When Rinku Dutt, a second-generation British-born Bengali, relocated to London, she realised there was a gap for Kolkata street food, So, in 2012, she opened Raastawala. What began as a part-time passion project has grown to become a full-time venture, now operating seven days a week at Canteen Food Hall, a minute’s walk from London Underground’s North Greenwich station.
The author of Kolkata: Recipes from the Heart of Bengal, visited her hometown in mid-January. No surprise that much of her week-long visit involved a food trail across some of Kolkata’s iconic destinations.
Here’s a glimpse of some of the places she explored, and a first-hand account of the experiences:
Breakfast at Trincas
The main purpose of this trip was to visit some of Kolkata’s iconic food destinations that define the essence of the city. “One thing I definitely wanted to try was the English Breakfast at Trincas, which made a comeback to the Park Street restaurant after 62 years. This set the tone for the rest of the trip,” shared Rinku, excitedly.
Chicken Kathi Roll at Nizam’s, Prawn Kathi Roll at Kusum Rolls
The food trail continued at Nizam’s near New Market, where the aroma of Chicken Kathi Roll made it hard to resist grabbing one! Back on Park Street, she ventured beyond the ordinary at Kusum Rolls. “One of my friends recommended the Prawn Kathi Roll, it was fabulous!” revealed Rinku. What also fascinated her were the nuances of the culinary craft. “The basic things like the way they chop the onions, how many rolls are prepped in one go… it’s a well-oiled system and you can tell it comes from years of experience of running the place.” On the Raastawala menu in London, one of the top-sellers is the Chicken Kolkata Kathi Roll — naan stuffed with spiced chicken, chutney and fillings.
A cuppa at Indian Coffee House
The trail then took Rinku to north Kolkata where a pitstop was made at the historical Indian Coffee House on College Street. Steeped in history, this was once a meeting place for intellectuals, artists, and revolutionaries during the Independence movement, including Rabindranath Tagore and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The Indian Coffee House is where poetry, films and revolutions brewed alongside aromatic coffee!
‘Kochuri’ and ‘mishti’ from Putiram
“This was followed by a trip to Putiram, where we tried the mishti and kochuri, accompanied by the traditional serving of chholar dal,” recalls Rinku with a smile. Other food stops included “drinking masala chai from a bhanr outside Victoria Memorial” and Indo-Chinese food at Bar-B-Q.
Cappuccino & Strawberry Cube at Flurys
Is a visit to Kolkata truly complete without stopping by Flurys, the legendary tea room on Park Street? “I have cherished childhood memories of eagerly anticipating our outings to Park Street for a special treat, especially the Strawberry Cube,” reminisces Rinku, who would visit Kolkata annually to spend time with her grandparents in Bhowanipore and Garia.
Pice hotel experience at Adarsha Hindu Hotel
Rinku, who had never visited a pice hotel before, was rather intrigued by the concept. Joined by Anindya and Dolan from Kolkata Classics, they visited Adarsha Hindu Hotel near Gariahat Market. “The food was delicious; within half an hour, we had tasted three to four types of fish and torkaris, along with bhaat, dal and jhuri bhaja. And it is amazing how the waiters remember everyone’s orders without writing them down!” she recalls. Her take-home? “Maybe my next pop-up in London can be a thali-style pice hotel menu, and we can talk about the history, too!” she signed off.
