to be one of Kolkata’s most well-known pin codes offers you a peek of the beautiful past and a present that may be torn between clinging to that past and keeping up with what’s happening in the world. It is home to several renowned eateries and bars that patrons have frequented for decades—some of them existed even before the country had gained its independence. Then there are premium brand and modern retail stores with all the glitz, and peppered among all of this are Kolkata’s street vendors serving some of the most mouthwatering street food you can find anywhere.
As a result, for this trip, we selected to stay at The Park Kolkata, located exactly on Park Street. We had a single notion after checking in: we had to take a stroll along this colorful and lively street. The first thing that we did was to stop by a seller with his nice little setup and indulge in some Phuchkas and Churmur in the typical Kolkata way. If you are ready for a walk about, you can locate quite a few of them.
Kolkata is also known for its sweets, particularly its legendary Sandesh. Balaram Mullick is one place where you can try a variety of Bengali sweets, including various kinds of Sandesh, and Park Street is home to one of their outlets. What might you try there? Well almost everything – Nolen Gur Rasagulla, Baked Rasagulla and Chana Poora is what we tried. The last one was in a way the Bengali version of a Basque cheesecake
Machhli Baba Fries was another interesting place we visited. We are vegetarian but our daughter is not and she likes her fish fries and fish lovers may want to try this place out. It is just few meters ahead of Peter Cat another of the famous restaurants in Kolkata.
On the second day afternoon, following our darshan at the Dakshineswar temple, we were back on the street, with a few alternatives for lunch based on the research we had done. Inevitably, Peter Cat was the first choice, but there was a lengthy wait as usual. I had my name registered, however unlike Gurgaon, they did not take your number, thus you had to wait and be present for your call. Even though we really wanted to go there, the wait was too long, so we opted to try Mocambo, another name that was recommended. Although there was a waiting list as well, thankfully it was not quite as long. Inside the ambiance was that of a vintage fine dining place, staff dressed in their white uniforms and turban, and a slightly aged look spoke of decades of service this place had given to connoisseurs of food and fine dining – since 1950’s it claims. Despite its history and its prime location, it was not pompous but down to earth having held on to its character all these years.
Another short bur sweet trip Kolkata is always, welcome break from the sea of sameness, which every other India metro is becoming, and worth remembering for our excursions up and down the Park Street.
