Kobe Sizzlers (City Centre Salt Lake)

Kobe Sizzlers Interiors

Perhaps Kobe Sizzlers is the only Restaurant in Kolkata which devotes to serving only Sizzlers apart from sandwiches and a few starters. Situated in the heart of City Center Salt Lake, Kobe Sizzlers is the true flavor of the very contemporary European grills and steaks. They have been the oldest Sizzler restaurant chain in India since it opened its door in Mumbai in 1975. They now have over 19 outlets in not only cities of India but abroad as well. Thick wooden tables, jute stringed chairs and modern abstract paintings on the wall make the décor. Interesting pieces of intricate wooden artwork separate each table from one another. There are cushioned long low benches on one side which maybe a bit uncomfortable for those requiring a back rest. The ambiance is pretty sophisticated.

Caramelle (Ballygunge)

Caramelle Interiors

Kolkata has many cafes where you can grab a cup of coffee anytime. Similarly the latest addition being the “Caramelle” (Le patisserie Cakewalk: A bakery specializing in French pastry) at Jhowtala Road in Ballygunge (near Syed Amir Ali Avenue crossing) which is a perfect gateway for today’s generation. The café aims to introduce a European-styled bistro culture to the city. The owner of the shop has put together two page beverages, three page vegetarian and five page non- vegetarian menu.

Mango People (Golpark)

Mango People Interiors

Finally an economical restaurant located in the prime area of Golpark (Gariahat Road), Mango People, which serve decent food to “Aam Aadmi” [Mango People] of South Kolkata. It offers Chinese, Fast Food, Continental dishes and mouth watering delights. However the place is very small (4 tables for 15 persons in total) and you will be quite fortunate to get a table in busy hours. The table cloth, divan, cushioned chairs all are red in color with matching red cotton napkins as well. There is live cooking within an open kitchen separated from the dining area by transparent glass walls. Mostly college students and youngsters turn up in large numbers at this place. The waiters are courteous to make suggestions while taking orders from customers and also serve a complimentary bowl of chips when the food is being prepared.

The Tea Trove (Sarat Bose Road)

The Tea Trove Interiors

If the saying goes –”a lot can happen over coffee”…then certainly “a lot can happen over tea” too!! Yes, ’The Tea Trove’ located at the Sarat Bose Road gives one the opportunity to freshen up with their various types of ‘tea’, one of the common beverages of this country. People have always preferred ‘hot tea’, but The Tea Trove paves one to a new road, where one is welcomed with brand new tea delights coupled with ice!! ’Tea’ has got an opportunity to expose itself in a totally different style, through this very young, cool, amazing vegetarian tea parlour. Situated in a very busy street, it attracts the school and college crowd and of course the young generation.

Pantaloons Food Court (Kankurgachi)

Mango Smoothie and Cold Coffee

Another self service food court in North Kolkata; Pantaloons Food Court is situated on the uppermost floor of the Pantaloons Shopping Centre of Kankurgachi area. After spending a lump some time on a shopping spree at one of Kolkata’s most popular brands, Pantaloons, and you are starving, you can get yourself some fast food, snacks, desserts or coffee here. This smallish food outlet is right beside the Food Bazaar (grocery store of Pantaloons) and has a few tables and even fewer food counters as compared to other shopping mall food courts.

Hangout Food Court City Centre (Salt Lake)

Hangout Food Court Interior section

Nicely sited on the rooftop, Hangout is the Food Court at City Centre Salt Lake, one of the oldest and most popular malls in Kolkata. Dishing out Italian pastas, Continental sizzlers, Chinese momos, North Indian Kebabs, South Indian dosas to Bombay Pav Bhaji, it is a multi cuisine self-service restaurant. It is split in two sections; the outside section is open air where plastic tables are laid under massive umbrellas and from where you get a good view of the Salt Lake locality. The other section is air-conditioned having all the food counters surrounding a central region with chessboard tiled floors, steel tables and green & black plastic chairs. Complete in bright colors, there is certain warmth in this place which builds up a sparkling tone.

D-Oh! Boy (Shakespeare Sarani)

Blueberry Lemon, Chocolicious, Deep Dark Desire,
Triple Choco Blast (Clockwise from top)

Well, the Donuts are here in Kolkata and D-Oh! Boy is one of the leading Donut joints in Kolkata. They have got an outlet in Theater Road (Shakespeare Sarani) which runs out of stock by 8 p.m. in most of the days, thanks to the quality of Donuts they sell.

Haldiram's (Chowringhee)

Haldiram's Ground Floor Interiors

This Haldiram's outlet at the Exide and Rabindra Sadan crossing has become a landmark over the years. Ever since it has opened its door, people of all age group have been coming to this place in numbers. Spread out, fully air-conditioned and spacious, it has got ample sitting space, allowing a huge number of people to be present at a time. Well maintained decor and counters allow smooth cruising even in rush hours. There's a balcony and a lower sitting area.

Le Coffee Creme (Salt Lake)

Le Coffee Creme Salt Lake

Le Coffee Crème is a newly opened Continental - Oriental café cum Hookah joint at the ground floor of a residential house opposite City Centre just beside Mehfil. The location is wonderful to appeal to the shopping crowd though it serves only Vegetarian dishes. The entrance is not right on the road but inside a pavement garage of the building. Right on entering, the small room decorated with stylish automobile photographs on colored wall papers with couches and small wooden tables can easily be mistaken for a waiting area to the real dining area. But it is actually just another room for serving guests like the other two interior ones: One lounge space to the left is neatly done up with pristine interiors, leather cushioned seating, fancy woodwork, Buddha statues, graphic wall paper, silk carpet, cute suspended bar counter. And another region for hookah smoking folks, which is straight ahead, having big LCD screen TV and wall sofas for cozy evenings.

Jimmy's Kitchen (AJC Bose Road)

Jimmy's kitchen interior

Well there are very few in Kolkata who haven't heard about Jimmy's Kitchen. Serving one of the best Chinese food for more than a decade, it is a favorite haunt for young and aged both. Situated near Kala Mandir on AJC Bose Road, it remains filled up in weekends and in most weekday evenings too. The Decor is simple and easy on the eyes. Sitting arrangement is pretty good with comfortable sofas and chairs. They also serve alcoholic beverages and the collection is quite varied.

Indian Coffee House (College Street)

Albert Hall of Indian Coffee House

The Indian Coffee House has four branches in Kolkata, namely the College St. branch, Central Avenue branch, Medical College branch & Jadavpur branch. These are one of the most favourite hang-out places among friend groups of students and youngsters, although one can see several old-timers frequenting the coffee houses on a regular basis. Today its crusty high ceilings and grimy walls ring with deafening student conversation but despite the dishwater coffee, it’s perversely fascinating. It was born in the 1940s, when the Coffee Board set them up. In the 1950s, when the Coffee Board shut down it was reopened by worker cooperatives who were backed by professors of Presidency College & Calcutta University. The history of the Coffee House at College Street can be traced to Albert Hall, which was built in April 1876. Later, the Coffee Board of India decided to start a coffee joint from the Albert Hall in 1942. Notable citizens, including Rabindranath Tagore and Subhas ChandraBose, were frequent visitors to the place. In 1947, the Central Government changed the name of the place to "Coffee House". The place became a meeting place for poets, artistes, literati and people from the world of art and culture.

Rubi's Grill (Gariahat - Dover Lane)

Pork Chop with Butter Rice

I heard about this small little quaint place called Rubi's Grill from a friend of mine and decided to try out some of their food, having received nothing but good reviews about it. The place is very small, yet has a warm and cozy ambiance. It has both indoor and outdoor seating arrangements. On a cool winter evening, it would be pleasant to sit outside and have a nice meal. Charpoys at the entrance to welcome a smoking crowd, mix of lounging rattan chairs and tables of fours, good enough for soul-satisfying pig-outs. The cute niche featuring Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children, Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code alongside Anton Chekov's Five Plays and the directly hooked online music add to the curiosity. The menu is a humongous 6 page menu with everything American you can find under one roof- from salads with a choice of your own toppings, finger foods, sandwiches, burgers, classic hot dogs, pizzas and pastas to a wide array of gourmet dishes. 

Rubi's Grill Interiors

We ordered Onion rings and a plate of Potato skin with Bacon for starters. Nothing can really go wrong with Onion rings- they were crispy, not too oily and not soggy. They had a good bite to it! The Potato Skins were excellent! Skins, with crispy fried bacon, topped with gooey cheese and some Oregano for flavour- baked to perfection. They were an absolute delight and MUST try! For the entree, we ordered a portion of the Spare Ribs with their authentic, home-made BBQ sauce and a portion of the Pork Chop with butter rice. Oh that marvelous dish of Spare Ribs was beyond anything that I had imagined. The pork ribs, slightly charred on the outside and tender, juicy, yet moist on the inside. The BBQ sauce was sweet and spicy which added that tangy flavor to the dish! One little flaw would be, the pieces had chunks of fat in it and one feels sick if one ends up eating that much of fat. A less of that fat and the dish can do wonders for meat lovers’ taste buds! The Pork Chop had a very good flavor because of the Rosemary they added and the sauce which accompanied it. The Pork was tender, juicy, all the flavors had seeped right through- all in all, a good dish. Again, too much fat for one to consume. A little less of that would be great! All meats came with wedges, mash or vegetables on the side, just as it should. The Lamb Steak, chunky and moist, as it should be, would have been better with a thinner sauce though.

Spare Ribs with Mashed Potatoes

Service, I must add is slightly slow or rather laid back. That isn’t much of a problem if you want to have long conversations with friends enjoying some great food in a warm and cozy place like this one! The approximate cost of a complete meal for 2 persons is Rs. 550.

Rubi's Grill has been a good experience for me and I would recommend everyone to try it atleast once. For people who shudder at the thought of eating pork, this is the place you must try your first piece and you will not be disappointed, for sure! One must not go by the decor, design, location of this place- it’s the food that matters in the end and Rubi's Grill is a pretty decent example of that!

--Review Done By Radhika Chakraberty.

Location: Building No. 7/2 B, Dover Lane, Gariahat, Opposite Dover Lane Post Office, Kolkata-700029

Also at Omega Building, Sector V, Salt Lake City.

Contact No.: (+91) 9007179876, (+91) (33) 40056001, (+91) 9831078111, (+91) 9831211333

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Wise Owl (Rashbehari Avenue Triangular Park)

Wise Owl Interiors

Wise owl is one of those hangout spots where you can relax and watch time fly by without even knowing. If you are looking for a place to sit and relax and also tuck into some food over a long period of time, then pay a visit to wise owl.  Located in the heart of south Kolkata, yet in a quiet part of Gariahat known as the Purna Das Road, this is a place where you would like to come back time and again. With both outdoor and indoor seating area, it can accommodate 30 people at a time. The outdoor lounge area is the most sought after and remains filled up since it is well decorated with plants and wall paintings, allowing a view of the road. Once seated you may light a smoke (yes, smoking is allowed in the outdoor seating area). The ambience of the interior quarter is plain and simple somewhat elegant. With wall paintings adorning the wall and soft music playing in the cool AC air. There is a shelf having all the different kinds of owl sculptures or show pieces. The crowd is a good mix of teenagers to working women to septuagenarians.

Square 405 - (Mani Sqaure Mall)

Mushroom on Toast and Potato Wedges

Square 405 Main Entrance

Non-Veg Wanton and Sweet Thai Chilly Sauce

Square 405 Interiors Central table for Buffet

Grilled Chicken with Lemon Butter Sauce & Mashed Potatoes

Homemade Special Potato chips

Square 405 possibly derives its name from Mani Square and since it’s the shop no. 405 of 4^th floor of the Shopping Mall. As soon as you enter the restaurant, you will be captivated by its fascinating interiors and décor. Vibrant colors everywhere. When you sit at table, you will notice the various types of sauces placed on it and colorful paper sheets underneath the plates, each with a different quotation like “Believe in yourself”, “Forgive and Forget”, “If you are afraid of butter, use cream”, “Do not refuse to do something that you can do” and others. Sofas are comfy and soft. This being a new restaurant (which came into existence after Five Rivers restaurant shut down), the crowd is less as compared to other restaurants in Mani Square, and therefore you can expect to have a peaceful dinner with your family. Continental and North-Indian cuisine is served here. All dishes are decorated and presentation is very nice. The dishes that are worth to try are Homemade Special Potato chips – Rs. 80, Homemade giant Onion Rings (battered in special beer batter and deep fried to golden perfection) – Rs.80, Non-Veg Wanton (Served with Sweet Thai Chilly Sauce) –Rs. 180, Penne Prawn with a choice of sauces with toasted garlic bread (choices of chicken (Rs. 300) and meat (Rs. 320) instead of prawn are also available) – Rs. 350, Grilled Chicken with Lemon Butter Sauce & Mashed Potatoes (also available choices are Pepper Sauce / Mushroom sauce) – Rs. 280, Sautéed Mushroom on Toast (Served with Homemade Potato Wedges) – Rs. 120, Chicken Malai Kebab Platter  (Butter Rice with Bell Peppers, Four Pieces of Chicken Kebab Skewed, Daal Makhani, Raita, Chitney) – Rs. 380, Date Pancake with Icecream – Rs. 150. The Sandwich was really great in taste but Pasta was ordinary. The Cost of a complete meal for 2 persons is approximately Rs. 900 (inclusive of taxes). The Menu items were less, though the staff informed that new menu with a bigger list will be available soon and Buffet will also be introduced. Service is prompt and staff is very helpful. Surely pay a visit to try out its delectable continental food.

Penne Prawn and toasted garlic bread

Location: Top Floor of Mani Square Mall, 164/1, Maniktala Main Road, Kolkata-700054

Contact No.: Suman Roy (+91) 8420033622, (+91)(33) 40208206

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Square 405 Interiors and Decor

Chicken Malai Kebab Platter

Date Pancake

Ceiling Lights

Calcutta Club The Bakery (Rabindra Sadan)

Chicken Patties and Nut-Cracker

Cakes on display

choco-chips muffins

cream roll

fish corn tart

patties pizza on display

Calcutta Club is a social club located on Lower Circular Road (Rabindra Sadan Metro Station). It was established in 1907. Over the last hundred years Calcutta Club has carved out a unique niche in our social fabric. Conceived as a forum where the British and the Indians could meet as equals and understand each other better, the Club soon surpassed these aims and became a true centre of bonhomie and warmth. This camaraderie is a hallmark of this institution, dearly prized by each one of us. It is mostly frequented by persons over the age of 55. It has colonial architecture and strict dress code for all its members and their guests. It has all facilities of card room, bar, tennis court, badminton, swimming pool, pool table ect. Apart from that the continental served at the main dining room, the Chinese at The Chinese Room, kebabs served at Tandoor Corner and the desserts and baked goods at the bakery all make the mark. The bakery is one of the finest in Kolkata which can surely compete the famed Nahoum’s and Flurys. Its winter specials are rich plum cake, special fruit cake (Rs. 250 per pound) and plum pudding (served with brandy sauce) (Rs. 280 per pound). All are available during the winter season in sizes of 1 or 2 pounds. It also sells tasty chicken patties, fish corn tarts, spinach croissants, rich vegetables pizzas, cream roll pista (Rs. 26), cheese cakes, chocolate truffles, choco chip muffins (Rs. 18), almond brownie, and lots of other pastries. The bakery is operates on all days from 09:30 AM to 10:00 PM. However the only glitch- only members and their invited guests can buy from this place. For more information check their website at http://www.calcuttaclub.in/index_flash.html

Location: 241, A. J. C. Bose Road, Kolkata – 700020

Contact No.: +91(33) 22236030, 22236031, 40132209, 40132210, 40132220

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Rich plum cake

Rich vegetables pizza

Rum-ball and pastries on display

Spinach magic

Dining Hall - Calcutta Club
Read detailed information about The main Dining Hall (Coffee Room) and also about the Central Lounge at Calcutta Club which serves cocktails, alcoholic beverages along with snacks like Chicken / Prawn Cutlets, Mutton Fry & continental / English dishes like Bekti Veronique, Chicken Mont Blanc & more..